HISTOLOGY TECHNICIAN/HISTOLOGY TECHNOLOGIST-CASUAL

Excela Health; Butler (Butler County); On-site; USD 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Histology Technician/Technologist to join their team. In this role, you will process and prepare pathology specimens, ensuring high-quality diagnostic slides for pathologists. Your expertise in routine and special stains, along with your organizational skills, will be key in maintaining specimen integrity and supporting efficient laboratory operations. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to vital healthcare processes while working in a collaborative environment. If you are passionate about making a difference in patient care and have the required qualifications, we encourage you to apply and be part of a team that values excellence and innovation.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; HT certification within 15 months.
• 3+ years of histology experience preferred for technologist role.

Responsibilities

• Processes pathology specimens to produce diagnostic slides.
• Operates and maintains histology equipment and documents maintenance.
• Participates in departmental tasks and maintains compliance with standards.

Skills

Leadership Skills

Organizational Skills

Critical Thinking

Communication Skills

Problem Solving

Basic Math Proficiency

Keyboard Proficiency

Visual Acuity

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associates of Science degree

Bachelor of Science

Tools

Microtomes

Cryostats

Staining Equipment

Pathology Software

Job description

Shift: Monday-Friday, Daylight hours, no weekends or holidays. *Days and hours are subject to change.

The Histology position will consider Technician and Technologist levels of the career ladder. The final title and pay will be determined by education, experience, and certification.

Histology Technician

Job Summary/Overall Objectives

Processes and prepares pathology specimens to produce quality diagnostic slides for examination by a pathologist. Competent in the performance of routine and special stains.

Essential Job Functions

• Accessions and systematically organizes specimens to safeguard specimen identification and integrity.
• Prepares for and assists in the grossing of specimens with a pathologist.
  • Readies the grossing area in an organized manner to assist the pathologist and efficiently prioritize workflow.
  • Supplies materials to the pathologist as needed - gloves, surgical instruments, inks, etc.
  • Accurately documents specimens, blocks, and slides as the pathologist grosses.
  • Orders blocks, levels, frozen sections, path determinations, photos, flow cytometry tracking, touch preps, special stains, and special requests as needed.
  • Cleans the grossing station and instruments when the pathologist is finished, maintaining the area in a safe and sanitary condition.
• Operates and maintains equipment in accordance with guidelines.
  • Loads and starts processors at day's end, choosing the appropriate program for processing.
  • Operates microtomes, cryostats, staining equipment, recycler, etc., as trained and according to guidelines.
  • Performs routine, preventative, and corrective maintenance, resolving problems as they occur.
  • Documents maintenance as performed; assists in keeping accurate records of preventative and corrective maintenance performed by outside vendors.
• Embeds, cuts, and performs routine stains on tissue sections.
• Demonstrates competency in performance of routine and special stains.
• Prepares slides for reading by pathologist.
  • Coverslips slides using manual or automated methods.
  • Labels slides accurately, ensuring positive patient identification with clear notation of slide source and stain procedure.
  • Facilitates the distribution of slides between pathologists to provide timely progression of workflow.
• Performs and completes frozen sections.
  • Produces quality frozen section slides with accurate identification of patient and source.
  • Performs frozen section procedure and delivers slides to pathologist in a manner that allows for a 20 minute or less turnaround time.
  • Documents receipt and delivery of the frozen section.
  • Follows written protocols for cleaning, defrosting, and decontamination of the cryostats, documents in the QC manual.
• Participates in routine departmental tasks.
  • Files slides and paraffin blocks accurately and independently.
  • Restocks supplies as needed.
  • Performs recycling when necessary.
  • Maintains adequate supplies of filled specimen containers.
  • Makes reagents, filters stains according to established protocols.
  • Performs supply inventory and places stock and non-stock orders as needed.
• Maintains skills in utilization of Pathology, LIS and HIS computer system functions.
  • Works with the pathology software on a daily basis for accessioning and documentation of specimens, pulling work lists, ordering slides, labels, etc.
  • Uses the pathology software to document tracking issues, QA variances, etc.
  • Monitors reports to track specimens and/or results as needed.
• Functions in an organized and independent manner, complying with policy and procedures to cooperatively enhance department operations.
  • Cognizant of the importance of clear and concise communication between pathologists, histologists, manager, and medical secretaries.
  • Handles requests from the pathologists in a timely manner.
  • Recognizes areas for improvement in department operations, contributes to and participates in quality management processes.
  • Participates in section readiness to meet CAP, JCAHO, OSHA, and DOH compliance.
  • Maintains competency in assigned areas, and completes assessments in a timely and independent manner.
  • Participates in continuing education programs, staff meetings, etc., as appropriate.
• Functions as cytopreparatory tech for preparation of gyne and non-gyne thin prep specimens.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competency and Experience [Knowledge, Skills and Abilities]

