How to hire a laboratory aide

How to hire a laboratory aide, step by step

Here's a step-by-step laboratory aide hiring guide:

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

What does a laboratory aide do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your laboratory aide job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a laboratory aide for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A laboratory aide's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, laboratory aides 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.

   This list presents laboratory aide salaries for various positions.

   Type of Laboratory Aide	Description	Hourly rate
   Laboratory Aide	Medical laboratory technologists (commonly known as medical laboratory scientists) and medical laboratory technicians collect samples and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissue, and other substances.	$9-18
   Medical Technologist	A medical technologist's role is to conduct laboratory tests with accuracy and speed. It is their responsibility to gather, prepare, and analyze samples such as blood, tissues, and bodily fluid... Show more	$19-32
   Histologic Technician	A Histologic Technician prepares tissue specimens for routine and special procedures to confirm a patient diagnosis. They work in hospital laboratories, government agencies, public health departments, and other institutions.	$15-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Specimen Handling
   • Lab Equipment
   • Phlebotomy
   • Cleanliness
   • Data Entry
   • Blood Samples
   • Test Results
   • Blood Specimens
   • Patient Care
   • Hematology
   • Phone Calls
   • Compassion
   • Routine Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage patient, and corporate information with compassion and confidentiality.
   • Train in performing EKG's.
   • Attach holsters and perform EKG's.
   • Used PCR to phenotype blood and serum samples.
   • Operate centrifuges to spin testing tube samples during peak times during work shift.
   • Employ DNA isolation, PCR replication and gel electrophoresis to isolate genetic sequences.

   More laboratory aide duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your laboratory aide job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A laboratory aide can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, laboratory aides' average salary in oklahoma is 46% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level laboratory aides 47% less than senior-level laboratory aides.
   • Certifications. A laboratory aide with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a laboratory aide's salary.

   Average laboratory aide salary

   $13.50hourly

   $28,083 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level laboratory aide salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average laboratory aide salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Alaska	$40,259	$19
   2	Massachusetts	$36,505	$18
   3	Washington	$35,656	$17
   4	New Hampshire	$35,254	$17
   5	New York	$33,699	$16
   6	Maryland	$33,076	$16
   7	Minnesota	$32,212	$15
   8	Wisconsin	$31,239	$15
   9	Ohio	$31,020	$15
   10	Nevada	$30,826	$15
   11	Iowa	$30,504	$15
   12	California	$29,805	$14
   13	Arkansas	$29,372	$14
   14	Pennsylvania	$28,570	$14
   15	Michigan	$28,100	$14
   16	Florida	$27,319	$13
   17	Kansas	$27,182	$13
   18	Georgia	$26,884	$13
   19	North Carolina	$26,299	$13
   20	Colorado	$25,998	$13

   Average laboratory aide salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Illumina	$36,567	$17.58
   2	NCH Healthcare System	$35,757	$17.19	13
   3	Monroe County	$35,434	$17.04	13
   4	Tenet Healthcare	$35,182	$16.91	192
   5	Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College	$35,177	$16.91	9
   6	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center	$34,892	$16.77	3
   7	GI Associates	$34,771	$16.72
   8	Johnson County Community College	$34,517	$16.59	1
   9	Harvard University	$33,745	$16.22
   10	MiMedx	$33,406	$16.06
   11	Fred Hutch	$33,090	$15.91	4
   12	Baptist Health Care	$32,983	$15.86	4
   13	Sarepta Therapeutics	$32,969	$15.85
   14	Kelly Services	$32,556	$15.65	65
   15	Clinical Reference Laboratory	$32,455	$15.60	1
   16	Integrated Resources	$32,274	$15.52	72
   17	Mayo Clinic	$32,137	$15.45	136
   18	Community Health Systems	$31,895	$15.33	275
   19	Yale New Haven Health	$31,794	$15.29	50
   20	Northwell Health	$31,720	$15.25	65

4. Writing a laboratory aide job description

   A good laboratory aide job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a laboratory aide job description:

   Laboratory aide job description example

   Provides Lab patient services that include phlebotomy/specimen processing as applicable to assigned area(s). Follows processes for Target Zero in order to provide patient safety throughout all tasks.
   Qualifications:
   + Phlebotomy experience/completed college course work in phlebotomy or science preferred. Other combinations of education and experience may be considered.
   + Current CPR certification per assigned area(s).
   + Possess and maintain computer skills to include working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and ability to learn other software as needed.
   + Excellent organizational skills, detail-oriented, a self-starter, possess critical thinking skills and be able to set priorities and function as part of a team as well as independently.
   + Commitment to working in a team environment and maintaining confidentiality as needed.
   + Excellent verbal and written communication skills including the ability to communicate effectively with various audiences.
   + Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy.
   Job Specific Duties:
   + Exhibits good judgment in the application of venipunctures. Recognizes when to ask for assistance on difficult or challenging specimen collections. Explains collection procedures clearly to patients for specimen collections.
   + Serves as an advocate/educator for improved collection and ordering procedures for assigned area(s) as applicable.
   + Serves as contact for inquiries in order to provide timely status and processing updates of specimens. Escalates unresolved issues per department procedure and protocol.
   + Accurately orders and cancels tests and ensures correct patient identification and information.
   + Answers or refers inquiries promptly and courteously per department procedure.
   + Verifies patient identification prior to collection and labels specimens accurately. Handles incoming specimens, sorts and delivers to processing, and checks accuracy of requisition and labeling of specimens per department protocol.
   + The above essential functions are representative of major duties of positions in this job classification. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary based upon departmental needs. Other duties may be assigned similar to the above consistent with knowledge, skills and abilities required for the job. Not all of the duties may be assigned to a position.
   Maintains regular and consistent attendance as scheduled by department leadership.
   Shift:
   Variable (United States of America)
   Schedule Details:
   Please know schedules and shifts are subject to change based on patient care and department/organizational needs.
   Schedule:
   Logan Health operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Schedules are set to accommodate the requirements of the position and the needs of the organization and may be adjusted as needed.
   Notice of Pre-Employment Screening Requirements
   If you receive a job offer, please note all offers are contingent upon passing a pre-employment screening, which includes:
   + Criminal background check
   + Reference checks
   + Drug Screening
   + Health and Immunizations Screening
   + Physical Demand Review/Screening
   Equal Opportunity Employer
   Logan Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE/AA/M-F/Vet/Disability). We encourage all qualified individuals to apply for employment. We do not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on protected veteran status, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability or any other basis protected by applicable law. If you require accommodation to complete the application, testing or interview process, please notify Human Resources.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find laboratory aides for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any laboratory aides they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level laboratory aides with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your laboratory aide job on Zippia to find and recruit laboratory aide candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit laboratory aides, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 laboratory aide

   Once you've selected the best laboratory aide candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new laboratory aide. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire a laboratory aide?