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

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.

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