Medical Technician I - Microbiology - Days
- Requisition #: 178611
- Department: Lab Medicine Ops
- Location: Houston, TX
- Posted Date: 1/27/2026
The Department of Microbiology at MD Anderson Cancer Center provides critical diagnostic support that directly impacts patient care, infection prevention, and treatment decisions for a highly complex oncology population. The laboratory operates in a fast-paced, high-volume environment where accuracy, timeliness, and strict adherence to regulatory standards are essential.
As a Medical Technician I, you will play a key role in specimen receiving and processing, ensuring that patient specimens are evaluated for acceptability, accurately accessioned into the laboratory information system (LIS), and prepared for testing in accordance with established procedures. This includes generating labels, documenting testing notes or cancellations, and preparing reagents and materials required for specimen processing.
In this role, you will perform complex specimen processing activities such as cutting or grinding tissue, inoculating and aliquoting specimens, setting up slides and media for clinical testing, and ensuring proper storage under appropriate conditions. You will identify specimens requiring special handling or reference laboratory testing, obtain required approvals, prepare specimens for transport, generate manifests, and ensure complete documentation and chain of custody.
You will communicate effectively with medical staff regarding specimen collection or testing issues, demonstrate professionalism when interacting with internal and external customers, and maintain composure during high-pressure situations such as system downtime or workflow surges. Ensuring smooth shift handoffs and timely completion of pending tasks is critical to maintaining turnaround time (TAT) expectations.
You will also safely operate laboratory instrumentation and equipment, performing routine service, quality control, and calibration procedures while troubleshooting common equipment issues. Maintaining a clean, organized work area and communicating equipment concerns to appropriate personnel are essential components of this role.
Inventory management is an important responsibility, including restocking consumables, monitoring reagent and supply levels, verifying expiration dates, and assisting with inventory control documentation to ensure uninterrupted laboratory operations.
Additionally, you may support training efforts by assisting with the onboarding and education of other employees, students, or fellows, following established training checklists and procedures.
MD Anderson offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including paid medical benefits, generous paid time off, retirement plans, and additional benefits, supporting both professional growth and work-life balance within a mission-driven healthcare environment.
**The hours are 6am - 2:30pm. The ideal candidate will have a bachelors degree in a science related field**
JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
Specimen Receiving and Processing
- Evaluates specimens that arrive for testing acceptability
- Records receipt or accessions specimens into the laboratory LIS.
- Cancels testing orders that are inappropriate or unacceptable.
- Documents appropriate notes for testing orders or cancellations.
- Prepares any reagents or materials necessary for specimen processing
- Generates appropriate labels for specimens received.
- Accurately label any necessary slides, plates, media, aliquot tubes, processing tubes, or any other materials required to process a patient specimen.
- Performs complex processing of patient specimens including cutting or grinding of tissue
- Accurately inoculate, aliquot, and store patient specimens.
- Set ups of slides/specimens for clinical testing.
- Documents and cases or specimens requiring special handling
- Evaluate samples requiring performance by a reference laboratory
- If necessary, obtain appropriate approvals before sending samples to reference laboratory
- Prepare and/or aliquot specimens into appropriate transport containers and store in the appropriate transport conditions until pick up by courier.
- Generate manifestation for reference laboratory specimens and ensure all specimens and orders are accounted for.
- Maintains knowledge of procedure and policy updates -Independently performs work without undue reliance on others and assists co-workers as time permits.
- Communicate with medical staff regarding specimen collection or testing issues.
- Complies with the section telephone courtesy policies and procedures
- Demonstrate cooperation when working with both internal and external customers.
- Demonstrates calmness under varying environmental circumstances. Remains willing and capable of assisting in crisis situations such as downtime.
- Ensures completion of pending or assigned tasks and communicates well with incoming shift for a smooth handoff hand-off avoiding delays in TAT
- Train other employees, students, and/or fellows as needed
- Follow established checklists during the training period.
Instrumentation/Equipment
- Safely operates instrumentation and equipment according to specific protocols
- Perform and document standard service, quality control, and/or calibration procedures at appropriate intervals.
- Troubleshoot and resolve common instrumentation/equipment problems
- Maintains a clean organized work area.
- Communicate with appropriate internal/external personnel regarding equipment issues.
Inventory
- Maintains a clean and organized workstation
- Restocks consumable items as necessary to ensure sufficient quantity to support the next work shift.
- Performs inventory of supplies/reagents according to departmental procedures.
- Communicate with appropriate internal/external personnel regarding inventory issues.
- Assists with monitoring and documenting the section's inventory control system while assuring effective use of supplies.
- Utilizes available tools to maintain inventory control and monitor expiration dates.
- Checks all materials used for valid expiration date before use.
Other duties as assigned
EDUCATION
WORK EXPERIENCE
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, paid time off, retirement, tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition.
This position may be responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of critical infrastructure, as defined in Section 113.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and therefore may require routine reviews and screening. The ability to satisfy and maintain all requirements necessary to ensure the continued security and integrity of such infrastructure is a condition of hire and continued employment.
