Cytogenetic Assistant - Part-Time 20 hours

Join the MD Anderson Cancer Center Cytogenetics Laboratory team and play an important role in supporting specialized genetic testing that helps guide diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient care. This opportunity is ideal for a detail-oriented laboratory professional who enjoys working in a highly regulated healthcare environment and takes pride in ensuring specimens, records, and laboratory processes are managed accurately and efficiently.

The Medical Laboratory Assistant supports the Cytogenetics laboratory through a variety of specimen processing, quality, regulatory, and operational activities. Responsibilities include receiving, transporting, accessioning, processing, and properly identifying patient specimens while ensuring compliance with departmental procedures and quality standards. This role also assists with evaluating specimen integrity, maintaining accurate records, documenting quality control activities, and supporting laboratory operations that contribute to timely and accurate patient results.

The ideal candidate will possess strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced laboratory environment. Candidates should be comfortable working with laboratory information systems, maintaining regulatory documentation, monitoring inventory processes, and supporting quality assurance activities. Experience in a clinical laboratory, pathology, cytogenetics, genetics, or other healthcare-related environment is highly desirable.

A unique aspect of this role includes supporting laboratory regulatory compliance efforts. Responsibilities may include assisting with CAP and CLIA audit activities, maintaining laboratory documentation such as competency records, instrument logs, and job aides, and helping ensure the laboratory remains inspection-ready. The position also works closely with laboratory leadership and vendors to support equipment, supply, and operational needs.

Success in this role requires strong communication and customer service skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively with laboratory staff, physicians, vendors, and other stakeholders. Candidates should be proactive, dependable, and capable of troubleshooting issues while maintaining a high level of professionalism and accuracy.

At MD Anderson Cancer Center, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to a nationally recognized laboratory program while enjoying competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, generous paid time off, retirement benefits, professional development opportunities, and the chance to build a rewarding career supporting one of the world's leading cancer centers.

**This is a part-time 20 hours a week position. The ideal candidate will be a student of MD Anderson's school of health professions**

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES 

 

​​Technical Skills​ ​
- Performs tasks assigned in accordance with established policies and procedures.  
- Correctly transports, receives, accessions, processes, and assures proper identification of specimen.
- Evaluates specimen integrity and notifies appropriate personnel of unacceptable specimens in accordance with departmental procedure  
- Acquires and maintains proficiency in computer functions  
- Independently performs without undue reliance on others and assists co-workers as time permits. 
- Keeps abreast of new procedures and policies. 
- Performs and documents all required quality control/quality assurance.  
- Maintains neat, accurate and complete records according to established policies and procedures.​

Productivity and Communication/Teamwork​ ​
- Maintains organized processes to provide optimal and timely patient results.  
- Prioritizes and organizes workflow to meet productivity goals of the section  
- Remains knowledgeable of processes and pre-analytical procedures enabling efficient trouble shooting and problem solving  
- Assists with monitoring and documenting of the sections inventory control system while assuring effective use of supplies.  
- Communicates effectively​

​​Quality Commitment and Enhancement​  
​- Performs laboratory internal regulatory (CAP/CLIA) audits with sections and reports finding to laboratory management  
- Assists in the management of laboratory regulatory documentation (i.e. competency, instrument logs, job aides, etc.) for compliance -Complies with section's telephone/customer service courtesy policies and procedures  
- Reports results of problem resolutions to callers in accordance with section's policies  
- Demonstrates cooperation when working with both internal and external customers  
- Demonstrates calmness under varying environmental circumstances; remains willing and capable of assisting with crisis situations  
- Effectively follows up with vendors to resolve pending laboratory supply/equipment orders​

​​ ​Other duties as assigned.