How to hire a lead clinical laboratory scientist

How to hire a lead clinical laboratory scientist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lead clinical laboratory scientist hiring guide:

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

What does a lead clinical laboratory scientist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The lead clinical laboratory scientist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a lead clinical laboratory scientist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a lead clinical laboratory scientist that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of lead clinical laboratory scientists.

   Type of Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist	Medical scientists conduct research aimed at improving overall human health. They often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.	$25-63
   PHD Researcher	The primary job of a Ph.D. researcher is to plan and conduct experiments and analyzing their outcome... Show more	$16-36
   Researcher	A researcher is responsible for collating, organizing, and verifying necessary information for a specific subject. Researchers' duties include analyzing data, gathering and comparing resources, ensuring facts, sharing findings with the whole research team, adhering to required methodologies, performing fieldwork as needed, and keeping critical information confidential... Show more	$17-57

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Proficiency Testing
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • Immunology
   • Laboratory Tests
   • QC
   • Laboratory Policies
   • Laboratory Equipment
   • LIS
   • Data Collection
   • Patient Results
   • Lab Results
   • OSHA
   • Regulatory Agencies
   • PCR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage user access for FTIR.
   • Coordinate transfer of analytical methods for the analysis of GMP drug substance.
   • Ensure compliance with internal and AABB / FDA audits by maintaining QC documentation and testing records scrupulously.
   • Conduct routine and complex laboratory testing in hematology, chemistry, coagulation, and urinalysis.
   • Complete clinical laboratory testing on collect patient samples in urine toxicology, hematology and clinical chemistries.
   • Implement data automation in LIMS.

   More lead clinical laboratory scientist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lead clinical laboratory scientist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A lead clinical laboratory scientist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a lead clinical laboratory scientist in Nebraska may be lower than in California, and an entry-level lead clinical laboratory scientist usually earns less than a senior-level lead clinical laboratory scientist. Additionally, a lead clinical laboratory scientist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary

   $84,667yearly

   $40.71 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead clinical laboratory scientist salary

   $53,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$126,014	$61
   2	Nevada	$94,878	$46
   3	Illinois	$82,694	$40
   4	New York	$81,864	$39
   5	Oregon	$80,513	$39
   6	Alaska	$80,348	$39
   7	Arizona	$79,813	$38
   8	Missouri	$68,369	$33
   9	New Mexico	$65,038	$31
   10	Texas	$60,871	$29

   Average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Edward Hospital & Health Services	$111,825	$53.76
   2	Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District	$108,404	$52.12	4
   3	Dignity Health	$108,013	$51.93	167
   4	Methodist Hospital Of Henderson, Kentucky	$106,929	$51.41	16
   5	Sierra Nevada Home Care	$106,587	$51.24
   6	Scripps Health	$106,029	$50.98	3
   7	Madera Community Hospital	$105,741	$50.84	3
   8	Sutter Health	$100,640	$48.38	82
   9	Northwell Health	$100,127	$48.14	101
   10	Children's Hospital Los Angeles	$99,659	$47.91	13
   11	Sharp HealthCare	$99,230	$47.71	5
   12	Tenet Healthcare	$99,087	$47.64	235
   13	Providence Health & Services	$98,953	$47.57	95
   14	Pfizer	$95,615	$45.97	53
   15	Memorial Hospital Of Gardena	$95,492	$45.91
   16	CyberCoders	$95,145	$45.74	2
   17	St. Croix Regional Medical Center	$93,711	$45.05	1
   18	Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings	$93,510	$44.96	360
   19	Mission Regional Medical Center	$92,726	$44.58	96
   20	Prime Healthcare	$92,080	$44.27	89

4. Writing a lead clinical laboratory scientist job description

   A good lead clinical laboratory scientist 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 lead clinical laboratory scientist job description:

   Lead clinical laboratory scientist job description example

   A community medical center Southern Oregon is currently seeking an MLT and ASCP certified Clinical Laboratory Microbiology Lead to oversee Technical Coordination and assist in department administration. Join this tightknit community and medical team, and help lead an experienced team of scientists and technologists.
   
   This community health care system has an excellent reputation for compassionate patient care and high-quality service. Offering a full range of acute inpatient services, along with diverse outpatient and ambulatory services, this health system has earned its place in the community's heart. The Laboratory Microbiology Lead will have an opportunity to add to this outstanding reputation by leading efficient operations and supporting health initiatives throughout the area.
   
   Reporting to the Laboratory Director, the Clinical Microbiology Lead will play an integral role in supporting clinical and administrative operations. This person will have the opportunity to work closely with a fantastic team of MLT Laboratory Technicians who often describe the department as a close knit family.
   
   Working collaboratively with Acute Care personnel such as Medical Directors, Physicians, Nurse Navigators, and RN Coordinators, the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Lead will act as the point of contact for multiple service centers. A great aptitude for building and maintaining positive stakeholder relationships will be very important for someone in this role to succeed.
   
   A team-based approach to this large, diverse laboratory staff is crucial for guaranteeing continued buy-in, trust, and efficiency from each member. Actively managing the Microbiologists, Hematologists, Cytotechnologists, Histologists, Phlebotomists, Chemists, and various support staff through direct coaching, team and personal development initiatives, and clear performance expectations will help the Micro Laboratory Lead continue the upward trajectory of quality improvement for this lab and for the health care system.
   
   Home to an affordable cost of living, fantastic schools, and a tight knit community fabric, the Southern Oregon area is a great place to call home. For the Clinical Laboratory Microbiology Lead that enjoys the great outdoors, there's no better place. You'll find the rocky Pacific coast, studded with breathtaking beaches, you'll find deep evergreen forests just waiting to be explored, and you'll find sport that takes advantage of all this majesty. For the times you need a bit of excitement, the Portland Metro Area is just a short drive away. There, you'll find all the sights, sounds, culture, and cuisine you'd expect from a major metro area.
   This Hospital is prepared to offer the Microbiology Lead a full range of comprehensive benefits including competitive salary, full medical, dental, and vision coverage, and generous PTO.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find lead clinical laboratory scientists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit lead clinical laboratory scientists, 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 lead clinical laboratory scientist

   Once you've decided on a perfect lead clinical laboratory scientist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

   To prepare for the new lead clinical laboratory scientist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 lead clinical laboratory scientist?