Position Overview

Reporting to the Laboratory Director/Supervisor, the Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) exercises sound clinical judgment, advanced technical skills, and collaborative teamwork to support full-service laboratory operations. This position is responsible for performing diagnostic testing across clinical specialties, collecting patient specimens, managing quality control and proficiency testing protocols, and ensuring strict adherence to CLIA and accreditation standards in a patient-focused healthcare environment.

Schedule & Shift Details

• Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
• Shift: Day Shift
• On-Call: Shared call rotation required to cover emergency testing during nights, weekends, and holidays

Key Responsibilities

Diagnostic Testing & Analytical Operations

• Perform, evaluate, and correlate clinical laboratory tests across Hematology, Chemistry, Urinalysis, Microbiology, Coagulation, Serology, and Transfusion Services (Blood Bank) using standard protocols approved by the Pathologist.
• Operate, calibrate, troubleshoot, and maintain automated and semi-automated clinical laboratory instrumentation.
• Complete and document scheduled preventive maintenance on all laboratory instruments and equipment; maintain clean, sanitized, and organized work areas.
• Detect technical problems, instrument deviations, or analytical errors; execute corrective action immediately and withhold patient results until testing systems function within defined tolerances.
• Apply efficient, LEAN operational principles to bench workflows to maximize accuracy and turnaround time.

Specimen Collection & Patient Access

• Obtain blood and clinical specimens—including capillary, venous, and arterial collections—from pediatric through geriatric patients in outpatient, acute inpatient, and long-term care settings.
• Review, validate, and enter written physician orders into the Laboratory Information System (LIS) with high accuracy.
• Register patients into the LIS for scheduled laboratory appointments.
• Properly centrifuge, label, preserve, and package specimens for storage or transport to reference laboratories; coordinate with reference facilities to ensure testing quality, timely reporting, and accurate billing.

Quality Control & Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain and deliver laboratory services in strict accordance with CLIA standards, organizational policies, and departmental budgets.
• Follow comprehensive Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) programs; verify that test methods meet acceptable levels of analytical performance.
• Participate in Proficiency Testing (PT), testing PT samples in the exact manner as patient specimens; review, identify, and resolve issues, and sign PT documentation prior to submission.
• Review technical procedure manuals for all operational benches annually.
• Protect patient confidentiality and uphold strict HIPAA standards, never discussing diagnostic history or clinical matters outside authorized channels.

Administrative & Team Support

• Coordinate the ordering, inventory tracking, receiving, and stocking of testing reagents, supplies, and consumables.
• Compile statistics, collect laboratory data, prepare administrative reports, and accurately log patient test charges.
• Maintain professional, transparent communication and working relationships with physicians, nursing staff, and interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
• Participate in departmental meetings, in-service trainings, professional development courses, and quality improvement committees.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education & Licensure

• Education: Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Medical Technology, Medical Laboratory Science, or a related chemical/biological science discipline from an accredited institution.
• Certification: Active certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) or Medical Technologist (MT) through ASCP, AMT, or equivalent national accrediting agency; must maintain good standing.
• Licensure: Current professional clinical laboratory personnel license in accordance with state regulations.

Technical & System Proficiencies

• Proficiency with computers, Laboratory Information Systems (LIS), Hospital Information Systems (HIS), and Electronic Medical Records (EMR).
• Demonstrated competence in phlebotomy and specimen processing across all patient demographics.
• Solid working knowledge of laboratory safety protocols, standard universal precautions, and regulatory compliance programs.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

• Physical Capabilities: Requires full range of body motion, manual and finger dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and prolonged periods of standing and walking.
• Sensory Requirements: Visual acuity and normal color perception are required to differentiate analytical reactions, morphology, and specimen indicators.
• Working Environment: Work is conducted in a climate-controlled, smoke-free indoor healthcare environment with moderate noise levels.
• Occupational Hazards: Regular handling of biohazardous specimens, potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens, communicable diseases, sharps, chemical reagents, and unpleasant odors, requiring strict compliance with PPE and universal precautions.