Laboratory Technical Assistant Lead

Billings Clinic; Billings (MT); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Billings Clinic is seeking a Laboratory Technical Assistant Lead to join our Montana-based team. You will lead laboratory operations, coordinate phlebotomy and processing workflows, and support pathologists and physicians with specimen handling, testing and reporting.

The role requires strong organization, attention to quality control, and the ability to mentor Level I/II staff while ensuring regulatory compliance and patient safety in a busy hospital setting.

Qualifications

• Experience leading laboratory teams and coordinating workflows.
• Strong attention to quality control and compliant practices.
• Ability to mentor staff (Level I/II) and support regulatory readiness.

Responsibilities

• Lead department operations and staffing to ensure timely, accurate results.
• Manage inventory, ordering, and supply tracking within the lab.
• Assist pathologists/physicians with specimen handling, processing and reporting.
• Coordinate with departments to maintain safety and quality standards.

Skills

Leadership

Laboratory experience

Communication

Education

High School or GED

Advanced science/chemistry/maths education

Prior lab or health care experience

Equivalent education/experience

Job description

You’ll want to join Billings Clinic for our outstanding quality of care, exciting environment, interesting cases from a vast geography, advanced technology and educational opportunities. We are in the top 1% of hospitals internationally for receiving Magnet® Recognition consecutively since 2006.

And you’ll want to stay at Billings Clinic for the amazing teamwork, caring atmosphere, and a culture that values kindness, safety and courage. This is an incredible place to learn and grow. Billings, Montana, is a friendly, college community in the Rocky Mountains with great schools and abundant family activities. Amazing outdoor recreation is just minutes from home. Four seasons of sunshine!
You can make a difference here.

About Us

Billings Clinic is a community-owned, not-for-profit, Physician-led health system based in Billings with more than 4,700 employees, including over 550 physicians and non-physician providers. Our integrated organization consists of a multi-specialty group practice and a 304-bed hospital. Learn more about Billings Clinic (our organization, history, mission, leadership and regional locations) and how we are recognized nationally for our exceptional quality.

Your Benefits

We provide a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to all full-time employees (minimum of 24 hours/week), including Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer matching, Defined Contribution Pension Plan, Paid Time Off, employee wellness program, and much more. Click here for more information or download the Employee Benefits Guide .

Magnet: Commitment to Nursing Excellence

Billings Clinic is proud to be recognized for nursing excellence as aMagnet®-designated organization, joining only 97 other organizations worldwide that have achieved this honor four times. The re-designation process happens every four years. Click here to learn more!

Pre-Employment Requirements

All new employees must complete several pre-employment requirements prior to starting. Click here to learn more!

Laboratory Technical Assistant Lead

Billings Clinic (BILLINGS CLINIC HOSPITAL)
Shift: Day, Evening
Employment Status: Full-Time (.75 or greater)
Hours per Pay Period: 1.00 = 80 hours every two weeks (Non-Exempt)
Starting Wage DOE

