LABORATORY TECHNICIAN (A14)
New Jersey treats Laboratory Technician as a competitive-class job, so the gate is an examination and the ranked list it produces rather than a direct offer.
Eligibility comes down to 2 years of relevant experience. The FY 2027 range lands between $48,807 and $70,641, and state payroll currently lists about 16 people in the title, most of them at Health and Senior Services.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. 2 agencies employ it. We don't track live vacancies.
See all 2 employers and how to apply →Who employs this title
Laboratory Technician appears on the State payroll at 2 departments, most of them at Department of Health.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Health | 15 |
| Department of Agriculture | 1 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 16 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $50,878. The agencies employing the most are:
- Health and Senior Services (15)
- Agriculture (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under the direction of a supervisory official in a state department, institution or agency does and assists with laboratory technical work in a chemical, bacteriological, venereal disease control, animal industry, hospital, institution, research, forensic or other laboratory; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Receives, unpacks, and opens specimens containing micro-organisms and materials, and puts samples into various media according to the type of organisms suspected.
- Gives suitable assignments and instructions to Laboratory Service Workers, Senior Laboratory Service Workers, or other non-professional workers, and supervises the performance of their work.
- Sets up tubes with various dilutions of serums for suspected infections with their specific antigens.
- Assists in all procedures involved in making required tests and analyses.
- Makes smears and stains specimens for the microscopic examinations of such specimens.
- Prepares racks with proper media for use in testing water, milk, sewage and various other types of samples.
- Assists in preparing culture media, reagents, stains, and stock solutions.
- Pipettes or pours the correct dilution of other medium into each tube or dish and, after the proper incubation period, makes a reading to determine the total count.
- Determines the total solids in water, sewage and other samples and suspended solids in sewage samples by means of the analytical balance.
- Makes complete tests to determine the possible contamination and pollution of water.
- Makes agglutination tests for micro-organisms.
- Prepares blood specimens for serological examinations for microbiological infections.
- Stains blood smears for opsonocytophagic tests and blood differential counts.
- Performs environmental analyses on water samples using titrimetric, colorimetric, gravimetric, and electrometric techniques.
- Makes complete blood counts, Widal tests, blood sedimentation tests, and bleeding and coagulation timing tests.
- Prepares the reagents necessary for the serological tests for syphilis and makes such tests.
- Makes technical analyses of samples of waters to determine their chemical content and qualities.
- Inoculates animals and makes autopsies.
- Makes basal metabolism, vital capacity, tuberculin, Patch, and Schick tests.
- Makes urinalyses.
- Receives, preserves, dehydrates, imbeds, blocks, cuts and stains specimens taken at autopsies and operations for histological sections and staining.
- Makes spinal fluid examinations.
- Makes blood, throat, urine cultures and cultures of various transudates and exudates.
- Prepares reports.
- Helps maintain the essential records and files.
- May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
Education
Successful completion of (60) semester hours at an accredited college, which shall have included (24) semester hours in the biological and/or physical sciences.
OR
Successful completion of a course (one (1) academic year) in Clinical Laboratory Technology.
Experience
For applicants who do not possess the required college, or course in Clinical Laboratory Technology, two years of experience as a technician in a public health, hospital, clinical, or research laboratory performing bacteriological, chemical, histologic, serology, and/or virological tests may be substituted.
License
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, immunology or other field of knowledge involving extensive laboratory analyses.
- Knowledge of modern laboratory equipment, reagents and techniques.
- Ability to analyze routine laboratory problems, organize assigned work and develop effective work methods.
- Ability to make under supervision, varied routine laboratory analyses of varied type in accordance with standard and prescribed procedures, as required.
- Ability to observe the precautions and to do the precise and accurate work required in receiving, identifying, labeling, analyzing, and shipping samples.
- Ability to use laboratory equipment, utensils, materials and supplies in such a manner as to avoid unnecessary breakage, deterioration, and loss.
- Ability to maintain the essential records and files.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communications.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
- CODES: A14-+ JMR 9/16/93 A12-