Medical Technician I
- Requisition #: 180085
- Department: Lab Medicine Ops
- Location: Houston, TX
- Posted Date: 4/7/2026
The Point of Care Testing (POCT) Laboratory at MD Anderson Cancer Center plays a critical role in delivering rapid, accurate diagnostic support that directly impacts real-time clinical decision-making. This team ensures that specimens are properly processed, equipment is maintained, and testing workflows run efficiently to support patient care across the institution.
As a Medical Technician I, you will support essential laboratory operations with a focus on specimen processing, equipment support, and workflow coordination in a fast-paced healthcare environment. This role is ideal for individuals who are detail-oriented, dependable, and thrive in structured, process-driven settings.
In this position, you will be responsible for accessioning and processing specimens, ensuring proper identification, documentation, and handling of routine and complex samples. You will evaluate specimen integrity, manage special handling requirements, and prepare materials such as reagents and sterile supplies needed for testing. Your work will also include preparing and packaging specimens for reference laboratories, ensuring all documentation and transport requirements are met.
You will operate and maintain laboratory instrumentation and equipment, performing routine quality control, calibration, and basic troubleshooting to ensure optimal performance. Maintaining a clean, organized workspace and supporting inventory management-including restocking supplies and monitoring usage-are key responsibilities that help sustain uninterrupted laboratory operations.
This role also requires a strong customer service mindset, as you will interact with internal and external stakeholders, respond to inquiries, and support issue resolution with professionalism and efficiency. Your ability to remain calm and adaptable in high-demand or urgent situations is essential.
You will contribute to team success by assisting with training and onboarding of staff, students, and fellows, following established procedures and checklists to ensure consistency and compliance. Collaboration and clear communication are important, as you will work closely with team members to maintain smooth workflow and meet turnaround time expectations.
Success in this role requires attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a dynamic clinical environment.
MD Anderson offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including paid medical benefits, generous paid time off, retirement plans, and additional benefits, along with opportunities to grow within a leading institution dedicated to excellence in patient care, research, and innovation.
**The hours for this position are Monday - Friday 6:30am - 3pm with rotating weekend and holiday coverage. The ideal candidate will have a bachelors degree in a science related field.**
JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
Accession/Specimen Processing
- Evaluates and accessions cases or specimens
- Documents and cases or specimens requiring special handling
- Documents any unacceptable cases or specimens and performs cancellations, as necessary.
- Performs complex set-ups of slides/specimens for clinical testing.
- Prepares any reagents required for slide/specimen processing.
- Prepares any necessary sterile supplies or reagents.
- Cuts and grinds tissue specimens as necessary for processing procedures.
- 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 manifest for reference laboratory specimens and ensure all specimens and orders are accounted for.
Instrumentation/Equipment
- Operates instrumentation/equipment according to specific protocols
- Is able to perform and document standard service, quality control, and/or calibration procedures.
- Is able to troubleshoot and resolve common instrumentation/equipment problems Inventory
- Performs inventory of supplies/reagents according to departmental procedures.
- Maintains a clean and organized workstation - Restocks consumable items as necessary to ensure sufficient quantity to support the next work shift.
Customer Service
- 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.
Training
- Train other employees, students, and/or fellows as needed
- Follow established checklists during the training period.
Other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION
WORK EXPERIENCE
Additional Information
#LI-Onsite
As a Medical Technician I, you will support essential laboratory operations with a focus on specimen processing, equipment support, and workflow coordination in a fast-paced healthcare environment. This role is ideal for individuals who are detail-oriented, dependable, and thrive in structured, process-driven settings.
In this position, you will be responsible for accessioning and processing specimens, ensuring proper identification, documentation, and handling of routine and complex samples. You will evaluate specimen integrity, manage special handling requirements, and prepare materials such as reagents and sterile supplies needed for testing. Your work will also include preparing and packaging specimens for reference laboratories, ensuring all documentation and transport requirements are met.
You will operate and maintain laboratory instrumentation and equipment, performing routine quality control, calibration, and basic troubleshooting to ensure optimal performance. Maintaining a clean, organized workspace and supporting inventory management-including restocking supplies and monitoring usage-are key responsibilities that help sustain uninterrupted laboratory operations.
This role also requires a strong customer service mindset, as you will interact with internal and external stakeholders, respond to inquiries, and support issue resolution with professionalism and efficiency. Your ability to remain calm and adaptable in high-demand or urgent situations is essential.
You will contribute to team success by assisting with training and onboarding of staff, students, and fellows, following established procedures and checklists to ensure consistency and compliance. Collaboration and clear communication are important, as you will work closely with team members to maintain smooth workflow and meet turnaround time expectations.
Success in this role requires attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a dynamic clinical environment.
MD Anderson offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including paid medical benefits, generous paid time off, retirement plans, and additional benefits, along with opportunities to grow within a leading institution dedicated to excellence in patient care, research, and innovation.
**The hours for this position are Monday - Friday 6:30am - 3pm with rotating weekend and holiday coverage. The ideal candidate will have a bachelors degree in a science related field.**
JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
Accession/Specimen Processing
- Evaluates and accessions cases or specimens
- Documents and cases or specimens requiring special handling
- Documents any unacceptable cases or specimens and performs cancellations, as necessary.
- Performs complex set-ups of slides/specimens for clinical testing.
- Prepares any reagents required for slide/specimen processing.
- Prepares any necessary sterile supplies or reagents.
- Cuts and grinds tissue specimens as necessary for processing procedures.
- 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 manifest for reference laboratory specimens and ensure all specimens and orders are accounted for.
Instrumentation/Equipment
- Operates instrumentation/equipment according to specific protocols
- Is able to perform and document standard service, quality control, and/or calibration procedures.
- Is able to troubleshoot and resolve common instrumentation/equipment problems Inventory
- Performs inventory of supplies/reagents according to departmental procedures.
- Maintains a clean and organized workstation - Restocks consumable items as necessary to ensure sufficient quantity to support the next work shift.
Customer Service
- 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.
Training
- Train other employees, students, and/or fellows as needed
- Follow established checklists during the training period.
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: 180085
- 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
#LI-Onsite
