Senior Histology Specialist

Key Responsibilities

Tissue Processing:

• Fix, dehydrate, clear, and impregnate tissues with paraffin wax.

Specimen Embedding:

• Embed specimens with proper orientation.

• Produce 4-micron sections using a microtome.

Slide Preparation:

• Float sections, collect on glass slides, and dry in a slide dryer.

• Stain slides with routine and special stains.

Quality Control:

• Examine slides using a microscope to ensure quality standards.

• Verify that blocks and slides are clerically correct.

• Assemble and distribute slides to pathologists and residents.

Technique Modification:

• Adapt techniques and apparatus to meet quality standards.

Rapid Frozen Section Diagnosis:

• Prepare specimens using liquid nitrogen and a cryostat microtome.

• Cut and stain frozen sections with various stains.

Solution Preparation:

• Prepare solutions and reagents in accordance with approved procedures.

Record Keeping:

• Maintain accurate records of blocks and slides produced.

• Use the LIS system to perform daily lab operations.

Off-Hours Coverage:

• Provide pager coverage on a rotating basis.

Skills and Abilities

• Accurately embed a wide variety of tissues.

• Meet national cutting standards:

  • Embedding: 50 blocks per hour.

  • Cutting: 30 slides per hour.

• Perform high-quality manual H&E staining and special stains.

• Follow technical, safety, and clerical procedures.

• Demonstrate manual dexterity and motor coordination.

• Pay attention to detail and perform tasks with precision.

• Possess fundamental knowledge of histology techniques and laboratory instrumentation.

• Prepare percent, molar, and normal solutions and stains.

Qualifications

Education:

• Minimum of a high school degree (Required).

• Graduate of an NCCALS-approved school of Histotechnology (Preferred).

Experience:

• 5 years of clinical experience, OR

• 4-5 years of histology experience in a research setting, OR

• Histology Specialist A experience (Required).

Certifications:

• HT or HTL (ASCP) certification, or eligibility (Required).

Key Skills and Competencies

Technical Proficiency:

• Embed tissues accurately and efficiently.

• Meet national cutting standards (50 blocks per hour embedding, 30 slides per hour cutting).

• Produce artifact-free four-micrometer sections.

Staining Techniques:

• Perform high-quality manual H&E staining.

• Execute special stains, including:

  • AFB, Alcian blue, Brown-Hopps, Congo red, Elastic, Iron, LHE, Mucicarmine, PAS, GMS, Thiazine, and Trichrome.

Procedural Compliance:

• Adhere to technical, safety, and clerical procedures.

Laboratory Instrumentation:

• Proficiently use lab instruments, including pH meters, balances, hydrometers, microtomes, cryostats, coverslippers, and tissue processors.

Solution Preparation:

• Prepare percent, molar, and normal solutions and stains.

Note: Current MGB employees or former employees (separated from the MGB organization for less than one year) are not eligible for the sign-on bonus.