Lab Assistant II - Medicine - 141793

University of California - San Diego Medical Centers; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 58,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego Health is seeking a Lab Assistant II to support laboratory logistics, transport clinical specimens, and maintain chain-of-custody. The role requires driving between lab and satellite sites to monitor equipment and restock kits, following established protocols.

Responsibilities include ensuring clean, safe lab spaces, tracking hazardous waste, and assisting with molecular biology techniques as needed.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED with 2 years of lab experience or 2 years of college with biology courses and 1 year of lab experience.
• Previous lab experience in a research or academic setting.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize workload and work independently; seek guidance as needed.
• Confidential handling of participant information; knowledge of reporting procedures.
• Basic computer skills; Word, Excel, PowerPoint; Adobe PDF.
• Proficient English communication, both written and oral.

Responsibilities

• Support laboratory logistics and transport of clinical specimens.
• Coordinate with staff and public to ensure proper sample handling.
• Maintain chain-of-custody and transport conditions for sample integrity.
• Drive between lab and satellite locations to monitor equipment.
• Restock and log specimen collection kits; ensure compliance with protocols.
• Assist with laboratory spaces, safety, and waste disposal.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Independent work

Data entry

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma or GED

Courses in Biology or related field (2 years college)

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Adobe PDF

Job description

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).