Lab Assistant

RWJBarnabas Health; Communipaw (NJ); On-site; USD 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

RWJBarnabas Health is seeking a Lab Assistant at Jersey City Medical Center. The role involves receiving, verifying, and distributing specimens, handling barcoded samples, and supporting an interdisciplinary team to ensure diagnostic accuracy and patient safety.

The position emphasizes meticulous specimen processing, data privacy, and adherence to safety standards. Ideal candidates have a high school diploma, up to 2 years of lab experience, and strong computer and communication skills.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
• 0–2 years of experience, ideally within a laboratory environment.
• Demonstrates familiarity or experience with specimen processing.
• Demonstrated competence in organizing, multi-tasking, and prioritizing high-volume workloads for timely clinical completion.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to express details clearly and professionally both verbally and in writing.
• Strong technical acumen with the ability to easily comprehend and execute complex operational and safety instructions.
• Proven ability and willingness to maintain a strict level of data privacy and confidentiality regarding sensitive medical results.
• Excellent computer skills with a history of navigating databases or sorting automated medical logs preferred.
• Physical capability and comfort to work within an environment that involves handling biohazard specimens and meeting active physical demands.
• Scheduling requirements: Per Diem (PD) Day Shift, 6:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Weekdays are flexible, but rotating weekend and holiday availability is required.

Responsibilities

• Reporting to the Laboratory Supervisor or Director while verifying, accepting, and processing tissue and fluid specimens delivered via the pneumatic tube system or direct delivery from the ED, nursing units, PAT, and outside clinics.
• Conducting comprehensive sorting and rapid distribution of properly barcoded specimens to their appropriate laboratory sections, prioritizing emergency department, critical care floors, and STAT specimens for immediate delivery.
• Participating as an active member of the interdisciplinary team by operating laboratory machinery, including spinning all specimens intended for Troponin evaluation prior to transferring custody to the Chemistry department.
• Developing, maintaining, and continuously monitoring all pending or collected patient specimens through the designated laboratory database system to ensure accurate tracking and tracking software metrics remain current.
• Facilitating professional communication by answering incoming phone calls observing proper telephone manners and accurately referring inquiries to specific technical sections when advanced assistance is required.
• Coordinating external laboratory compliance by carefully preparing and processing all clinical PKU specimens slated to be sent out to the New Jersey State Department of Health.
• Completing comprehensive administrative oversight by monitoring regulatory logs, printing/sorting inpatient, outpatient, and medical record cumulative documents, maintaining processing area order, and applying manual tracking knowledge during computer system downtime.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Data privacy

Computer skills

Multitasking

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Laboratory machinery

Job description

Job Title: Lab Assistant

Location: Jersey City Medical Center

Department Name: Lab JCMC Clinical Pathology

Req #: 0000264824

Status: Hourly

Shift: Day

Pay Range: $23.69 - $23.69 per hour

Pay Transparency:

The above reflects the anticipated hourly wage range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey.

The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

Lab Assistant – RWJBarnabas Health

At RWJBarnabas Health, Lab Assistants become part of a purpose-driven environment where compassion, clinical excellence, and patient-centered care create meaningful opportunities to support medical diagnostic services. This Lab Assistant role offers opportunities for professional growth, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a culture committed to quality, evidence-based laboratory practices, and continuous improvement. Reporting to the Laboratory Supervisor or Director, you will play an essential role in receiving, verifying, and distributing critical patient specimens, executing fundamental clinical clerical functions, and partnering with an interdisciplinary healthcare team to promote diagnostic accuracy and improve patient outcomes. Joining RWJBarnabas Health means joining a community where every Lab Assistant is encouraged to grow, contribute, and make a lasting impact on our patient community.

A typical day for a Lab Assistant may include:

• Reporting to the Laboratory Supervisor or Director while verifying, accepting, and processing tissue and fluid specimens delivered via the pneumatic tube system or direct delivery from the ED, nursing units, PAT, and outside clinics.
• Conducting comprehensive sorting and rapid distribution of properly barcoded specimens to their appropriate laboratory sections, prioritizing emergency department, critical care floors, and STAT specimens for immediate delivery.
• Participating as an active member of the interdisciplinary team by operating laboratory machinery, including spinning all specimens intended for Troponin evaluation prior to transferring custody to the Chemistry department.
• Developing, maintaining, and continuously monitoring all pending or collected patient specimens through the designated laboratory database system to ensure accurate tracking and tracking software metrics remain current.
• Facilitating professional communication by answering incoming phone calls observing proper telephone manners and accurately referring inquiries to specific technical sections when advanced assistance is required.
• Coordinating external laboratory compliance by carefully preparing and processing all clinical PKU specimens slated to be sent out to the New Jersey State Department of Health.
• Completing comprehensive administrative oversight by monitoring regulatory logs, printing/sorting inpatient, outpatient, and medical record cumulative documents, maintaining processing area order, and applying manual tracking knowledge during computer system downtime.

This role might be for you if:

• Compassion and empathy guide your interactions with patients, families, and your clinical laboratory colleagues.
• You are passionate about supporting individuals by protecting accurate diagnostic paths and maintaining strict levels of confidentiality regarding laboratory results and patient records.
• Strong organizational and critical thinking skills allow you to properly prioritize complex specimen workloads to meet strict, time-sensitive laboratory testing turnaround deadlines.
• You communicate confidently and collaborate effectively with external hospital departments, medical staff, nursing personnel, patients, and visiting families.
• You enjoy executing precise instructions within a technical laboratory environment while upholding exceptional professional standards and corporate codes of behavior.
• You are comfortable working with complex information networks and possess excellent computer skills to navigate modern healthcare databases.
• Adaptability allows you to confidently handle biohazard specimens, special physical demands, and shifting laboratory priorities in a dynamic healthcare facility.
• Continuous learning, strict safety compliance, and professional development within an acute care laboratory framework are important to you.

To be considered for this Lab Assistant opportunity, you will have:

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
• 0–2 years of experience, ideally within a laboratory environment.
• Demonstrates familiarity or experience with specimen processing.
• Demonstrated competence in organizing, multi-tasking, and prioritizing high-volume workloads for timely clinical completion.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to express details clearly and professionally both verbally and in writing.
• Strong technical acumen with the ability to easily comprehend and execute complex operational and safety instructions.
• Proven ability and willingness to maintain a strict level of data privacy and confidentiality regarding sensitive medical results.
• Excellent computer skills with a history of navigating databases or sorting automated medical logs preferred.
• Physical capability and comfort to work within an environment that involves handling biohazard specimens and meeting active physical demands.
• Strong professional judgment with the ability to make timely decisions consistent with departmental policies, goals, and regulatory rules.
• Scheduling requirements: Per Diem (PD) Day Shift, 6:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Weekdays are flexible, but rotating weekend and holiday availability is required.