Senior Histology Specialist

Job Duties

• Tissue Processing:

  • Fixes tissues in appropriate fixatives.

  • Dehydrates with graded alcohols, clears with xylene, and impregnates with paraffin wax using an automated tissue processor.

  • Embeds specimens ensuring proper orientation.

• Microtomy:

  • Produces 4-micron sections using a microtome and appropriate knives.

  • Floats sections on a water bath, collects sections on glass slides, and dries them in a slide dryer for a specified time.

• Slide Preparation:

  • Stains slides with routine and special stains according to approved procedures to enhance specific tissue elements required for diagnosis.

  • Coverslips and labels stained slides.

  • Examines slides with a microscope to ensure results meet quality standards.

• Quality Control & Distribution:

  • Ensures all blocks and slides are clerically correct.

  • Assembles, collates, and distributes slides to residents and staff pathologists.

• Advanced Techniques:

  • Prepares specimens for rapid frozen section diagnosis using liquid nitrogen and a cryostat microtome.

  • Cuts and stains frozen sections using various stains, including but not limited to H&E, toluidine blue, and Oil Red O.

• Other Duties:

  • Prepares solutions and reagents according to approved procedures.

  • Maintains quality control and accurate records of blocks and slides produced.

  • Files tissue blocks with proper labeling.

  • Learns and uses the LIS system to perform daily lab operations.

  • Provides off-hours pager coverage on a rotating basis.

• Education and Certification:

  • Minimum of a high school degree (Required).

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

  • Graduate of an NCCLS-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).

• Must demonstrate proficiency in the following:

  • Embedding a wide variety of tissues with proper orientation.

  • Meeting national cutting standards:

    • Embedding: 50 blocks per hour.

    • Cutting: 30 slides per hour.

  • Producing artifact-free four-micrometer sections.

  • Performing high-quality manual H&E staining and specific special stains (e.g., AFB, Alcian blue, Brown-Hopps, Congo red, Elastic, Iron, LHE, Mucicarmine, PAS, GMS, Thiazine, Trichrome).

• Skills & Knowledge:

  • Ability to follow established technical, safety, and clerical procedures.

  • Manual dexterity and motor coordination.

  • Attention to detail and precision in technical tasks.

  • Fundamental knowledge of basic histo-techniques, including fixation, decalcification, processing, embedding, microtomy, routine and special stains, and frozen sections.

  • Sound understanding of laboratory instrumentation, such as pH meters, balances, hydrometers, microtomes, cryostats, coverslippers, and tissue processors.

  • Ability to prepare percent, molar, and normal solutions and stains.