WHAT DOES A LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIST DO?

Published: Jan 06, 2026 - The Laboratory Technologist performs sterile cell-culture experiments on biomaterials for orthopedic applications and conducts SEM imaging, micro-CT scanning, data analysis, and research report writing. This role supports histology by preparing and staining animal tissue slides, maintaining GLP protocols, and managing calibration and chemical documentation. The technologist also coordinates internal lab requests, maintains supplies and equipment, and ensures full compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Laboratory Technologist

1. Laboratory Technologist Duties

  • SOP Compliance: Follow and adhere to all Corporate Standard Operating Procedures and Corporate Compliance Program
  • Regulatory Compliance: Follow all safety, HIPAA, and regulatory requirements
  • Clinical Testing: Perform all testing per Standard Operating Procedures
  • Process Improvement: Use problem-solving skills to improve laboratory processes
  • Instrument Management: Operate, validate, maintain, and troubleshoot instruments utilizing clinical testing, including daily identification of instruments requiring maintenance
  • Method Validation: Perform validations and appropriate validation documentation
  • Result Reporting: Assure that patient results are performed and reported accurately and timely manner
  • Report Development: Review data and develop patient reports
  • Corrective Actions: Document all corrective actions taken when test systems deviate from the laboratory’s established performance specifications
  • Immunoassay Screening: Perform immunoassay and validity screening
  • Toxicology Review: Review and approve all toxicology testing results after they have been signed off on the particular testing method

2. Laboratory Technologist Details

  • Equipment Purchasing: Assist in identifying and purchasing high-voltage related equipment and tools
  • System Installation: Advise and oversee the design and installation of high voltage equipment and related infrastructure
  • Safe Operations: Manage the use of high-voltage equipment to ensure safe operations
  • Maintenance Coordination: Ensure proper functioning of high voltage equipment and tools, and coordinate maintenance and servicing
  • Safety Training: Train students on high-voltage safe practices and ensure that safety protocols are upheld at all times
  • Project Support: Support student projects that are related to high-voltage electric drive systems
  • Design Training: Provide training to students on good electrical design and implementation
  • Tool Training: Provide training to students on the proper usage of tools and good engineering practices
  • Work Monitoring: Monitor students’ work on the high voltage system
  • Safety Regulations: Understand all applicable health and safety regulations, training and reporting requirements, and standard operating procedures associated with workshop safety on the electrical side
  • Risk Assessment: Conduct workshop risk assessment, identify hazardous conditions, determine safe procedures and controls, and implement and enforce standard safety procedures

3. Laboratory Technologist Responsibilities

  • Serology Problem-Solving: Resolve routine to complex serological problems of patients requiring transfusion therapy and inform hospital technologists, supervisors, or physicians of results by telephone
  • Consultation Reporting: Prepare patient consultation reports, including transfusion recommendations and suggestions, sent to hospital blood bank supervisors and the Medical Director
  • Clinical Coordination: Coordinate with blood bank supervisors, the Medical Director, and private physicians to provide the safest blood products for patients with red cell and antibody problems
  • Rare Blood: Provide antigen-negative blood from RIBC’s liquid or frozen inventory or from the American Rare Donor Program
  • Donor Inventory: Maintain rare donor inventories and rare and unusual donor blood through coding and classification to maximize the effective use of rare and unusual blood types
  • Antisera Inventory: Procure and maintain rare red blood cells and rare antisera inventories for use in testing
  • Supply Management: Maintain inventories of reagent antisera and laboratory supplies
  • Cell Freezing: Freeze and maintain rare red cells stored in liquid nitrogen
  • Reagent QC: Maintain, test, evaluate, and perform quality control on reagents and equipment
  • Equipment Planning: Assist in planning long-term capital equipment needs
  • On Call: Participate in rotating on-call coverage for consultation, patient work-ups, antigen-negative unit selection, or screening for transfusion problems
  • Continuing Education: Keep current on Transfusion Medicine procedures and research and participate in educational programs such as lectures, seminars, and workshops
  • PT Oversight: Perform and supervise Competency Testing and Proficiency Testing Surveys as assigned by the Supervisor
  • Record Maintenance: Maintain all files, records, and forms about patient and donor testing in accordance with RIBC policies and regulatory requirements
  • Staff Instruction: Instruct rotating technologists, pathology residents, hematology-oncology fellows, and SBB students

4. Molecular Biology Laboratory Technologist Accountabilities

  • LIS Data Entry: Enter data into a lab information system
  • Issue Troubleshooting: Identify issues and troubleshoot
  • DNA Purification: Extract, denature and purify DNA from assorted specimen types
  • Genetic Testing: Perform PCR, hybridization, and genetic sequencing methods
  • Result Evaluation: Evaluate results to determine interference, inhibition, or other problems that arise
  • Assay Validation: Perform quality control, validation, and other quality activities to verify the performance of clinical assays
  • Equipment Maintenance: Maintain equipment by performing assigned maintenance activities and troubleshooting unexpected problems with equipment
  • Manual Pipetting: Extensive and complex steps requiring manual manipulation and pipetting
  • Workflow Planning: Evaluate specimens received by the department and organize workflow to provide optimum efficiency of testing and turnaround time of results
  • Data Monitoring: Maintain data analysis records with close monitoring and control

