Lab Assistant

RWJBarnabas Health; Hamilton Township (NJ); On-site; USD 30,000 - 37,000; Part time

Job summary

RWJBarnabas Health is seeking a Lab Assistant to support routine and STAT testing in a fast-paced clinical pathology laboratory. The role involves careful data entry, specimen handling, and coordination with medical staff.

Per diem scheduling and day shifts are available to fit departmental needs. The ideal candidate has a high school diploma or GED and some laboratory exposure, with strong attention to detail, teamwork, and patient-centered service.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• 6 months of experience within a laboratory or clinical environment preferred.
• Demonstrated competence in organizing, multi-tasking, and prioritizing routine and STAT workloads.
• Effective communication with medical staff and offices.
• Strong technical acumen to follow safety and equipment instructions.

Responsibilities

• Verify orders and input patient data into HIS/LIS accurately.
• Reconcile patient identifiers and resolve discrepancies.
• Handle specimens and ensure proper receipt and disposal.
• Operate and assist with laboratory machinery and maintain instruments.
• Coordinate with staff to ensure timely reporting.

Skills

Communication skills

Multitasking

Data privacy

Computer skills

Teamwork

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

HIS/LIS systems

Lab equipment troubleshooting

Job description

Job Title: Lab Assistant

Location: SBC Corporation

Department Name: Lab Ham Clinical Pathology

Req #: 0000262566

Status: Hourly

Shift: Day

Pay Range: $21.48 - $26.71 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 maintaining positive patient identification while processing routine and STAT laboratory specimens for patients of all ages. 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 by applying the knowledge and skills necessary to assess data reflective of each patient's status and providing timely care that exceeds customer service expectations.

A typical day for a Lab Assistant may include:

• Verifying orders from written scripts and accurately utilizing hospital registration systems and information systems (HIS and LIS) to input patients, test orders, and physician information.
• Reconciling patient identifiers between specimens and requisitions prior to accessioning, while actively communicating, investigating, and resolving any order or identification discrepancies.
• Unloading and unpacking all specimens delivered for testing, and carefully evaluating whether they meet strict laboratory standards upon receipt.
• Documenting any quality issues regarding unsuitable specimens or inappropriate collections, and directly informing nursing, phlebotomy, and medical staff to ensure safe specimen disposal.
• Operating and assisting with laboratory machinery, including loading and unloading blood culture specimens, as well as maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing lab instruments when possible.
• Facilitating professional communication by answering incoming phone calls, looking up and faxing reports to physician offices, and checking pending or collection lists.
• Completing routine clerical oversight by filing and scanning documents, and assisting with sending out specimens while maintaining a proper record of reference laboratory testing.

This role might be for you if:

• Compassion and empathy guide your interactions with patients, families, and your clinical laboratory colleagues.
• You continuously demonstrate a patient-focused work attitude that supports, improves, and models exceptional customer service for all customer groups.
• A proactive work ethic allows you to promote teamwork between departments and shifts, assisting coworkers wherever and whenever possible to complete the patient workload efficiently.
• You enjoy executing precise operational instructions, such as cross-checking written scripts against database entries to expedite testing and reporting.
• You are comfortable working with complex information networks and possess excellent computer skills to navigate modern healthcare databases and information systems.
• Professional development and leadership are important to you, and you look forward to mentoring students and new employees as a role model for your coworkers.

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

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
• Six (6) months of experience within a laboratory or clinical environment is preferred.
• Demonstrated competence in organizing, multi-tasking, and prioritizing routine and STAT workloads for timely clinical completion.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to express details clearly and professionally to medical staff, nursing personnel, and physician offices.
• Strong technical acumen with the ability to easily comprehend and execute complex operational, safety, and equipment troubleshooting instructions.
• Proven ability and willingness to maintain a strict level of data privacy and confidentiality regarding sensitive medical results and patient records.
• Schedule: Per Diem, Day Shift (6:00 am – 3:30 pm).
• Requires availability to work every other weekend.
• Must have availability to work 2–3 assigned rotating holidays per year.