Clinical Lab Associate-2

Montgomery College; Clarksville (TN); On-site; USD 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderbilt Health is seeking an organized team member to accession specimens, prepare materials for testing and support the pathology lab workflow. You will work with lab staff and clinicians in a fast-paced environment in Middle Tennessee.

The role emphasizes accurate handling, data entry, and coordination with caregivers to ensure timely processing and quality results. Vanderbilt Health offers a comprehensive benefits package and opportunities for growth within a leading academic health system.

Qualifications

• Attention to detail in specimen handling and labeling.
• Familiarity with basic lab safety and clerical tasks.
• Ability to communicate effectively with lab staff and clinicians.

Responsibilities

• Accession specimens and package materials for testing.
• Provide customer service and basic telephone etiquette.
• Perform pre-analytic processing and clerical support as needed.

Skills

Specimen handling

Quality assurance

Customer service

Pathology basics

Laboratory practices

Equipment maintenance

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization: VCH Laboratory Pathology

Job Summary

Responsible for accessioning specimens or patient tissue materials for testing including packaging specimens or tissue materials to be sent out to referring laboratory with minimal guidance. Works closely with all laboratory staff, medical staff, and external customers. Performs customer service functions including telephone etiquette and basic troubleshooting and problem resolution.

Key Responsibilities

• Sorting, triaging, receiving, sending, processing and batching specimens
• Processing samples pre-analytically for testing
• Providing general clerical support

The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

Technical Capabilities

• Quality Assurance (Novice): Has provided continuous analysis and evaluation of assignment work processes, constantly striving for improvement in the way tasks and activities are accomplished by questioning their value to the process and contributing creative solutions. Has participated in the process of establishing, communicating and monitoring standards for quality and excellence. Demonstrates the ability to actually work on and improve a current business process, product or service.
• Specimen Collection (Novice): Possesses sufficient fundamental proficiency to successfully demonstrate specimen collection in practical applications of moderate difficulty. Generally works under the direction of others while accomplishing assignments.
• Pathology (Novice): Possesses sufficient fundamental proficiency to successfully demonstrate pathology in practical applications of moderate difficulty. Generally works under the direction of others while accomplishing assignments.
• Laboratory Practices (Novice): Possesses sufficient fundamental proficiency to successfully demonstrate laboratory practices in practical applications of moderate difficulty. Generally works under the direction of others while accomplishing assignments.
• Customer Service (Novice): Demonstrates the ability to influence customers. Knows how to verify and clarify the needs and expectations of customers. Responds quickly and efficiently to customer service requests. Participates in and conducts meetings with customers. Keeps customers informed of status via standard reporting techniques. Meets the continuing service needs of a customer group, including requests for changes in work content. Responds to customers with an appropriate level of urgency, energy, persistence and tenacity.
• Equipment Maintenance (Novice): Possesses sufficient fundamental proficiency to successfully demonstrate the ability to maintain equipment, products, or systems in practical applications of moderate difficulty. Assures that parts inventory is sufficient.

Core Accountabilities

Organizational Impact: Delivers job responsibilities that impact own job area/team with some guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Uses existing procedures, research and analysis to solve standard job related problems that may require some judgement. Breadth of Knowledge: Requires subject matter knowledge within a professional area to meet job requirements. Team Interaction: Individually contributes to project/ work teams.

Core Capabilities

Supporting Colleagues:

Develops Self and Others: Continuously improves own skills by identifying development opportunities.

Builds and Maintains Relationships: Seeks to understand colleagues priorities, working styles and develops relationships across areas.

Communicates Effectively: Openly shares information with others and communicates in a clear and courteous manner.

Delivering Excellent Services:

Serves Others with Compassion: Invests time to understand the problems, needs of others and how to provide excellent service.

Solves Complex Problems: Seeks to understand issues, solves routine problems, and raises proper concerns to supervisors in a timely manner.

Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Listens carefully to understanding the issues and provides accurate information and support.

Ensuring High Quality:

Performs Excellent Work: Checks work quality before delivery and asks relevant questions to meet quality standards.

Ensures Continuous Improvement: Shows eagerness to learn new knowledge, technologies, tools or systems and displays willingness to go above and beyond.

Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Demonstrates basic knowledge of conditions that affect safety and reports unsafe conditions to the appropriate person or department.

Managing Resources Effectively :

Demonstrates Accountability: Takes responsibility for completing assigned activities and thinks beyond standard approaches to provide high-quality work/service.

Stewards Organizational Resources: Displays understanding of how personal actions will impact departmental resources.

Makes Data Driven Decisions: Uses accurate information and good decision making to consistently achieve results on time and without error.

Fostering Innovation:

Generates New Ideas: Willingly proposes/accepts ideas or initiatives that will impact day-to-day operations by offering suggestions to enhance them.

Applies Technology: Absorbs new technology quickly; understands when to utilize the appropriate tools and procedures to ensure proper course of action.

Adapts to Change: Embraces changes by keeping an open mind to changing plans and incorporates change instructions into own area of work.

Position Qualifications

Responsibilities: Certifications: Work Experience: Relevant Work Experience Experience Level : 1 year Education: High School Diploma or GED

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled. PEOPLE ARE AT THE HEART OF ALL WE DO. Great health care takes great people.

We’re looking for like-minded individuals driven to make a difference. We invite you to explore careers at Vanderbilt Health, where we value collaboration, embrace continuous learning and foster an environment where everyone can thrive. We’re the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee, with a growing team and an expanding footprint across towns and communities throughout the region. We employ more than 43,000 people who work in inpatient and outpatient clinical care, research and graduate medical education. Our employees also serve in critical supporting roles in administration, information technology and informatics, finance, legal and community affairs, communications and marketing, fundraising, groundskeeping and facilities, and many other departments.

Our growing academic health system has more than 2,100 licensed hospital beds at eight hospitals: Vanderbilt University Hospital Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital Vanderbilt Health is the Mid-South's largest provider of specialty care, with hundreds of outpatient clinic and surgical locations throughout the region, and Tennessee’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for adults and children. We are one of the nation’s busiest critical care centers, home to Middle Tennessee’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Burn Center for adults and children, and Middle Tennessee’s only Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. We are the nation’s largest transplant center, and last year we performed the most heart transplants than any center worldwide. Vanderbilt Health is an epicenter for biomedical research, winning over 1 billion in annual research awards from government, industry, foundations and donors. We are also a national leader in medical training and education, with the largest clinical training center in the Mid-South and the only training center in Tennessee for many adult and pediatric specialties. We’re honored to be consistently considered among the nation’s best hospitals for quality, safety and patient satisfaction. Three of our hospitals - Vanderbilt University Hospital, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital - have been awarded a Five-Star Quality Rating from Medicare. We support each other and encourage excellence among every member of our workforce. High-achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt Health for professional growth opportunities, competitive compensation and benefits, and a sense of community and purpose. Join us in advancing health care. Our vision: The world leader in advancing personalized health Our mission: Personalizing the patient experience through our caring spirit and distinctive capabilities