Medical Lab Assistant

Employer IPP Analytics Limited Employer type Private Sector Site Southend Hospital Town Westcliff-on-Sea Salary £25,123 to £25,272 per annum depending on experience Closing 10/09/2026 23:59

Medical Lab Assistant

SYNLAB Pay Band 2

The place to work in pathology

We are looking fortop talentto join theUK’s leading and fastest growing pathology company – a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose.

Job overview

The Histology Department at Pathology First are looking for two motivated Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLA’s) to join our team.

As a valued member of the Histology team, you’ll work across both hospital sites — Basildon and Southend, developing skills and making a positive contribution in a supportive and fast‑paced laboratory environment.

These are full-time, permanent roles.

Main duties of the job

As a Medical Laboratory Assistant you will work within the Histology Team in the hospital laboratory setting.

The post holder will work as part of a team under the supervision of Associate Practitioners, Biomedical Scientists and Team Managers and will cover a range of laboratory skills and housekeeping duties as appropriate.

Excellent communication skills are required to work effectively in the laboratory where you will be receiving and handling samples for histological testing, ensuring quality control, maintaining and using scientific laboratory equipment, preparing laboratory reagents, working as part of a team to deliver high quality histology results in a fast turn‑around time.

Working for our organisation

Pathology First is a joint venture between Southend University Hospital, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals and Synlab. The services provided by Pathology First covers all disciplines including Blood Transfusion, Biochemistry, Haematology, Immunology, Microbiology, Histopathology, Cytopathology and Phlebotomy.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Be able to rotate through laboratory area as required (dependent on experience and training), performing all designated duties in accordance with local working practices whilst maintaining high personal standards and conforming to Health and Safety regulations.
• Provide general advice to users of the pathology service, for example, sample type, test availability, transport.
• Prepare samples for routine investigations, working on own initiative to agreed protocols.
• Propose changes to standard operating procedures as required in order to develop and streamline the service or to reflect other changes. Propose changes to set task list for daily duties
• Utilise the laboratory LIMS, Q-Pulse quality monitoring system and other application software according to authorised protocols including assisting in computer data entry in all areas of the laboratory.
• Communicate efficiently, courteously and with clarity at all times, whether face to face, telephone or electronic methods referring enquiries to senior staff where appropriate.
• Attend and participate positively in laboratory and other meetings as directed by Laboratory managers
• As directed by senior laboratory staff, plan and prioritise work allocations, responding appropriately to the needs of routine and urgent activities.
• Encourage active participation in personal development, and support the introduction of new technologies and / or systems by being a change advocate.
• Use consumables and equipment within your allocated section responsibility and be responsible for stock control audits and recording through approved channels as required.
• Report all incidents and adverse events to senior staff and enter the information in the CAPA module of Q-pulse in a timely manner as directed by senior staff.
• Demonstrate on going competency against training plans.

Other:

• Be an ambassador for Diversity and Inclusion.
• Communicate and role model the values and behaviours of SYNLAB.
• Communicate efficiently, courteously and with clarity at all times, whether face to face, telephone or electronic methods referring enquiries to senior staff where appropriate.
• Undertake any other reasonable duty, when requested to do so by an appropriate manager.
• Demonstrate on going competency against training plans and participate positively in CPD (continuous professional development) activities.
• Complete all statutory, mandatory and essential training within timeframes specified.

Safety

• Observe safety regulations and attend mandatory fire, manual handling and other courses as required.
• Report all incidents and adverse events to managers and assist in the investigations of any incidents.
• Participate in risk assessment monitoring.
• Ensure that the equipment within area of work is maintained and operated as per SOP’s.

Person specification

Qualifications

• 4 GCSE (Grade A-C or equivalent) including maths & English

Experience

• Experience of job role including customer service and working as part of a team
• Working knowledge of receipt and preparation of samples for laboratory testing
• Experience of working in a laboratory

Skills

• Ability to communicate with a wide range of levels of staff within the laboratory and user organisations
• Good developed interpersonal and team working abilities
• Good degree of accuracy & numeracy
• Ability to manage time and prioritise
• Experience of IT applications including LIMS systems, Word, Excel

Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. All applicants are welcome to apply regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Equality of opportunity is our policy.

For our Permanent workforce we offer a competitive benefits package.

All employees are entitled to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Ground breaking development opportunities

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications.
If you decide to apply for this post but do not hear back from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been short-listed on this occasion.

Thank you for your interest in SYNLAB.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.