Histology Specialist B

Histology Specialist B - $10k Sign-On Bonus! **Current MGB employees or former employees (separated from the MGB organization for less than 1 year) are not eligible for the sign on bonus

Evening or night shift

Company Overview: Join our dynamic team and contribute to groundbreaking medical research and diagnostics. We are seeking a dedicated Histology Specialist 1B to support our laboratory operations and help advance our mission of improving patient outcomes.

Sign-On Bonus: $10,000

Job Summary: As a Histology Specialist 1B, you will report to the Laboratory Supervisor and work under the supervision of the Histology Supervisor or Senior Histology Specialist. Your primary role will involve performing routine lab functions to produce histologic preparations for examination by residents and staff pathologists.

Key Responsibilities:

• Fix tissues in appropriate fixatives, dehydrate with graded alcohols, and clear with xylene.
• Use an automated tissue processor to impregnate tissues with paraffin wax.
• Embed specimens ensuring proper orientation.
• Produce 4-micron sections using a microtome, float sections on a water bath, collect sections on glass slides, and dry them in a slide dryer.
• Stain slides with routine and special stains, coverslip, and label stained slides.
• Examine slides with a microscope to ensure satisfactory results.
• Ensure all blocks and slides are clerically correct, assemble and collate slides, and distribute them to residents and staff pathologists.
• Modify prescribed techniques and apparatus as needed to meet quality standards.
• Prepare specimens for rapid frozen section diagnosis using liquid nitrogen and a cryostat microtome.
• Cut and stain frozen sections using various stains including H&E, toluidine blue, Oil Red O, etc.
• Prepare solutions and reagents, maintain quality control records, and keep accurate records of blocks and slides produced.
• File tissue blocks, ensuring each is properly labeled.
• Learn and use the LIS system for daily lab operations.

Qualifications:

• 5 years of clinical experience, or 4-5 years of histology experience in a research setting, or Histology Specialist A.
• Minimum of a high school degree or graduate of an NCCALS approved school of Histotechnology.
• HT, HTL (ASCP) certified or eligible.

Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to correctly and accurately embed a wide variety of tissues.
• Follow minimum national cutting standards of 50 blocks per hour embedding and 30 slides per hour cutting.
• Cut artifact-free four-micrometer sections.
• Perform high-quality manual H&E stains and special stains (e.g., AFB, Alcian blue, Brown-Hopps, Congo red, Elastic, Iron, LHE, Mucicarmine, PAS with and without diastase, GMS, Thiazine, and Trichrome).
• Follow established technical, safety, and clerical procedures.
• Demonstrate manual dexterity and motor coordination.
• Attention to detail and precision in performing technical tasks.
• Fundamental knowledge of basic histo-techniques including fixation, decalcification, processing, embedding, microtomy, routine and special stains, and frozen sections.
• Understanding of basic laboratory instrumentation (e.g., pH meter, balances, hydrometers, microtomes, cryostats, coverslippers, tissue processors).
• Ability to prepare percent, molar, and normal solutions and stains.

*Current MGB employees or former employees (separated from the MGB organization for less than 1 year) are not eligible for the sign on bonus

Massachusetts General Hospital is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.