Medical Lab Tech Program Lab Assistant

Medical Lab Tech Program Lab Assistant

The Skills Laboratory Assistant supports the Medical Laboratory Technology Program by assisting with laboratory preparation, equipment maintenance, inventory management, and operational support of instructional laboratory activities. This position helps ensure a safe, organized, and effective learning environment for students by maintaining laboratory readiness, supporting faculty laboratory instruction, and coordinating routine maintenance of laboratory equipment and supplies.

Laboratory Preparation and Support

Prepare laboratory classrooms and workstations for student laboratory exercises according to faculty instructions.

Set up, organize, and distribute laboratory materials, reagents, specimens, consumables, and supplies before scheduled laboratory sessions.

Clean and restore laboratory work areas following instructional activities.

Assist in maintaining a safe laboratory environment in accordance with college policies, OSHA guidelines, and laboratory safety procedures.

Support faculty during laboratory sessions by addressing routine equipment and supply needs.

Equipment Maintenance and Management

Perform routine operational checks, cleaning, calibration verification, and preventive maintenance activities on laboratory equipment as directed.

Maintain maintenance records, equipment logs, service documentation, and inventory records.

Coordinate equipment repairs and service requests with vendors, biomedical equipment technicians, or college facilities personnel.

Monitor equipment functionality and report malfunctions or safety concerns to faculty and program administration.

Inventory and Supply Management

Maintain laboratory inventory of supplies, consumables, reagents, and instructional materials.

Monitor stock levels and notify program leadership regarding reorder needs.

Assist with receiving, unpacking, labeling, storing, and organizing laboratory supplies and equipment.

Properly dispose of laboratory waste in accordance with safety regulations and institutional procedures.

Student Learning Enhancement and Laboratory Skills Support

Provide hands-on support to students in the development and practice of essential medical laboratory skills, reinforcing techniques introduced by faculty in laboratory and clinical coursework.

Assist students during scheduled skills practice sessions, open laboratory hours, and skills remediation activities.

Support student competency development in foundational laboratory procedures, including: phlebotomy and specimen collection techniques, proper microscope operation, care, focusing, and slide examination, accurate pipetting and measurement techniques, specimen handling, labeling, and processing procedures, basic laboratory safety and infection control practices, quality control and quality assurance procedures, preparation and use of common laboratory equipment and instrumentation.

Administrative Support

Maintain records related to laboratory inventory, equipment maintenance, and safety inspections.

Assist with annual equipment inventories and resource assessments.

Support preparation of laboratory materials for accreditation reviews, audits, and program assessments as requested.

Other Duties

Participate in training related to laboratory safety and equipment operation.

Perform other related duties as assigned to support program operations.

Processes samples for testing including centrifugation, aliquoting, storage, and shipping. Provides support for clinical testing including preparing slides, media cultures, or verifying tests results prior to the lab sessions.

Manages supplies appropriately recognizing test kit, QC, or reagent expiration date vs. "open date" expiration date.

Assist students and instructors during laboratory courses by teaching the correct operation of microscopes, pipettes, and other laboratory equipment, promoting adherence to safety standards, and supporting hands-on laboratory learning experiences to enhance student competency and success.

Virginia's Community College System