Lab Associate 2 Clinical

Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is seeking personnel to accession specimens and prepare tissue materials for testing. You will collaborate with laboratory staff, medical teams and external customers, handling basic troubleshooting and service requests with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities include receiving and batching specimens, pre-analytical processing, and providing clerical support to ensure smooth laboratory operations. This role supports Vanderbilt Health’s mission of excellence.

Qualifications

• Novice-level QA processes and quality improvement involvement.
• Fundamental specimen collection knowledge for testing workflows.
• Basic pathology understanding applicable to lab settings.
• Fundamental lab practices and procedures under supervision.
• Customer service skills including communication with internal/external customers.
• Basic equipment maintenance awareness and inventory considerations.

Responsibilities

• Sorting, triaging, receiving, sending, processing and batching specimens.
• Processing samples pre-analytically for testing.
• Providing general clerical support.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Specimen Collection

Pathology

Laboratory Practices

Customer Service

Equipment Maintenance

Job description

Discover Vanderbilt Health : With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region's largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you'll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization

Job Summary

Responsible for accessioning specimens or patient tissue materials for testing including packaging specimens or tissue materials to be sent out to referring laboratory with minimal guidance. Works closely with all laboratory staff, medical staff, and external customers. Performs customer service functions including telephone etiquette and basic troubleshooting and problem resolution.

Key Responsibilities

• Sorting, triaging, receiving, sending, processing and batching specimens
• Processing samples pre-analytically for testing
• Providing general clerical support

Technical Capabilities

• Quality Assurance (Novice): Has provided continuous analysis and evaluation of assignment work processes, constantly striving for improvement in the way tasks and activities are accomplished by questioning their value to the process and contributing creative solutions. Has participated in the process of establishing, communicating and monitoring standards for quality and excellence. Demonstrates the ability to actually work on and improve a current business process, product or service.
• Specimen Collection (Novice): Possesses sufficient fundamental proficiency to successfully demonstrate specimen collection in practical applications of moderate difficulty. Generally works under the direction of others while accomplishing assignments.
• Pathology (Novice): Possesses sufficient fundamental proficiency to successfully demonstrate pathology in practical applications of moderate difficulty.
• Laboratory Practices (Novice): Possesses sufficient fundamental proficiency to successfully demonstrate laboratory practices in practical applications of moderate difficulty. Generally works under the direction of others while accomplishing assignments.
• Customer Service (Novice): Demonstrates the ability to influence customers. Knows how to verify and clarify the needs and expectations of customers. Responds quickly and efficiently to customer service requests. Participates in and conducts meetings with customers. Keeps customers informed of status via standard reporting techniques. Meets the continuing service needs of a customer group, including requests for changes in work content. Responds to customers with an appropriate level of urgency, energy, persistence and tenacity.
• Equipment Maintenance (Novice): Possesses sufficient fundamental proficiency to successfully demonstrate the ability to maintain equipment, products, or systems in practical applications of moderate difficulty. Assures that parts inventory is sufficient.

Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings.

These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health's reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid-South.

Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity and compassion.

Core Accountabilities

• Organizational Impact: Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance.
• Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment.
• Breadth of Knowledge: Has expanded knowledge gained through experience within a professional area.
• Team Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members.

Core Capabilities

• Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas.
• Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships.
• Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style