Pathology Lab Assistant Sr. - Part Time - Days - Encinitas

Scripps Health; Encinitas (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 59,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Part-time with benefits

Job summary

Scripps Encinitas Hospital is seeking a Pathology Lab Assistant Sr. for a part-time, benefits-eligible role at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas. The position involves handling and accessioning surgical and outpatient tissues, processing specimens, and ensuring accurate labeling.

You will work with pathologists, radiologists and surgeons across high-volume cases, with shifts typically 7am-5pm on Mondays and Wednesdays at Encinitas campus. Benefits and a supportive team environment are offered.

Qualifications

• One year of related lab experience in a large healthcare setting.
• College major in natural science or equivalent education/experience.
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Proven lab skills handling specimens, reagents and instruments.
• Excellent written and strong verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with medical terminology and computer systems.
• On-the-job training to achieve full competency.

Responsibilities

• Use the cryostat to cut frozen tissue sections for rapid diagnosis.
• Use the Faxitron for breast specimens to identify biopsy clips and Magseeds.
• Attend various CT and Ultrasound-guided procedures to prepare slides for rapid interpretation.
• Attend bone marrow procedures to prepare slides and cores.
• Ensure specimens are correctly identified and labeled to prevent errors.

Skills

Critical thinking

Analytical skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Specimen handling

Education

Bachelor's degree in natural sciences

Two years college + two years lab experience

Tools

Cryostat use

Faxitron handling

Staining techniques

Job description

Description

This is a part time, benefited position with 10-hour shifts, generally 7am-5pm, Mondays and Wednesdays, located at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas.

Join the Scripps Health team and work alongside passionate caregivers and provide patient-centered healthcare. Receive endless appreciation while you build a rewarding career with one of the most respected healthcare organizations nationwide.

Why join Scripps Health?

At Scripps Health, your ambition is empowered and your abilities are appreciated:

• Nearly a quarter of our employees have been with Scripps Health for over 10 years.
• Scripps is a Great Place to Work Certified company for 2025.
• Scripps Health has been consistently ranked as a top employer for women, millennials, diversity, and as an overall workplace by various national publications.
• Beckers Healthcare ranked Scripps Health on its 2024 list of 150 top places to work in health care.
• We have transitional and professional development programs to create a learning environment that enables you to thrive in your specific field as well as in your overall career.
• Our specialties have been nationally recognized for quality in areas such as cardiovascular care, oncology, orthopedics, geriatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and gastroenterology.

Why join this team?

In our supportive environment, our Pathology Lab Assistants are always learning and training in different sections of pathology, while maintaining accuracy with high volume of processing. You will be exposed to a wide variety of complex cases and procedures and will have the opportunity to work closely with the team of pathologists, radiologists and surgeons.

As a Pathology Lab Assistant Sr., you will be responsible for the handling and accessioning of surgical and outpatient tissues and cytologic specimens. Job duties include the following:

• Using the cryostat to cut frozen tissue sections for rapid specimen diagnosis by the pathologist and staining slides using H/E and DQ stains.
• Using the Faxitron for breast specimens to identify biopsy clips and Magseeds in the pathology tissue room.
• Attending various CT and Ultrasound radiologic and EUS and EBUS procedures to handle and triage collected tissue to prepare slides for rapid interpretation by the pathologist and place tissue in cassettes for cell block preparation in the acute care hospital.
• Attending bone marrow procedures (bedside and in radiology) to handle and triage collected tissue to prepare slides and prepare the core.
• Ensuring that the specimens are identified and labelled correctly and protects the pathologist, department and organization at large against critical patient care errors.

Qualifications

Required:

• One (1) year of related lab experience, preferably in a large complex healthcare organization
• Graduation from college with a major in an applicable natural science; or two (2) years of college courses in the natural sciences plus two (2) years of applicable experience; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant lab experience
• Critical thinking and analytical skills
• Proven laboratory skills handling specimens, reagents and instruments
• High accuracy in work performance and attention to detail
• Excellent written and strong verbal communication skills
• Proficient with medical terminology, with an understanding of computer systems
• Excellent skills in verbal communication, organization, patient/specimen identification, written documentation, and specimen manipulation during invasive procedures
• Processing specimens in attendance of all procedure types requires a minimum of 6 months of specialized on the job training to reach full competency, performing analytical standard work enhancing specimen quality, to ensure accurate physician diagnosis.

Preferred:

• Cytology experience
• Histology experience
• Pathology or clinical lab experience
• Reference lab specimen send out experience
• Bio-hazardous material shipping experience
• Background in science
• Two years laboratory experience

Job

Lab

Primary Location

Northern San Diego County-ENCINITAS-SCRIPPS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ENCINITAS

Work Locations

SCRIPPS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ENCINITAS

354 SANTA FE DRIVE

ENCINITAS 92024

Organization

Scripps Encinitas Hospital

Job Posting

Sep 15, 2026, 10:49:18 PM

Benefit Status

PT - PART-TIME WITH BENEFITS

Minimum Rate (USD)

30.61

Maximum Rate (USD)

43.79

In compliance with the California Pay Transparency Act, Scripps Health posts the pay range for all jobs. Please note that actual pay will be determined based on relevant experience and internal equity within the pay range. Please also note this range is applicable for employees who reside in California only. A geographical pay differential may be applied for remote employees who reside out of state. Scripps Health strives to ensure that our employees receive equal pay for equal work in line with our commitment to being an equal opportunity employer.

Scripps Health is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression), age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.