Laboratory Assistant (Temporary Full Time)

Provincial Health Services Authority; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking healthcare organization as a Laboratory Assistant, where you'll play a crucial role in specimen management and data processing. This temporary full-time position offers the opportunity to contribute to impactful healthcare services while supporting a culture of inclusivity and respect. You will prepare specimens, verify their accuracy, and ensure compliance with established procedures, all while being part of a team dedicated to addressing systemic inequities and promoting Indigenous Cultural Safety. With a commitment to employee wellness and professional development, this role is ideal for those eager to make a difference in the healthcare sector.

Benefits

Health and wellness programs

Comprehensive benefits

Flexible work options

Professional training

Qualifications

• Completion of Grade 12 and a recognized Medical Lab Assistant training program.
• One year of recent, related experience or equivalent education and training.

Responsibilities

• Prepare specimens for testing and verify identification criteria.
• Process test requisitions and enter patient data into systems.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Organizational skills

Physical ability

Knowledge of social determinants of health

Education

Grade 12

Medical Lab Assistant training program

Job description

Laboratory Assistant

Specimen Receipt and Dispatch

Vancouver, BC

The Laboratory Assistant performs general laboratory and clerical procedures related to the production of media, waste management, customer service, data entry, and the receipt, handling, accessioning, preparation, and distribution of laboratory specimens.

What You’ll Do

1. Prepare specimens for testing in accordance with established procedures by performing duties such as preparing smears, staining and coverslipping slides, centrifugation, aliquoting (subsampling), and loading samples onto specimen racks.
2. Verify that specimens meet acceptable identification criteria and verify specimen type according to established procedures, sort and assign laboratory numbers to specimens, in priority according to pre-defined criteria, and apply barcode labels.
3. Prepare culture media and stock solutions by weighing dehydrated media and chemicals, dissolving in water or other solvents, measuring pH, and sterilizing by filtration or autoclaving.
4. Receive incoming specimens and requisitions, check for accuracy and completeness of information such as personal health number, name, date of birth, and tests required. Contact physicians or labs for missing information and make necessary corrections.
5. Process test requisitions by entering patient data into computer systems, issue new patient identification numbers where required, identify duplicate record problems, clarify missing or questionable information, and enter corrections into the Laboratory Information System (LIS).

Qualifications

What you bring

• Grade 12
• Successful completion of a recognized Medical Lab Assistant training program (see https://www.bcsls.net/schools-and-lab-programs)
• One year's recent, related experience or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• Knowledge of the impacts of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples in social and health contexts, including Indigenous-specific mandates and a commitment to eradicating Indigenous-specific racism and embedding Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility
• Understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments such as the TRC Calls to Action, In Plain Sight, BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, UNDRIP, and related documents

Core Competencies

• Understanding of Indigenous-specific and systemic racism, with initiatives to promote a safe, inclusive environment informed by Indigenous Cultural Safety
• Awareness of the social, economic, and political realities of settler colonialism and strategies to address Indigenous-specific anti-racism and cultural safety

Skills & Knowledge

• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to organize work and operate related equipment
• Physical ability to perform duties
• Commitment to learning about Indigenous-specific racism and systemic oppression, and to sharing learning experiences
• Foundational knowledge of social determinants of health and legislative obligations related to Indigenous rights and anti-racism

What We Bring

We support our employees with health, wellness, and development programs, including professional training, comprehensive benefits, and flexible work options. Join BC’s largest employer and contribute to impactful healthcare services across the province.

Job Details:

• Type: Temporary, Full-Time until September 2026 or return of incumbent
• Wage: $29.27/hour
• Location: 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC
• Closing Date: Until Filled
• Hours: 1500-2300, Monday to Friday

About PHSA

Provincial Laboratory Medicine Services (PLMS) is part of PHSA, operating across 31 sites, providing diagnostic testing that supports healthcare and research. PHSA values respect, compassion, innovation, equity, and courage, and is committed to anti-racism and creating an inclusive, culturally safe environment. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, especially Indigenous applicants, and support ongoing efforts to address systemic inequities.