Medical Lab Customer Service Rep I

MSU - Michigan State University; East Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

MSU - Michigan State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Front Desk role covers customer service and clerical duties in a busy lab setting. You will assist clients, process orders, and ensure proper submission procedures are followed, while maintaining records and supporting billing activities.

The ideal candidate has strong communication, multitasking ability, and experience in an administrative medical or lab environment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 1–3 years in administrative medical or laboratory setting.
• Strong written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Provide front-line customer service for laboratory clients.
• Process documentation and ensure accurate order entry.
• Guide clients on submission requirements and specimen handling.
• Coordinate billing, records, and correspondence.
• Route complex inquiries to lab staff as needed.
• Maintain front-office supplies and logs.
• Ensure regulatory and university policy compliance.
• Support a fast-paced team environment.

Skills

Multitasking

Customer service

Verbal & written communication

Data entry

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Windows

Excel

Word

Job description

Position Summary

Provides front-line customer service and clerical support in a medical laboratory setting. Follows set processes and procedures while ensuring confidentiality and compliance with university policy and legal regulations. Serves as the primary point of contact for clients assisting with service inquiries. Processes documentation ensuring accurate order entry and routes questions to appropriate lab personnel. Provides accurate information sharing regarding safe specimen handling, packaging, and submission procedures.

Percentage breakdown of Position Duties:

• 20% - Responds to customer inquiries regarding laboratory tests, services, and submission requirements.
• 20% - Provides accurate guidance on basic specimen handling, including labeling requirements, packaging standards, temperature considerations, and safety protocols.
• 20% - Identifies customer needs and directs complex or technical questions to appropriate laboratory staff or supervisors.
• 5% - Receives, verifies, and logs specimens; ensures proper documentation, chain of custody, and adherence to lab protocols.
• 5% - Reviews submission forms for completeness and accuracy.
• 5% - Maintains customer service logs, documentation, and communication records.
• 5% - Processes billing information, service requests, and routine correspondence.
• 5% - Monitors general email inboxes and phone lines for the laboratory.
• 5% - Maintains inventory of front-office supplies and specimen submission materials.
• Ensures compliance with legal regulations, university policies, and laboratory regulatory standards.
• 5% - Identifies issues with specimen integrity or incomplete documentation and takes corrective action following standard procedures.
• 5% - Uses judgment to elevate complex scientific, technical, or safety issues.

Duties associated with this position involve working on a video display terminal 90 percent of the time with some walking, bending and stooping. Work hours are Monday through Friday, between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and will be set in consultation with the position supervisor.

The VDL is a premier veterinary diagnostic laboratory for companion animals and horses as well as for livestock, laboratory, zoo, and wildlife species. The VDL performs more than one million tests per year on samples submitted from across the state of Michigan, the United States, and more than 25 countries. It has outstanding veterinary medical professionals andfacilities and is world-renowned for expertise in endocrinology and cancer diagnostics.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge normally acquired through a high school education; one to three years of progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in an administrative medical or laboratory setting; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this position can multitask and prioritize while seeing tasks and projects through to completion. We are looking for a team member who communicates well with a wide range of audiences within the CVM, MSU, and beyond. A successful candidate will be a professional who is organized, does not sweat the small stuff, but also sees the details, and is able to remain calm, cool, and collected under pressure. The ideal candidate for this role will be team oriented, collaborative by nature, customer service focused, independent problem solver, and have a positive attitude, while maintaining a professional demeanor.

Ability to work in a fast-paced, time-limited group environment while maintaining high quality work standards; experience with basic Windows functionality and Microsoft office products including but not limited to, Excel and Word; ability to adapt easily to various software applications; excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills; experience in a medical or veterinary work environment; customer service skills including telephone communication with clients/customers; experience in data entry; ability to type 46-60 words per minute; ability to function as a team member within and across multiple levels of operations; demonstrated work orientation that includes strong organizational and multi-tasking skills; ability to take initiative; working knowledge of university policies and procedures; ability to work with accuracy.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Website

HTTPS://CVM.MSU.EDU/VDL

Bidding eligibility ends September 29, 2026 at 11:55 P.M.