GENERAL

• Supports and models behaviors consistent with BillingsClinic’s mission, vision, values, code of business conduct and serviceexpectations. Meets all mandatory organizational and departmental requirements.Maintains competency in all organizational, departmental and outside agencystandards as it relates to the environment, employee, patient safety or jobperformance.
• Processes and accessions samples according toestablished policies and procedures.
• Assists with inventory management including stocking,ordering and monitoring to ensure adequate supplies to meet business needswithin the assigned section of the laboratory (Cytology, Histology, Processing,Sendouts, Hematology, Microbiology, Blood Bank, etc.)
• Performs waived laboratory testing and specimenprocessing within scope of practice.
• Provides administrative/clerical support for thedepartments including maintaining accurate record systems, requisitions,quality control data, patient results, and workflow documentation. Understandsand demonstrates appropriate communication of Private Health Information.
• Assist pathologists and physicians, including collectingand transporting specimens, preparation of bone marrow specimens and/or fineneedle aspiration/fine needle biopsies, preparing slides, maintaining integrityof specimens, and disposal of specimens according to procedure.
• Answers multi-line telephones and responds to themajority of all incoming calls before transferring to alternate resources.Responds to questions from patients, physicians and other reference labs andprovides routine information, collection and testing procedures, specimenprocessing, turn around times, result reporting and reference lab availability.Also responds to non-routine questions regarding what steps need to be taken torectify a situation when the integrity of a sample/specimen has beencompromised.
• Facilitates result reporting. Results may be called tophysician’s office, faxed or mailed depending on orders and situation.
• Monitors all label printers and fax machines forincoming orders. Responsible for ensuring printers and faxes are maintained ingood working order due to the critical nature of information being received.Acts as a resource in resolving printer and fax related function problems,maintenance and form loading.
• Responsible for checking and verifying theintegrity/quality of the specimens to ensure appropriate specimen volumes,packaging, etc. Assumes responsibility for initiating follow-up actionnecessary to prevent and/or resolve problem scenarios and coordinates asappropriate with other departments, management, etc.
• Coordinates specimen mail-outs to referencelaboratories. Duties include decisions regarding how to draw sample/specimen,timing of draw, appropriate preparation of the sample/specimen, timing ofmailing, selecting appropriate reference lab for processing as outlined inlaboratory policies and procedures and tracking and planning the appropriatetransportation mode.
• Maintains inventory management including order entry inLawson, stocking and monitoring to ensure adequate supplies to meet thebusiness needs for all areas within the Laboratory department and referencelaboratory. Uses the correct cost center and General Ledger numbers.
• Dispatches and monitors the phlebotomy staff to maintainefficient response and turnaround times on hospital specimen orders.
• Receives specimens from the laboratory runners,phlebotomy staff, pneumatic tube system and external clients. Utilizes judgmentto determine if sample/specimen is appropriate for testing according toestablished guidelines or if a redraw will be necessary. Initiates specimenpreparation and processing.
• Utilizes appropriate equipment (i.e. track system,centrifuge), prepares spin-offs, aliquots, cassettes, blocks and slides anddistributes to the appropriate area of the laboratory for final processing.Monitors printers for STAT orders from the nursing units.
• Responsible for set-up, basic maintenance and records ofwork stations; filling staining stations, imagers, cleaning work areas,emptying garbage, cleaning of track, checking temperatures of refrigerators andfreezers, cleaning of centrifuges, monitoring courier contact points, creatingcassettes, changing fluids and paraffin, etc.
• Lab Technical Assistant-Level II Additional LaboratoryResponsibilities
• Assists with orientation and training of Level I staffand Technologists/Technicians within scope of practice. Acts as a resource toLevel I or other ancillary staff responding to procedural questions andassisting with problem resolution within scope of practice. Acts as a resourceto Level I staff and Technologists/Technicians regarding appropriate specimenhandling and processing for mail outs, processing, receiving, order entry, andthe handling of reference specimens
• Participates in the daily scheduling of LaboratoryTechnical Assistants including all shifts, weekends and holidays. Assists infinding coverage for staff shortages.
• Participates in and assists with additional levels ofresponsibilities for special projects and/or delegated tasks. Participates inpersonnel development programs such as PSE, Operational Excellence, and SafetyCommittee. Actively participates in interview of candidates.
• Utilizes appropriate CIS applications to complete dailytasks in the department to include all applications within PathNet, Powerchart,and Revenue Cycle. Uses MS4, Misys and other legacy systems as needed.Demonstrates competence in MayoAccess and LifePoint as well as other Laboratory•Interface/Portal programs (i.e. Harvest, GenOptix eCompass, etc.) Uses pendings/worklistseffectively to support patient care.
• Review and documents daily/weekly maintenance (BBcleaning, Pipette, Processors, Stainers, etc.) Generates monthly statistics asnecessary for Laboratory Section.
• Laboratory Technical Assistant III Duties
• Act as a resource to the Level I and II LaboratoryTechnical Assistants or other ancillary staff with regards to scheduling andspecial projects. Responds to procedural questions and assists with problemsolving.
• Assists with orientation and training of Level I and IIstaff within scope of practice
• Responsible for the distribution, tracking, andcollection of the annual laboratory technical assistant competency exams.Coordinates any outstanding issues or problems with the Lead or Supervisor.
• Participates in monthly meetings with Leads andSupervisors (as applicable) to identify and resolve any issues or concerns,including safety concerns for staff and guests that may arise.
• Demonstrates use of Lawson reports to maintain accurateinventory records and resolve issues. Research and educates others onappropriate cost centers and General Ledger numbers for budgets as needed forLeadership.
• Works independent of direct supervision and uses soundjudgment during established policies and procedures. Will compile and maintaindepartmental statistics.
• Lead Duties (Standard Lead Duties)
• Acts as lead for assigned department. Assists in themanagement of the day to day operations of department. Responsible fororientation of new staff and ongoing training/education for staff.
• Responsiblefor maintaining daily staffing in area. Participates in and provides input intointerviewing, hiring, performance appraisals and disciplinary procedures. Leadsstaff meetings.
• Responsible for coordinating regular maintenanceactivities and supply inventory. Participates in the evaluation of supplies,including quality and costs.
• Provides technical expertise and support. Acts as aresource for technical issues. Coordinates with leadership on new technologyimplementations.
• Responsible for ensuring adherence to regulatorystandards and ongoing regulatory readiness of department and staff. Evaluatesand maintains records of quality control procedures. Responsible for writingand updating policies and procedures designed to meet regulatory standards.

MinimumQualifications

Education

• High School or GED
• Advanced education in areas of science, chemistry andmathematics normally acquired through college level courses preferred
• Prior laboratory or health care experience preferred
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experiencerelating to the above, tasks, knowledge, skills or abilities will be considered

Billings Clinic is Montana’s largest health system serving Montana, Wyoming and the western Dakotas. A not-for-profit organization led by a physician CEO, the health system is governed by a board of community members, nurses and physicians. Billings Clinic includes an integrated multi-specialty group practice, tertiary care hospital and trauma center, based in Billings, Montana. Learn more at www.billingsclinic.com/aboutus

Billings Clinic is committed to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity. All policies and processes are designed toward achieving fair and equitable treatment of all employees and job applicants. Employees are encouraged to discuss any concerns they have in this regard with their immediate supervisor and/or the Vice President People Resources. All employees and job applicants will be provided the same treatment in all aspects of the employment relationship, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, genetic information or disability.

Human Resources is located on the corner of North 29th and8th Avenue North. Enter through the main entrance to the building and go to the lower level. Human Resources is located at the bottom of the main entrance staircase to the right.