Lab Technician

CommonSpirit Health; Bakersfield (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

CommonSpirit Health in Bakersfield, CA is seeking a Medical Lab Technologist to perform waived and moderate laboratory procedures under leadership. You will handle specimen processing, operate automated equipment, and ensure quality control while maintaining safety standards.

This role requires 1 year of clinical lab experience, CA CPT I license, and Heartsaver or BLS certification. The position is on-site at Mercy Hospital Bakersfield, with opportunities to contribute across microbiology,

Qualifications

• 1 year of clinical laboratory experience including instrument operation and specimen processing.
• CA CPT I LICENSE (Phlebotomy).
• Heartsaver or BLS certification required.

Responsibilities

• Perform waived and moderate laboratory procedures under leadership.
• Receive, process and evaluate specimens for test appropriateness.
• Operate automated equipment as directed and maintain equipment.
• Prepare specimens and paperwork for reference laboratories.
• Maintain quality control and safety practices.

Skills

Laboratory procedures

Instrument operation

Specimen processing

Safety compliance

Education

CA CPT I LICENSE

Heartsaver / BLS

Tools

Automated equipment

Job description

*Job Summary and Responsibilities*

As our Medical Lab Technologist, you will perform vital clinical laboratory procedures to detect, identify, measure, and report data crucial for disease diagnosis and treatment.

Every day, you will expertly conduct waived and moderate procedures using technical skills, instrumentation, and information systems, providing essential clinical laboratory support while ensuring the quality and accuracy of all tests under leadership direction.

To be successful in this role, you will possess comprehensive knowledge of laboratory principles across various disciplines (microbiology, hematology, chemistry, etc.), understand sample processing and result interpretation, prioritize chemical and biological safety, and be adept at operating and maintaining lab equipment.

Administrative Duties

• Familiarity and compliance with general laboratory safety practices, MSDS guidelines, State of California regulations and requirements, OSHA standards, CDC recommendation and universal precautions.

Specimen Processing and Testing

• Participates in, and successfully completes technical competency testing in each area of job performance on a regular.
• Under the direction of a CLS, receive and process specimens within expected timelines. Evaluate specimens based on established guidelines for appropriateness of specimen vs. tests ordered, appropriateness of sample volume and the frequency of test orders.
• Under the direction of a CLS, operate specific automated equipment when measurement, standardization or calibration is not required by the operator.
• Prepare specimens and necessary paperwork to accompany specimens referred to a reference laboratory.
• Receive, process, plant and incubate specimens for bacterial culture.
• Evaluate specimens based on established guidelines for appropriateness of specimen vs. tests ordered, appropriateness of sample volume and frequency of test orders.
• Prepare and stain smears for Gram stain, Kinyoun stain and trichrome stain. Prepare wet preps.
• Receive and process blood culture specimens. Operate necessary automated equipment when measurement, standardization or calibration is not required by the operator.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Quality Control

• Under the direction of a CLS, perform instrument maintenance required for various automated equipment.
• Restock the various supplies necessary for performing lab test.

*Job Requirements**Minimum Requirements:*

• 1 year of clinical laboratory experience including knowledge of instrument operation specimen processing knowledge of specimen send-outs and/or microbiology specimen processing
• Certified Phlebotomy Technician certificate from LFS DPH CA (CA CPT I LICENSE)
• Heartsaver certification or Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

Preferred Requirements

• Five years of clinical laboratory experience or two years of college preferred
• One year acute care hospital experience preferred

Please be advised that this location requires quarterly American Heart Association (AHA) Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) competency certification post-hire. This ongoing competency is required through resources internal to the facility; outside RQI competency resources are not acceptable for CommonSpirit Health compliance requirements.

Where You'll Work

Founded in 1910, Dignity Health - Mercy Hospital is a 229-bed, acute care, nonprofit hospital located in Bakersfield, California. Serving nearly 90,000 patients annually, the hospital offers a full complement of services including Level II NICU, cancer care, women’s health, and orthopedics. Additionally, Mercy Hospital Downtown & Mercy Hospital Southwest have been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. They are both Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Centers. Mercy Hospital Downtown offers the only inpatient Oncology Unit in Bakersfield while Mercy Hospital Southwest has the only Obstetric Emergency Department in Bakersfield.

One Community. One Mission. One California

*Pay Range*

$28.27 - $33.80 /hour