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What does an assistant laboratory technician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does an assistant laboratory technician do

The primary responsibility of a lab assistant is to help scientists and technologists. Lab assistants are assigned to prepare and monitor tests and experiments in research or medical laboratory. They analyze data and establish reports based on test results. Also, they set up the tools and equipment used in the lab. It is also part of their job to clean the lab rooms--knowledge in lab management, communication skills, attention to detail, and medical-related management.

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Assistant laboratory technician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real assistant laboratory technician resumes:

  • Lead aerobic, anaerobic and UV light testing, chemical residue testing and centrifuge to separate chemicals from water.
  • Work with non-gynecological specimens including thin prep, cytospins or formalin and cellient cell blocks.
  • Work in cytology lab performing prep duties of surgical fluids, FNA aspirates and pap smears.
  • Verify test requirements utilizing LIS.
  • Obtain insurance authorization and provide patients resources regarding insurance coverage and financial responsibilities.
  • Collect, identify, categorize, and analyze bodily fluids relate to non-gynecological cytology.
  • Repair various types of plumbing including plastic welding considering compatibility with solutions and temperature range.
  • Create a professional, welcoming environment through exceptional customer service and developing strong relationships with patients and doctors.
  • Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
  • Obtain specimens, cultivating, isolating, and identifying microorganisms for analysis.

Assistant laboratory technician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 23% of Assistant Laboratory Technicians are proficient in Patients, Ladders, and Computer Lab. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Mechanical skills, and Organizational skills.

We break down the percentage of Assistant Laboratory Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Patients, 23%

    Created a professional, welcoming environment through exceptional customer service and developing strong relationships with patients and doctors.

  • Ladders, 11%

    Climbed ladders, and drove for long periods of time.

  • Computer Lab, 8%

    Facilitated computer lab -Provided technical support for computer questions.

  • Vital Signs, 7%

    Assisted doctor in surgery with administration of anesthetic and intubation as well as vital signs monitoring during and after procedure.

  • EKG, 6%

    Performed in house testing, controls, correlations, proficiency testing, NCS, PVDT, and EKG.

  • CPR, 5%

    Maintained yearly CPR training and Computer Aided Design (CAD) training requirements.

"patients," "ladders," and "computer lab" are among the most common skills that assistant laboratory technicians use at work. You can find even more assistant laboratory technician responsibilities below, including:

Detail oriented. The most essential soft skill for an assistant laboratory technician to carry out their responsibilities is detail oriented. This skill is important for the role because "service technicians must be aware of small details when inspecting or repairing vehicle systems, because mechanical and electronic malfunctions are often due to misalignments or other easy-to-miss causes." Additionally, an assistant laboratory technician resume shows how their duties depend on detail oriented: "conducted polymerase chain reactions (pcr) to amplify dna segments for detailed analysis. "

Mechanical skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling assistant laboratory technician duties is mechanical skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "service technicians must be familiar with engine components and systems and know how they interact with each other." According to an assistant laboratory technician resume, here's how assistant laboratory technicians can utilize mechanical skills in their job responsibilities: "assisted supervising technician with light commercial and residential installation of hvac units, including electrical and mechanical components. "

Organizational skills. assistant laboratory technicians are also known for organizational skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to assistant laboratory technician responsibilities, because "service technicians must keep workspaces clean and organized in order to maintain safety and ensure accountability of parts." An assistant laboratory technician resume example shows how organizational skills is used in the workplace: "process specimens to be tested and make peripheral slides possess organizational skills and leadership. "

Physical strength. A big part of what assistant laboratory technicians do relies on "physical strength." You can see how essential it is to assistant laboratory technician responsibilities because "service technicians must sometimes lift and maneuver heavy parts such as engines and body panels." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical assistant laboratory technician tasks: "perform blood draws and physical assessment of donors. "

Customer-service skills. Another common skill required for assistant laboratory technician responsibilities is "customer-service skills." This skill comes up in the duties of assistant laboratory technicians all the time, as "service technicians discuss automotive problems—along with options to fix them—with their customers." An excerpt from a real assistant laboratory technician resume shows how this skill is central to what an assistant laboratory technician does: "prepared laboratory equipment for software engineers that tested software packages designated subject matter expert in providing tier one customer service"

