Lab Assistant II - Medicine - 141793

UC San Diego Health; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego Health is seeking a Lab Assistant II in the Medicine Department to support lab logistics, transport specimens, and maintain chain-of-custody. The position involves driving between lab and satellite locations and requires 100% appointment at La Jolla.

The ideal candidate has a high school diploma or equivalent, up to two years of lab experience, attention to detail, and basic computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED with lab experience or two years of college with biology courses and lab experience.
• Previous lab experience in a research or academic setting.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize workload and work independently and seek guidance when appropriate.
• Ability to maintain and protect confidentiality of participant information.
• Strong basic computer skills such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Adobe PDF.
• Proven effective interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Support laboratory logistics and transport of clinical specimens.
• Maintain chain-of-custody and proper transport conditions.
• Drive between lab and satellite locations as needed.
• Prepare, assemble, and restock specimen collection kits with logs.
• Keep spaces clean, safe, and compliant with regulations.
• Monitor hazardous waste and coordinate proper disposal.
• Assist with basic cellular/molecular biology tasks as needed.

Education

High school diploma or GED with lab experience

Two years of college with biology courses and lab experience

Attention to detail

Strong organizational skills

Ability to prioritize workload and work independently

Confidentiality of participant information

Word, Excel, PowerPoint; Adobe PDF proficiency

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Adobe PDF

Job description

Department

MEDICINE/ Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep

Payroll Title

LAB AST 2

Hiring Pay Scale

$27.54 - $33.13 / Hour

Worksite

La Jolla

Appointment Type

Career

Appointment Percent

100%

Union

TX Contract

Total Openings

1

Work Schedule

8 hrs/day, Monday-Friday

#141793 Lab Assistant II - Medicine

Filing Deadline: Fri 10/23/2026

UC San Diego values and welcomes people from all backgrounds. If you are interested in being part of our team, possess the needed licensure and certifications, and feel that you have most of the qualifications and/or transferable skills for a job opening

UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment: Apply by 10/12/2026 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.

Reassignment Applicants: Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.

Description

The Department of Medicine (DOM) is the largest department within the UCSD School of Medicine and is responsible for fulfilling the teaching, research, and clinical missions of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. The department employs approximately 500 salaried faculty, 168 academic appointees, 331 residents, fellow and postdocs and 479 staff personnel.

This Lab Assistant II will primarily support laboratory logistics, including the transport of clinical specimens to and from designated collection sites, coordination with staff and the public to ensure efficient sample handling, and maintenance of proper chain-of-custody and transport conditions to preserve sample quality. This position will drive between the lab and satellite locations to monitor and verify equipment performance, coordinate with vendors on equipment maintenance and repairs, and prepare, assemble, and restock specimen collection kits according to established protocols and maintain accurate logs and documentation throughout.

Additional responsibilities include helping ensure laboratory spaces are clean, safe, and compliant with university regulations; assisting with general lab organization and equipment upkeep; tracking hazardous waste inventory and coordinating proper disposal; and monitoring, restocking, and unpacking lab supplies and stock solutions.

On a more limited basis, the Lab Assistant II will assist with cellular and molecular biology techniques, including nucleic acid isolation, library preparation for RNA-Seq, standard/RT/real-time qPCR, RNA/DNA extraction and purification, protein electrophoresis, western blot, ELISA, and flow cytometric analysis, as well as basic cell culture tasks such as propagating and cryopreserving cell lines, preparing media and reagents, and assisting with transfections and primary cell isolation. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and two years of laboratory experience or two years of college including courses in Biology or related field and one year of laboratory experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Previous lab experience in a research or academic setting.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize workload and work independently and seek guidance or information when appropriate.
• Ability to maintain and protect confidentiality of participant information with working knowledge of mandated reporting procedures.
• Strong basic computer skills such as word processing and data entry, as well as experienceusing Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point; Adobe PDF.
• Proven effective interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills in English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience collecting, handling, and shipping biological specimens.
• Previous experience in a clinical research setting.
• Experience collecting, coding, and scoring data using computerized measures according to study protocol.

Special Conditions

• Required to hold a valid California driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program.
• Must be available to work some weekends and evenings to pick up/drop off clinical specimens.
• Must be willing and able to work with hazardous materials (biological and chemical).
• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check.
• Employment is subject to pre-employment physical for those who work in clinical settings and/or with patients.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies and standards.
• Complies with the University of California, San Diego Health (UCSDH) Principles of Community.
• This position description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of the organization.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $57,504 - $69,175 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $27.54 - $33.13

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).

If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands‑on practice and in‑person skills assessment; online‑only certification is not acceptable.

UC San Diego Health Sciences is comprised of our School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, and our Student Health and Well‑Being Department. We have long been at the forefront of translational — or "bench-to-bedside" — research, transforming patient care through discovery and innovation leading to new drugs and technologies. Translational research is carried out every day in the hundreds of clinical trials of promising new therapies offered through UC San Diego Health, and in the drive of our researchers and clinician‑scientists who are committed to having a significant impact on patient care. We invite you to join our team!

Applications/Resumes are accepted for current job openings only. For full consideration on any job, applications must be received prior to the initial closing date. If a job has an extended deadline, applications/resumes will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached.

To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination

UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.

UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace