Laboratory Assistant

About the role

Canadian Blood Services is looking for a part-time Laboratory Assistant to join our dynamic Distribution/Production team in St. John's, Newfoundland.

The Distribution/Production team is responsible for supporting Canadian Blood Services by performing duties in manufacturing, releasing, and distributing blood products including the processing of whole blood collections to the final products.

In this role you will be working on the frontlines, assisting in the distribution of blood components that provide life-saving treatments for Canadians by providing technical assistance and maintaining the laboratory, all laboratory equipment and test instruments.

Formula for success

• Drawing on your knowledge and experience in laboratory functions, you will prepare, produce and/or modify all blood components, and maintain proper storage of whole blood and blood components.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills will be used to assist in the lab by performing duties such as sorting banks, opening specimens, writing worksheets, and recording results, under the close supervision of a Supervisor. 
• Utilizing your knowledge and understanding of blood components distribution, you will receive orders, select, issue, dispatch and may be assigned to pack blood components and fractionation products to hospitals according to Standard Operating Procedures.
• Your attention to detail will be utilized in preparing available inventory, issue and outdate counts of blood and components on a daily basis.
• Using your excellent organizational skills, you will be involved in preparing donor samples for testing, preparing individual plasma units of various types, completing paperwork and preparing shipment of units to the fractionation plant. 
• Applying your ability to be proactive and ensure excellence, you will perform routine preventative maintenance of equipment and work areas to ensure safety and quality of blood products.
• Drawing on your knowledge and experience in laboratory functions, you will receive, assess and produce whole blood, apheresis platelets and plasma into requested blood components. 
• Utilizing your attention to detail, you will record temperatures of refrigerators, freezers, incubators, and environmental conditions in the laboratory. 
• Using your excellent organizational skills, you will be involved in the maintenance of appropriate documentation and records related to inventory in compliance with Canadian Blood Services operational procedures and work instructions. 
• Applying your ability to be proactive and ensure excellence, you will perform routine maintenance of equipment and work areas to ensure safety and quality of blood products. 

Desired education and skills

• Completion of secondary education and minimum 1 year laboratory work experience or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. A post-secondary background in science is preferred.
• Technical skills including MS Office, and the ability to learn systems and programs, as required.
• Must have good oral and written communications skills.
• Ability to follow instructions precisely, prepare and maintain accurate records, and carry out repetitive tasks.
• Experience in food processing, pharmaceutical or biologics manufacturing is a strong asset.

What we offer you

• Payment in lieu of vacation.
• Payment in lieu of holidays.
• Payment in lieu of benefits.
• Premiums paid according to the collective agreement.
• Defined benefit pension plan.
• Employee discounts, wellness program, professional resources. 

What you can expect

• Shifts/hours will vary. You must be flexible to accommodate assigned shifts which are based on operational needs. Shifts include days, evenings, weekends, and statutory holidays. May be required to be on call.
• Physical requirements for the role include the ability to lift weight up to 10 kg (22 lbs.).