How to hire a senior medical laboratory technician

How to hire a senior medical laboratory technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior medical laboratory technician 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 medical laboratory technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior medical laboratory technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your senior medical laboratory technician 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 senior medical laboratory technician 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 senior medical laboratory technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior medical laboratory technicians 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.

   Here's a comparison of senior medical laboratory technician salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Medical Laboratory Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Medical Laboratory Technician	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.	$19-35
   Accessioner	An accessioner works at laboratories where they are primarily in charge of managing and organizing specimens, assisting scientists as needed. Their responsibilities include receiving and verifying samples, labeling and preparing specimens according to its purpose, updating databases, disposing of waste properly, and examining samples for any contamination... Show more	$11-21
   Laboratory Supervisor	The primary job of laboratory supervisors is to oversee the daily operations of laboratories. They are responsible for facilitating the collection, analysis, and interpretation of laboratory results... Show more	$22-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Laboratory Procedures
   • ASCP
   • Microbiology
   • Specimen Handling
   • QC
   • Patient Care
   • Proficiency Testing
   • Lab Equipment
   • QA
   • MLT
   • Quality Control Procedures
   • Test Procedures
   • Blood Bank
   • Lab Results

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage stat and routine testing, ensuring sample integrity and interpretation data; notify physician of critical results.
   • Perform clinical laboratory tests pertinent to hematology, chemistry, urinalysis, serology, microbiology, immunology and blood bank.
   • Maintain and calibrate chemistry and hematology instrumentation and ensure that all documentation are complete.
   • Assist the supervisor with quality control issues such as troubleshooting and repair of chemistry and hematology instrumentation.
   • Lead technologist and lab resource, specialize in execution and analysis of chemistry and immunology testing using various methodologies.
   • Involve the design of the lab information management system (LIMS) to allow for ease of use for laboratory staff.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior medical laboratory technicians' average salary in kentucky is 41% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior medical laboratory technicians earn 45% less than senior-level senior medical laboratory technicians.
   • Certifications. A senior medical laboratory technician 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 medical laboratory technician's salary.

   Average senior medical laboratory technician salary

   $54,289yearly

   $26.10 hourly rate

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   Entry-level senior medical laboratory technician salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 24, 2026

4. Writing a senior medical laboratory technician job description

   A senior medical laboratory technician 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 senior medical laboratory technician job description:

   Senior medical laboratory technician job description example

   This is a part-time .6 FTE first shift position. Weekend day shift, hours between 7am Friday and 7am Monday. Hours may vary based on department needs.

   Pay:

   You may be eligible for up to a $3,000 sign-on bonus for a Senior Medical Lab Technician - Weekend position or a $4000 sign-on bonus for a Medical Technologist - Weekend position.

   Be part of something remarkable.

   Join the #1 hospital in Wisconsin and perform moderate and/or high complexity patient testing in the clinical laboratory.

   We are seeking a Senior Medical Lab Technician - Weekend/Medical Technologist - Weekend to:

   • Perform moderate and/or high complexity patient testing in the clinical laboratory
   • Perform advanced troubleshooting, maintenance, and problem resolution.
   • Demonstrate strong decision-making skills, ability to work independently, and the ability to take on teaching/training responsibilities as needed.
   • Work as an effective team member as demonstrated by good relations with physicians, clinic staff and co-workers.

   Education :

   Minimum – Associate degree in laboratory science or medical laboratory technology. OR education and training equivalent to an associate degree to include 60 semester hours including either:

   • 24 semester hours of medical laboratory technology courses or • 24 semester hours of science courses

   Preferred – Bachelor’s degree in a chemical, physical, biological or clinical laboratory science, or medical technology. Or Bachelor’s degree must include minimally 60 semester hours or equivalent, that includes either:

   • 24 semester hours of medical laboratory technology courses OR • 24 semester hours – 6 chemistry, 6 biology and 12 chemistry, biology, medical laboratory technology in any combination

   Work Experience :

   Minimum –

   Senior Medical Laboratory Technician -One (1) year of experience performing moderate and some high complexity testing in a clinical laboratory and successful completion of competency assessment; or Two (2) years in a clinical laboratory

   Medical Technologist – no minimum work experience needed

   Preferred -

   Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

   UW Health is committed to being a diverse, equitable, inclusive and anti-racist workplace and is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Our integrity shines through in patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day. Applications from Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals, LGBTQ+ and non-binary identities, women, persons with disabilities, military service members and veterans are strongly encouraged. EOE, including disability/veterans.

   University Hospital in Madison is a Magnet®-designated facility that’s ranked Wisconsin’s #1 hospital and considered one of the nation's leading hospitals, teaching institutions and referral centers.

   Learn more about this opening

   Learn more about this opening

   UW Hospital and Clinics benefits

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior medical laboratory technicians 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 medical laboratory technician job on Zippia to find and attract quality senior medical laboratory technician candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting senior medical laboratory technicians requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 medical laboratory technician

   Once you've found the senior medical laboratory technician 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

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