Required Qualifications/Experience

• High School Diploma or GED or higher level of education.
• Completion of the educational requirements needed to take the Histotechnician (HT) exam:
• Successful completion of a NAACLS accredited HT program OR;
• High School Diploma or GED and at least 60 semester hours of academic credit from a regionally accredited college/university with a combination of 12 semester hours of biology and chemistry.
• OR Bachelor of Science or Associate of Science with one (1) to two (2) years of histology experience.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
• Basic Math and Keyboard Proficiency.
• Basic working knowledge of computers and office equipment.
• Problem solving involving several variables in or from standardized situations.
• Apply technical principles. Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic or schedule form.
• High level of visual acuity (with/without correction) necessary for very close inspection and attention to minute detail, very small objects and scant variations in color.

Preferred Qualifications/Experience

• None preferred.

License, Certification & Clearances

• Obtain HT (ASCP) or HTL (ASCP) certification within fifteen (15) months of hire or transfer.
• Act 34-PA Criminal Record Check from the PA State Police system.
• Must complete HAZMAT training in 90 days.

Histology Technologist

Job Summary/Overall Objectives

Processes and prepares pathology specimens to produce quality diagnostic slides for examination by a pathologist. Competent in the performance of routine and special stains.

Essential Job Functions

• Accessions and systematically organizes specimens to safeguard specimen identification and integrity.
• Prepares for and assists in the grossing of specimens (with a pathologist based on location).
  • Readies the grossing area in an organized manner to assist the pathologist and efficiently prioritize workflow.
  • Supplies materials to the pathologist as needed - gloves, surgical instruments, inks, etc.
  • Accurately documents specimens, blocks, and slides.
  • Orders blocks, levels, frozen sections, path determinations, photos, flow cytometry tracking, touch preps, special stains, and special requests as needed.
  • Cleans the grossing station and instruments when the grossing is finished, maintaining area in a safe and sanitary condition.
• Operates and maintains equipment in accordance with guidelines.
  • Loads and starts processors at day's end, choosing the appropriate program for processing.
  • Operates microtomes, cryostats, staining equipment, etc., as trained and according to guidelines.
  • Performs routine, preventative, and corrective maintenance, resolving problems as they occur.
  • Documents maintenance as performed; assists in keeping accurate records of preventative and corrective maintenance performed by outside vendors.
• Embeds, cuts, and performs routine stains on tissue sections.
• Demonstrates competency in performance of routine and special stains, immunohistochemistry, and insituhybridization, molecular probes.
• Prepares slides for reading by pathologist.
  • Coverslips slides using manual or automated methods.
  • Labels slides accurately, ensuring positive patient identification with clear notation of slide source and stain procedure.
  • Facilitates the distribution of slides between pathologists to provide timely progression of workflow.
• Performs and completes frozen sections.
  • At the direction of the Pathologist (or Moh’s surgeon) and the PA is not available (applicable by location):
    • Produces quality frozen section slides with accurate identification of patient and source.
    • Performs frozen section procedure and delivers slides to pathologist in a manner that allows for a 20 minute or less turnaround time.
  • Documents receipt and delivery of the frozen section in the log book and in the EMR.
  • Follows written protocols for cleaning, defrosting, and decontamination of the cryostats, documents in the QC manual.
• Participates in routine departmental tasks.
  • Files slides and paraffin blocks accurately and independently (wet tissue accurately and independently by location).
  • Restocks supplies as needed.
  • Maintains adequate supplies of filled specimen containers.
  • Makes reagents, filters stains according to established protocols.
  • Performs supply inventory and places stock and non-stock orders as needed.
• Maintains skills in utilization of Pathology, LIS and HIS computer system functions.
  • Works with the pathology software and dictation system and software (by location where applicable) on a daily basis for accessioning and documentation of specimens, pulling work lists, ordering slides, labels, etc.
  • Uses the pathology software to document tracking issues, QA variances, etc.
  • Monitors reports to track specimens and/or results as needed.
• Functions in an organized and independent manner, complying with policy and procedures to cooperatively enhance department operations.
  • Cognizant of the importance of clear and concise communication between pathologists, histologists, manager, and medical secretaries.
  • Handles requests from the pathologists in a timely manner.
  • Recognizes areas for improvement in department operations, contributes to and participates in quality management processes.
  • Participates in section readiness to meet CAP, JCAHO, OSHA, and DOH compliance.
  • Maintains competency in assigned areas, and completes assessments in a timely and independent manner.
  • Participates in continuing education programs, staff meetings, etc., as appropriate.
• Functions as cytopreparatory tech for preparation of gyne and non-gyne thin prep specimens.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competency and Experience [Knowledge, Skills and Abilities]

