How to hire a director of laboratory services

How to hire a director of laboratory services, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director of laboratory services hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a director of laboratory services job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new director of laboratory services
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a director of laboratory services, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A director of laboratory services's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, directors of laboratory services from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of directors of laboratory services and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Director Of Laboratory Services	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Laboratory Services	Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They might manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians... Show more	$36-65
   Nurse Manager	The primary role of nurse managers is to supervise the nursing staff in a clinical or hospital setting. They are the ones who are in charge of patient care, setting work schedules, and making budgetary and management decisions... Show more	$28-55
   Clinical Director	A clinical director is a managing professional who manages the work of healthcare providers to ensure quality patient care is achieved. Clinical directors are responsible for organizational tasks such as adjusting staff schedules, explaining insurance benefits to the patients, and managing financial reports... Show more	$30-69

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Laboratory Services
   • Patients
   • Clinical Laboratory
   • Patient Care
   • CLIA
   • Chemistry
   • Oversight
   • Microbiology
   • Health System
   • Patient Safety
   • Hematology
   • Laboratory Operations
   • Proficiency Testing
   • Human Resources

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Coordinate with LIS staff to manage access and maintenance of instrument interfaces and module enhancements.
   • Lead the laboratory through a difficult outsourcing of microbiology due to a lack of license staff.
   • Achieve administrative recognition for ACR accreditation of imaging departments.
   • Set up forensic DNA laboratory, train laboratory technicians in advance molecular techniques, and manage day-to-day activities of forensic DNA laboratory
   • Perform ultrasound and nuclear medicine studies.
   • Include all QA and QC oversight and activities, including all proficiency testing programs.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your director of laboratory services job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A director of laboratory services salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, directors of laboratory services' average salary in nebraska is 36% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level directors of laboratory services earn 45% less than senior-level directors of laboratory services.
   • Certifications. A director of laboratory services with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a director of laboratory services's salary.

   Average director of laboratory services salary

   $101,866yearly

   $48.97 hourly rate

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   Entry-level director of laboratory services salary

   $75,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

4. Writing a director of laboratory services job description

   A director of laboratory services job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a director of laboratory services job description:

   Director of laboratory services job description example

   Trinity Health Of New England is looking for Director of Laboratory Services to join our team of mission-driven healthcare innovators in our Laboratory Services Department located at Mercy Medical Center, Springfield, MA. Our vision is to provide state-of-the-art healthcare to those within our local communities, creating a positive impact for each individual that walks through our doors. This position is responsible for providing overall technical and support service direction and administration to Laboratory personnel in order to ensure system of laboratory testing operates efficiently and effectively. Regularly reviews and revises, as necessary, laboratory standards and ensures diagnostic procedures performed comply with all Hospital and regulatory agency standards. Coordinates provision of Laboratory services with other medical functions and serves as resource for departmental personnel.
   **Top Reasons to Work at Trinity Health of New England:**
   
   • Provide leadership to an excellent, dedicated health care team
   
   • Opportunity to work closely with dedicated leaders in implementing changes and strategic goals
   
   • Competitive Benefits Package
   
   **_You Will Be Responsible For:_** :
   
   + **Exceptional Planning** : Plans and administers directly, and through manager and coordinators, the effective management and delivery of diagnostic Laboratory procedures in accordance with all Hospital and regulatory agency standards. Develops departmental goals and objectives and, in collaboration with Laboratory's Executive Director, designs and implements plans to meet agreed-upon goals and objectives. Develops and administers capital and operating budgets in order to meet agreed-upon departmental goals and objectives. Develops and implements appropriate methods to monitor adherence to budgets and resolve variances. Prepares and revises, as necessary, specific procedures for the safe disinfections, sterilization, maintenance, and use of equipment in accordance with accepted clinical and technical principles. Through manager's and coordinator's personnel, ensures all department records are properly maintained. Directs preparation of or prepares periodic and special analyses and reports required for management as well as outside agencies. Oversees billing department and coordinates responsibilities to ensure accurate and timely claims and accounts receivable. Oversees and manages the client billing processes.
   
