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Laboratory associate skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

6 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Rainer Glaser,

Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical laboratory associate skills. We ranked the top skills for laboratory associates based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.8% of laboratory associate resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a laboratory associate needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 laboratory associate skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how laboratory associates use patients:

Follow written guidelines for identifying patients and labeling specimens: Use computer to efficiently organize specimen collection by priority.
Designed and implemented patients care protocol strategy and medical records based on GCP requirements.

2. Specimen Handling

Here's how laboratory associates use specimen handling:

Follow the laboratory's procedure for specimen handling and processing, test analyses, reporting and maintaining records.
Adhered to the established specimen handling guidelines and standard precaution.

3. Phlebotomy

Here's how laboratory associates use phlebotomy:

Worked as a laboratory associate performing phlebotomy on infants to children of adolescent ages.
Performed phlebotomy and follows established aseptic blood drawing procedures and techniques.

4. Chemistry

Chemistry is the branch of science that tells us about the composition, properties, and structure of elements and compounds. The processes these elements undergo and how they undergo change all come under the branch of chemistry.

Here's how laboratory associates use chemistry:

Performed diagnostic testing on automated chemistry analyzers.
Executed and practice chemistry laboratory protocols.

5. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how laboratory associates use customer service:

Provided great customer service in the photo lab operating professional photo processing equipment.
Demonstrated and maintained excellent customer service to medical staff and outside customers.

6. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how laboratory associates use patient care:

Facilitate patient care by coordinating with provider, patient, laboratory, and insurance companies LEADERSHIP.
Transitioned to a lab associate position which included the phlebotomist duties in addition to various aspects of patient care.

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7. Specimen Collection

Specimen collection refers to process of collecting any tissue or fluid like substance in order to be analyzed and tested in a laboratory. Specimen collection is the initial necessary step for the diagnosis of a problem, providing a pathway to the eventual treatment.

Here's how laboratory associates use specimen collection:

Educated patient and/or family regarding specimen collection procedures prior to obtaining specimen Used computer information system relative to job functions.
Reviewed Outstanding Specimen Report (OSR) and pending specimen collections/accessioning issues Received laboratory specimens into the laboratory information system.

8. Laboratory Procedures

Here's how laboratory associates use laboratory procedures:

Performed routine laboratory procedures such as: environmental and water sampling monitoring.
Performed a wide variety of highly specialized laboratory procedures as assigned.

9. Data Entry

Data entry means entering data into a company's system with the help of a keyboard. A person responsible for entering data may also be asked to verify the authenticity of the data being entered. A person doing data entry must pay great attention to tiny details.

Here's how laboratory associates use data entry:

Conducted timely and efficacious data entry for records-verification and sample identification.
Operated PC-based computer terminals for data entry and retrievals.

10. Microbiology

Here's how laboratory associates use microbiology:

Supported laboratory quality control and safety initiatives and provided direct support to the microbiology, processing and emergency departments as needed.
Receive and process incoming Microbiology specimens, using appropriate media and following clinical standard operating procedures.

11. CLIA

Here's how laboratory associates use clia:

Worked in the CLIA lab to assist Clinical Lab Scientists in performing the necessary assays for the MaterniT21 tests.
Lead lab technician in a CAP and API accredited, CLIA certified, practice-based laboratory.

12. FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services that regulates the production and sale of food, pharmaceutical products, medical equipment, and other consumer goods, as well as veterinary medicine. The FDA is now in charge of overseeing the manufacture of products like vaccines, allergy treatments, and beauty products.

Here's how laboratory associates use fda:

Participated in successful FDA inspection.
Represent the department as Subject Matter Expert for regulatory audits including FDA, TGA and EMA.

13. Equipment Maintenance

Equipment maintenance is any process that includes the use of maintenance methods and procedures to keep the organization's equipment in good and reliable working condition. This may include routine maintenance as well as corrective repairs. The practice takes place in a variety of settings, including catering establishments, industrial factories, manufacturing facilities, hotels, etc.

Here's how laboratory associates use equipment maintenance:

Conducted oversight in equipment maintenance and validation to ensure functionality.
Perform basic equipment maintenance and troubleshooting as needed.

14. Data Integrity

Data integrity denotes the consistency or accuracy validation of data in the whole lifecycle of data. It ensures the security of traceability and search-ability of all data in a person's device to the source.

Here's how laboratory associates use data integrity:

Maintain data integrity and ensured compliance with SOPs, Good Laboratory Practices and Good Documentation Practices.
Maintain data integrity and ensure compliance with SOPs, specifications, cGMPs, and regulatory guidelines.

15. Lims

A LIMS - Laboratory Information Management System is a software solution to improve laboratory productivity and efficiency with modern support of laboratory operations to address the challenges of data and sample management, automation, and regulation of laboratories from around the world and thus maintaining workflows and standardized testing and reporting procedures.

Here's how laboratory associates use lims:

Served as Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) administrator.
Maintained sample plans for the Thousand Oaks site using the Laboratory Information Systems (LIMS).

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What skills help Laboratory Associates find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on laboratory associate resumes?

Dr. Rainer Glaser

Professor and Chair, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Chemistry competence is key, of course. As a close second, chemists need to demonstrate effective team player competence. Communication skills are essential, in conversation and in writing. Effective collaboration requires highly developed skills to work with team members, peers, and leadership.

What soft skills should all laboratory associates possess?

Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera

Associate Professor, University of Alabama in Huntsville

Planification.

What hard/technical skills are most important for laboratory associates?

Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera

Associate Professor, University of Alabama in Huntsville

Pipetting, quantitative analysis, computer writing.

What laboratory associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Gerald Bergtrom Ph.D.

Professor of Biological Sciences (Emeritus) & Teaching & Learning Consultant, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The answers here depend on why the gap year is needed. If the need is to have an income, this would need to be balanced against other desirable needs and wishes.
- Thinking about a whole gap year, the student should make a long-term commitment to skills improvement and fill in gaps in a resume or job application.
-If the new graduate can afford it, spend some time traveling, to be exposed to different cultures and languages. If the student lives in an area with a growing LatinX population, learning some Spanish would be useful.
-If it looks like the gap year will not include activities related to the job they hope to get at the end of the year, then take at least one STEM course in their area of interest so as not to lose their edge. This could be an online course (for example, a MOOC). Do it for credit if necessary, to prove (to themselves and others) that they still love and want to succeed in science.

What type of skills will young laboratory associates need?

John Wilbur Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Practice, University of Arizona

In the short-term, testing skills like PCR and ELISA seems essential, but I think the enduring skills or working with a team, writing, and other communication skills are most important.

Do you want to know more?

List of laboratory associate skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a laboratory associate resume and required skills for a laboratory associate to have include:

Patients
Specimen Handling
Phlebotomy
Chemistry
Customer Service
Patient Care
Specimen Collection
Laboratory Procedures
Data Entry
Microbiology
CLIA
FDA
Equipment Maintenance
Data Integrity
Lims
Test Results
QC

Troubleshoot
Environmental Monitoring
Stat
Inventory Control
GLP
GMP
Compassion
Test Data
Good Judgment
Process Specimens
Computer System
OSHA
Cell Culture
Laboratory Instruments
HPLC
UV
RNA

Physical Analyses
DNA
Centrifuges
Pathogens
USP
Analytical Methods
GDP
Genotyping
PH Meter
Data Analysis
Clinical Specimens
Proficiency Testing
ISO
PCR
Patient Samples

Updated January 8, 2025

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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Laboratory Associate Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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