Dexterity. While "dexterity" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to assistant laboratory technician responsibilities. Much of what an assistant laboratory technician does relies on this skill, seeing as "service technicians perform many tasks that require steady hands and good hand–eye coordination, such as assembling or attaching components and subassemblies." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of assistant laboratory technicians: "provide hands on patient care. "

Most common assistant laboratory technician skills

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Assistant Laboratory Technician Resume
Assistant Laboratory Technician Resume
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Assistant Laboratory Technician Resume
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Assistant Laboratory Technician Resume

Compare different assistant laboratory technicians

Assistant laboratory technician vs. Laboratory assistant/phlebotomist

A laboratory assistant/phlebotomist is responsible for drawing blood samples and other laboratory tests, labeling specimens, and performing administrative and clerical duties as needed. Laboratory assistants/phlebotomists should ensure that the laboratory tools and equipment are stored and secured in a safe area, as well as regularly sterilizing testing tools to avoid contamination upon the use of the patients. They must be highly knowledgeable of the medical procedures and processes, responding to the patients' inquiries and concerns, and providing a timely update of medical results.

If we compare the average assistant laboratory technician annual salary with that of a laboratory assistant/phlebotomist, we find that laboratory assistant/phlebotomists typically earn a $1,003 lower salary than assistant laboratory technicians make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both assistant laboratory technician and laboratory assistant/phlebotomist positions are skilled in patients, vital signs, and ekg.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, assistant laboratory technician responsibilities require skills like "ladders," "computer lab," "nondestructive testing," and "blood products." Meanwhile a typical laboratory assistant/phlebotomist has skills in areas such as "blood specimens," "customer service," "phlebotomy procedures," and "specimen collection." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Laboratory assistant/phlebotomists tend to reach similar levels of education than assistant laboratory technicians. In fact, laboratory assistant/phlebotomists are 2.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Assistant laboratory technician vs. Technician

Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.

A career as a technician brings a higher average salary when compared to the average annual salary of an assistant laboratory technician. In fact, technicians salary is $2,489 higher than the salary of assistant laboratory technicians per year.A few skills overlap for assistant laboratory technicians and technicians. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "patients," "vital signs," and "ekg. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real assistant laboratory technician resumes. While assistant laboratory technician responsibilities can utilize skills like "ladders," "computer lab," "nondestructive testing," and "blood products," technicians use skills like "customer service," "patient care," "hand tools," and "diagnosis."

In general, technicians achieve similar levels of education than assistant laboratory technicians. They're 1.2% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Assistant laboratory technician vs. Service technician

Service technicians are assigned in the field to address the concerns of their clients. Service technicians are responsible for the installation, maintenance, or repair of different units or items related to their company's products or services. They should be familiar with their company's products so that they can properly install, maintain, or repair them. They conduct diagnostics and analysis to assess the condition of the unit they are servicing and properly address problems. They also do routine maintenance check-ups. Service technicians are expected to be trustworthy, have good analytical skills, and have good decision-making skills.

On average scale, service technicians bring in higher salaries than assistant laboratory technicians. In fact, they earn a $4,823 higher salary per year.By looking over several assistant laboratory technicians and service technicians resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "patients," "ladders," and "vital signs." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from assistant laboratory technician resumes include skills like "computer lab," "ekg," "cpr," and "nondestructive testing," whereas a service technician is more likely to list skills in "plumbing," "customer service," "preventative maintenance," and "hand tools. "

When it comes to education, service technicians tend to earn similar degree levels compared to assistant laboratory technicians. In fact, they're 2.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Assistant laboratory technician vs. Field technician

A field technician is responsible for providing technical and maintenance support for the customers by area visits. Field technicians' duties include diagnosing technical problems, replacing malfunction components, upgrading systems for efficiency, running equipment tests to ensure stability, creating draft reports of performed processes, utilizing vehicles and other tools safely, following client's specifications on operating equipment, and adhering to the safety standards. A field technician must have excellent communication and decision-making skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the technological industry.

Field technicians tend to earn a higher pay than assistant laboratory technicians by an average of $1,964 per year.While both assistant laboratory technicians and field technicians complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like ladders, test results, and technical problems, the two careers vary in some skills.While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "patients," "computer lab," "vital signs," and "ekg" are skills that commonly show up on assistant laboratory technician resumes. On the other hand, field technicians use skills like customer service, hand tools, smartphones, and preventative maintenance on their resumes.The average resume of field technicians showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to assistant laboratory technicians. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 1.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.7%.

Types of assistant laboratory technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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