Histology Lab Supervisor

Location: Bakersfield, CA
Schedule: Monday–Friday | 6:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Employment Type: Full-Time

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Histology Department Supervisor to provide technical and operational leadership within a fast-paced, high-volume Histology Department. This position combines hands-on bench responsibilities with supervisory oversight, ensuring that tissue specimens are processed, sectioned, stained, quality checked, and prepared accurately and efficiently for pathologist review.

The Histology Department Supervisor is responsible for managing daily workflow and priorities, providing technical guidance to staff, maintaining quality and regulatory standards, conducting training and competency assessments, and implementing best practices to improve departmental performance.

The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on histology experience, knowledge of H&E, special stains, and immunohistochemistry (IHC), and demonstrated leadership capabilities. This role requires an organized, quality-focused professional who can effectively balance technical responsibilities with staff supervision in a deadline-driven environment.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide daily technical and operational oversight of Histology Department activities.
• Perform hands-on technical bench functions while coordinating workflow and prioritizing departmental tasks.
• Prepare, cut, stain, and quality-check tissue specimens for pathologist review.
• Review H&E, special stain, and IHC controls to ensure acceptable staining quality.
• Maintain a strong understanding of histology workflow, testing priorities, and turnaround requirements.
• Retrieve appropriate tissue blocks and slides in response to pathologist requests.
• Maintain special stain and IHC control banks.
• Set up, clean, operate, and perform routine maintenance on histology instruments and equipment.
• Troubleshoot technical problems and implement appropriate solutions when testing or equipment issues occur.
• Provide daily technical guidance and support to Histology Department staff.
• Train and develop team members on laboratory procedures, quality standards, workflow, and best practices.
• Perform and document staff competency assessments.
• Conduct annual employee performance evaluations.
• Assist with inventory management to ensure adequate supplies, reagents, and materials are available.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation in accordance with established policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor departmental quality and ensure procedures are performed accurately and within established turnaround times.
• Ensure compliance with CLIA requirements and other applicable laboratory standards.
• Communicate effectively with pathologists, laboratory leadership, and Histology staff regarding workflow, technical issues, and departmental priorities.
• Promote teamwork, accountability, professionalism, and a positive working environment.
• Maintain a strong focus on quality and patient care.

Required Qualifications

Experience

• 2–4 years of Histology experience.
• Hands-on experience performing histology procedures in a clinical laboratory environment.
• Experience with tissue sectioning, staining, quality control, and specimen preparation.
• Ability to provide technical guidance and support to other Histology staff.

Certification

• ASCP Histotechnician (HT) certification, or currently in the process of obtaining certification.

Technical Experience

Candidates should possess knowledge and experience with:

• Histology laboratory workflow and procedures.
• H&E staining.
• Special stains.
• Immunohistochemistry (IHC).
• Tissue sectioning and slide preparation.
• Stain quality control.
• Histology instrumentation.
• Equipment maintenance and troubleshooting.
• Laboratory quality and regulatory requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate Degree in Biology or a related field.
• Current ASCP HT certification.
• Previous Histology lead, supervisory, or team leadership experience.
• Experience conducting employee training and competency assessments.
• Experience performing staff performance evaluations.
• Strong knowledge of H&E, special stains, and IHC procedures.
• Experience maintaining special stain and IHC control banks.
• Experience with histology equipment troubleshooting and maintenance.
• Knowledge of CLIA regulatory requirements.
• Experience working in a high-volume Histology environment.
• Laboratory Information System (LIS) experience.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel and Word.

Knowledge, Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of Histology procedures and departmental workflow.
• Hands-on proficiency with tissue preparation, sectioning, and staining.
• Knowledge of H&E, special stains, and immunohistochemistry.
• Strong quality control and quality assurance mindset.
• Ability to prioritize testing and departmental workflow based on urgency and operational needs.
• Strong technical troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Leadership, coaching, and staff development capabilities.
• Ability to perform competency assessments and provide constructive employee feedback.
• Strong critical thinking and decision-making abilities.
• Conflict resolution and team-building skills.
• Excellent organizational and time-management abilities.
• Ability to multitask effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong documentation and record-keeping abilities.
• Intermediate computer skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively with laboratory staff, pathologists, and leadership.
• Ability to remain organized and effective under pressure.
• Strong attention to detail, manual dexterity, and commitment to quality patient care.