   + **Excellent Communicator** : Interviews, hires and evaluates the performance of manager's and coordinator's personnel. Approves hiring and, when necessary, discharge recommendations of personnel and assists same in resolving complex employee relations matters.
   
   + **Strong Educator:** Oversees development of departmental in-service training programs to ensure Laboratory personnel, maintain knowledge of current techniques and procedures in testing, equipment operation, quality control and the like. Reviews problems or incidents affecting efficient and safe operation of department with managers and coordinators, and assists same in resolving problems with scheduling, under-utilization of equipment, waste of supplies and so forth.
   
   + **Technical Familiarity:** Oversees development and maintenance of quality assurance programs necessary to ensure all services conducted are performed properly, and that test results are valid and accurate prior to release Oversees development, evaluates effectiveness, and directs implementation of new technical procedures including LIS/HIS functions. Reviews and approves recommendations for department(s) equipment modifications, new supplies, and minor equipment purchases. Recommends and secures approval of major capital expense items initiating bidding process with vendors. Serves as technical resource to subordinates in resolving complex problems and in investigating and recommending corrective actions in response to incident reports and/or patient complaints. Familiar with CAP, AABB, FDA and state standards and prepares for inspections with follow up responses. Participates in CAP inspections as requested. Understanding in the operation/maintenance of Lab equipment, computer-based applications (email, and standard applications such as Microsoft Office).
   
   + **Active Teamwork** : Maintains cooperative working relationships with a variety of THOfNE personnel and physicians in order to resolve problems and to enhance smooth and efficient delivery of patient services. Demonstrates problem solving, conflict resolution, and positive communication through teamwork.
   
   **_What you need:_**
   
   + **Education:** Work requires the knowledge of theories, principles, and concepts normally acquired through completion of a Bachelor's degree in Medical Technology or closely related field.. Masters Degree preferred.
   
   + **Certification** : Registration required as a MT (ASCP).
   
   + **Experience: At least 7** years of previous and progressively more responsible work-related experience.
   
   + **Job Skills** : Work requires the analytical ability necessary to design highly complex systems and programs, resolve problems requiring a comprehensive and state-of-the-art awareness of the technology and literature in a professional, technical or scientific field, or develop financial and operating plans for a large department.
   
   + **Leadership:** Work requires the ability to manage the employees within assigned unit/department and to persuade and negotiate with peer level manager and department heads on issues and programs that impact assigned unit/department.
   
   **_About Trinity Health Of New England:_**
   
   Trinity Health Of New England is an integrated health care delivery system that is comprised of world-class providers and facilities dedicated to full spectrum preventative, acute, and post-acute care. We aim to deliver top level care to increase our community's overall health at lower costs. While we serve nearly 3 million people, we are proud to be a part of a national system that focuses on putting our patients first and having the best colleagues to do so.
   
   Trinity Health Of New England benefits include health insurance, adoption assistance, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation, sick time, and professional advancement just to name a few.
   
   Employees can also take advantage of extra benefits specific to each hospital.
   
   **Step up to your potential. Write your story and apply today!**
   
   **Trinity Health's Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion**
   
   Trinity Health employs about 133,000 colleagues at dozens of hospitals and hundreds of health centers in 22 states. Because we serve diverse populations, our colleagues are trained to recognize the cultural beliefs, values, traditions, language preferences, and health practices of the communities that we serve and to apply that knowledge to produce positive health outcomes. We also recognize that each of us has a different way of thinking and perceiving our world and that these differences often lead to innovative solutions.
   
   Trinity Health's dedication to diversity includes a unified workforce (through training and education, recruitment, retention and development), commitment and accountability, communication, community partnerships, and supplier diversity.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right director of laboratory services for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your director of laboratory services job on Zippia to find and recruit director of laboratory services candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit directors of laboratory services, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new director of laboratory services

   Once you've found the director of laboratory services candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new director of laboratory services. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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