5. Molecular Biology Laboratory Technologist Functions

  • Temperature Monitoring: Record data to monitor the temperatures of the incubation equipment
  • Inventory Review: Evaluate the inventory of supplies and reagents and communicate order needs
  • Equipment Operation: Operate complex equipment and computer programs related to the equipment and the LIS system
  • Result Archiving: Maintain records of test results and archives of data
  • Lab Housekeeping: Maintain a neat and clean work environment
  • Proficiency Testing: Perform proficiency testing to maintain compliance with regulatory agencies
  • SOP Writing: Assist the department in writing and maintaining standard operating procedures for clinical assays
  • SOP Review: Document knowledge by reviewing and signing SOPs annually
  • Policy Adherence: Follow all hospital and laboratory policies and procedures, such as attendance and time reporting

6. Laboratory Technologist Overview

  • Esoteric Testing: Perform clinical laboratory testing in esoteric laboratory areas according to Standard Operating Procedures
  • Sample Accessioning: Receive, unpack, and enter samples into the laboratory information system
  • Instrument QC: Perform quality control, preventative maintenance, and troubleshooting for instruments
  • Reagent Preparation: Prepare reagents and control materials
  • Sample Archiving: Perform sample archiving and retrieval
  • Kit Assembly: Participate in kit assembly and shipping of materials
  • Method Validation: Participate in the development, evaluation, validation, and implementation of new methods and equipment
  • Lab Safety: Adhere to laboratory safety guidelines at all times
  • Data Confidentiality: Maintain patient and sponsor confidentiality at all times
  • Result Interpretation: Interpret the results obtained for accuracy and acceptability

7. Laboratory Technologist Details and Accountabilities

  • Cell Culture: Conducting cell-culture experiments on surface modifications or biomaterial coupons to assess cell growth, function, and morphology for orthopedic applications using sterile technique
  • SEM Imaging: Implementing image analysis of explants or vendor-created parts using scanning electron microscopy
  • Micro CT: Conducting micro-CT scans of tissue or product samples to identify failure points or structural anomalies
  • Request Management: Managing internal lab requests and providing communication and documentation between the requester and the research department
  • Supply Maintenance: Maintaining lab supplies and disposables, as well as maintenance of existing cell-culture and microscope equipment
  • Research Testing: Executing all basic science research testing, including cell culture, image analysis, particle analysis, scanning electron microscopy, data analysis, and report writing
  • Histology Slides: Serving as a histology tech, creating and staining histology slides from animal tissues according to pre-defined protocols
  • GLP Protocols: Maintaining up-to-date lab protocols and animal SOPs for GLP
  • Histology Documentation: Maintaining chemicals or other histology lab documentation, including calibration and equipment files
  • Ethics Compliance: Adhering to the letter and spirit of the company Code of Conduct, the AdvaMed Code, MedTech Code, and all other company policies
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules, and regulations by completing introductory and annual training and maintaining knowledge of compliance
  • Professional Conduct: Professionally representing the company and upholding the highest standards of ethical business practices and socially responsible conduct in all interactions with other employees, customers, suppliers, and other third parties of Globus

8. Laboratory Technologist Tasks

  • Cell Morphology: Identifies the morphology of hematopoietic cells in various stages of development and other characteristics of cells, which may be related to disease processes, with an understanding of the significance of the findings
  • QC Procedures: Performs all quality control and instrument check procedures and maintains all related records
  • Cell Counting: Performs all required procedures related to counting and identification of blood cells, coagulation studies, other hematologic procedures, and routine urinalysis using a variety of equipment
  • Chemistry Testing: Perform all required procedures related to enzymes and other chemical analytes using a variety of equipment including Vitros and blood gas analyzers
  • Reagent Preparation: Prepare solutions and reagents used in all tests, with particular attention to viability, lot number and expiration date of substances before using them in the performance of tests
  • STAT Processing: Process stat specimens expeditiously
  • QA Improvement: Participate in the QA and performance improvement process and improve performance based on the results obtained from quality improvement activities
  • Team Collaboration: Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary health care teams
  • Team Support: Promote a supportive and team-oriented environment
  • Strategic Support: Support departmental responsibilities consistent with the long-range strategic plan, mission, vision and values of the hospital

9. Laboratory Technologist Roles

  • Lab Operations: Provide technical and analytical support, and are responsible for daily lab operations by conducting various inspections, tests, and analyses
  • Result Documentation: Document test results and perform material disposition based on the Material Release Specification
  • Result Communication: Communicate test results to the appropriate staff
  • Issue Resolution: Participate in resolving production and quality issues through effective problem-solving skills
  • Document Control: Ensure all documentation is current and used as required by applicable standards and regulatory requirements
  • Inventory Management: Maintain and manage the inventory of laboratory consumables, spare parts, and testing reagents
  • Equipment Standardization: Perform daily setups, verification, maintenance, and standardization of lab equipment
  • Repair Support: Assist in equipment troubleshooting and minor repairs

10. Laboratory Technologist Additional Details

  • Method Revision: Assist the Supervisor in reviewing and revising the procedures and inspection and test methods to continually improve laboratory operation efficiency and productivity
  • Change Support: Assist the Quality Engineer in start-up and implement changes in activities relating to material, product, lab activity, and test method
  • Waste Handling: Ensure proper waste and chemical handling and disposal
  • Lab Housekeeping: Responsible for housekeeping and general cleanliness of the laboratory
  • Shift Handover: Lead and conduct shift pass-down at the team level with the presence of members in the next shift
  • Kaizen Leadership: Lead a Kaizen or improvement project or equivalent
  • Idea Contribution: Contribute and actively participate in improvement ideas
  • Staff Training: Lead juniors and new hires in achieving duties and responsibilities through training and execution
  • Supplier Liaison: Liaise with suppliers to follow up on purchases and issues
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