Required Qualifications/Experience

• Associates of Science degree or higher level of education with three (3) + years’ experience in histology.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
• Basic Math and Keyboard Proficiency.
• Basic working knowledge of computers and office equipment.
• Problem solving involving several variables in or from standardized situations.
• Apply technical principles. Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic or schedule form.
• High level of visual acuity (with/without correction) necessary for very close inspection and attention to minute detail, very small objects and scant variations in color.

Preferred Qualifications/Experience

• None preferred.

License, Certification & Clearances

• HT (ASCP) or HTL (ASCP) certification required.
• Act 34-PA Criminal Record Check from the PA State Police system.
• Must complete HAZMAT training within 90 days of hire/transfer.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between System locations.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Independence Health and its affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. It is their policy to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other classification protected by law. Independence Health and its affiliated companies will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Disclaimer

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Moreover, duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Work Environment

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield, and mask are required according to CDC guidelines.

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.

Essential – Absolute Necessity.

Marginal – Minimal Necessity.

Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift.

Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift.

Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift.

Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.

Physical Condition

Essential

Marginal

Constantly

Frequently

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

Extreme Heat

x

Extreme Cold

x

Heights

x

Confined Spaces

x

Extreme Noise(>85dB)

x

Mechanical Hazards

x

x

Use of Vibrating Tools

x

Operates Vehicle (company)

x

Operates Heavy Equipment

x

Use of Lifting/Transfer Devices

x

x

Rotates All Shifts

x

x

8 Hours Shifts

x

x

10-12 Hours Shifts

x

On-Call

x

x

Overtime(+8/hrs/shift; 40/hrs/wk)

x

x

Travel Between Sites

x

x

Direct Patient Care

x

Respirator Protective Equipment

x

x

Eye Protection

x

x

Head Protection (hard hat)

x

Hearing Protection

x

Hand Protection

x

x

Feet, Toe Protection

x

Body Protection

x

x

Latex Exposure

x

x

Solvent Exposure

x

x

Paint (direct use) Exposure

x

Dust (sanding) Exposure

x

Ethylene Oxide Exposure

x

Cytotoxic (Chemo) Exposure

x

Blood/Body Fluid Exposure

x

x

Chemicals (direct use) Exposure

x

x

Mist Exposure

x

Wax Stripper (direct use)

x

Non-Ionizing Radiation Exposure

x

x

Ionizing Radiation Exposure

x

Laser Exposure

x