It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state, or local laws unless such distinction is required by law.http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html
Additional Information
#LI-Onsite
As a Medical Technician I, you will play a key role in specimen receiving and processing, ensuring that patient specimens are evaluated for acceptability, accurately accessioned into the laboratory information system (LIS), and prepared for testing in accordance with established procedures. This includes generating labels, documenting testing notes or cancellations, and preparing reagents and materials required for specimen processing.
In this role, you will perform complex specimen processing activities such as cutting or grinding tissue, inoculating and aliquoting specimens, setting up slides and media for clinical testing, and ensuring proper storage under appropriate conditions. You will identify specimens requiring special handling or reference laboratory testing, obtain required approvals, prepare specimens for transport, generate manifests, and ensure complete documentation and chain of custody.
You will communicate effectively with medical staff regarding specimen collection or testing issues, demonstrate professionalism when interacting with internal and external customers, and maintain composure during high-pressure situations such as system downtime or workflow surges. Ensuring smooth shift handoffs and timely completion of pending tasks is critical to maintaining turnaround time (TAT) expectations.
You will also safely operate laboratory instrumentation and equipment, performing routine service, quality control, and calibration procedures while troubleshooting common equipment issues. Maintaining a clean, organized work area and communicating equipment concerns to appropriate personnel are essential components of this role.
Inventory management is an important responsibility, including restocking consumables, monitoring reagent and supply levels, verifying expiration dates, and assisting with inventory control documentation to ensure uninterrupted laboratory operations.
Additionally, you may support training efforts by assisting with the onboarding and education of other employees, students, or fellows, following established training checklists and procedures.
MD Anderson offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including paid medical benefits, generous paid time off, retirement plans, and additional benefits, supporting both professional growth and work-life balance within a mission-driven healthcare environment.
**The hours are 6am - 2:30pm. The ideal candidate will have a bachelors degree in a science related field**
JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
Specimen Receiving and Processing
- Evaluates specimens that arrive for testing acceptability
- Records receipt or accessions specimens into the laboratory LIS.
- Cancels testing orders that are inappropriate or unacceptable.
- Documents appropriate notes for testing orders or cancellations.
- Prepares any reagents or materials necessary for specimen processing
- Generates appropriate labels for specimens received.
- Accurately label any necessary slides, plates, media, aliquot tubes, processing tubes, or any other materials required to process a patient specimen.
- Performs complex processing of patient specimens including cutting or grinding of tissue
- Accurately inoculate, aliquot, and store patient specimens.
- Set ups of slides/specimens for clinical testing.
- Documents and cases or specimens requiring special handling
- Evaluate samples requiring performance by a reference laboratory
- If necessary, obtain appropriate approvals before sending samples to reference laboratory
- Prepare and/or aliquot specimens into appropriate transport containers and store in the appropriate transport conditions until pick up by courier.
- Generate manifestation for reference laboratory specimens and ensure all specimens and orders are accounted for.
- Maintains knowledge of procedure and policy updates -Independently performs work without undue reliance on others and assists co-workers as time permits.
- Communicate with medical staff regarding specimen collection or testing issues.
- Complies with the section telephone courtesy policies and procedures
- Demonstrate cooperation when working with both internal and external customers.
- Demonstrates calmness under varying environmental circumstances. Remains willing and capable of assisting in crisis situations such as downtime.
- Ensures completion of pending or assigned tasks and communicates well with incoming shift for a smooth handoff hand-off avoiding delays in TAT
- Train other employees, students, and/or fellows as needed
- Follow established checklists during the training period.
Instrumentation/Equipment
- Safely operates instrumentation and equipment according to specific protocols
- Perform and document standard service, quality control, and/or calibration procedures at appropriate intervals.
- Troubleshoot and resolve common instrumentation/equipment problems
- Maintains a clean organized work area.
- Communicate with appropriate internal/external personnel regarding equipment issues.
Inventory
- Maintains a clean and organized workstation
- Restocks consumable items as necessary to ensure sufficient quantity to support the next work shift.
- Performs inventory of supplies/reagents according to departmental procedures.
- Communicate with appropriate internal/external personnel regarding inventory issues.
- Assists with monitoring and documenting the section's inventory control system while assuring effective use of supplies.
- Utilizes available tools to maintain inventory control and monitor expiration dates.
- Checks all materials used for valid expiration date before use.
Other duties as assigned
EDUCATION
- Required: High School Diploma or Equivalent
- Preferred: Bachelor's Degree Basic science.
WORK EXPERIENCE
- Required: 3 years In a clinical medical laboratory or similar setting.
With preferred degree, no experience required.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, paid time off, retirement, tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition.
This position may be responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of critical infrastructure, as defined in Section 113.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and therefore may require routine reviews and screening. The ability to satisfy and maintain all requirements necessary to ensure the continued security and integrity of such infrastructure is a condition of hire and continued employment.
It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state, or local laws unless such distinction is required by law.http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html
Additional Information
- Requisition ID: 178611
- Employment Status: Full-Time
- Employee Status: Regular
- Work Week: Days
- Minimum Salary: US Dollar (USD) 38,000
- Midpoint Salary: US Dollar (USD) 47,500
- Maximum Salary : US Dollar (USD) 57,000
- FLSA: non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay
- Fund Type: Hard
- Work Location: Onsite
- Pivotal Position: No
- Referral Bonus Available?: No
- Relocation Assistance Available?: No
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