How to hire a senior laboratory assistant

How to hire a senior laboratory assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior laboratory assistant hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the senior laboratory assistant you need to hire. Certain senior laboratory assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A senior laboratory assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior laboratory assistants 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 senior laboratory assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Senior Laboratory Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Laboratory Assistant	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.	$11-31
   Phlebotomy Technician	A phlebotomy technician is responsible for conducting the medical procedure of drawing blood samples using extraction tools and other equipment. Phlebotomy technicians label the samples for laboratory examinations, donation testing, and other related purposes... Show more	$12-21
   Clinical Technician	A clinical technician is responsible for operating and maintaining clinical equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of all laboratory tools and kits to avoid contamination during medical procedures. Clinical technicians assist the patients with their medical inquiries and needs, collecting samples for laboratory, and helping medical professionals on surgeries and other medical operations... Show more	$12-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Specimen Processing
   • Lab Equipment
   • Microbiology
   • Patient Care
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • Compassion
   • Test Results
   • Chemistry
   • Data Entry
   • Centrifuges
   • Equipment Maintenance
   • Lab Assistants
   • Epic

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage, train and teach small groups of organic chemistry students with informal, fun learning environment.
   • Manage daily laboratory operations including personnel, client consulting, analyses and adherence to GLP protocols.
   • Perform daily maintenance and QC on hematology and chemistry analyzers.
   • Help in entering results in the LIS.
   • Conduct PCR to amplify genes for sequencing.
   • Design layout for new type of GMP laboratory.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior laboratory assistants' average salary in oklahoma is 45% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior laboratory assistants earn 64% less than senior-level senior laboratory assistants.
   • Certifications. A senior laboratory assistant 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 senior laboratory assistant's salary.

   Average senior laboratory assistant salary

   $40,806yearly

   $19.62 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior laboratory assistant salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

4. Writing a senior laboratory assistant job description

   A good senior laboratory assistant 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 senior laboratory assistant job description:

   Senior laboratory assistant job description example

   Senior Laboratory Assistant - Clinical Laboratory - Providence Portland Medical Center - 0.9 FTE, Variable
   
   $1,500 hiring bonus for eligible external hires that meet required qualifications and conditions for payment.
   
   The Laboratory Assistant 3 is responsible for the accurate and timely receiving, processing, and labeling of laboratory specimens, and the appropriate handling and/or disbursement of laboratory data and patient results. Supports personnel work with acute-care and outpatient caregivers, vendors, consultants, and other Laboratory Services staff in performing their duty.
   Required qualifications:
   
   * 2 years college education. Courses in biological sciences, anatomy, and medical terminology or equivalent education/experience:
   * Verifiable experience which includes proficiency in moderately complex testing.
   
   * In compliance with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) criminal background check and fingerprinting may be required for position, based on assigned duties. Involves only those positions at PPMC operating the blood irradiator machine.
   * 3 years healthcare, or related field experience including phlebotomy-related experience.
   * Demonstrated outstanding Service Excellence experience.
   * Clerical or client services experience.
   * Phlebotomy will be required in float pool and some ministries.
   * Demonstrated experience with State and Federal and other regulatory Compliance regulations including CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), CAP, TJC (The Joint Commission), CLIA, EMTALA, COBRA and HIPPA.
   
   Preferred qualifications:
   
   * Phlebotomy program with 1 year of phlebotomy related experience or equivalent education/experience:
   * Certification from a Clinical Laboratory Assistant Program; or
   * 3 years related experience.
   
   * Certification in Phlebotomy, medical assisting, research, or clinical laboratory upon hire.
   * Industry-related experience in a high volume, acute care setting.
   * 2 years phlebotomy, medical assisting, research, clinical laboratory experience.
   * Job experience in specimen collection, specimen preparation and equipment operation, pneumatic tubes systems and other laboratory equipment.
   
   Our best-in-class benefits are uniquely designed to support you and your family in staying well, growing professionally and achieving financial security. We take care of you, so you can focus on delivering our Mission of caring for everyone, especially the most vulnerable in our communities.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior laboratory assistants 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 senior laboratory assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit senior laboratory assistant 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 senior laboratory assistants, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 senior laboratory assistant

   Once you've found the senior laboratory assistant 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior laboratory assistant. 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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