Lab Technician Job Description: 6 Templates
Free lab technician job description templates: general, medical, dental, food, environmental, and cannabis labs. With OSHA, CLIA, and FLSA notes. DOCX.
Lab Technician Job Description Templates
6 free templates by lab type: general, medical, dental, food, environmental, and cannabis, with OSHA, CLIA, and FLSA guidance built in. Download as DOCX.
The lab technician job description is really six different jobs under one title, and the generic templates online give you just one. A medical lab technician running diagnostic tests under CLIA, a dental lab technician fabricating crowns and bridges, a food QC technician testing for safety, and a cannabis lab technician running instrument analysis all share the title, but they work in different settings with different certifications and compliance. And the templates online miss what matters most for a small lab: which lab type the posting is actually for, the FLSA classification (lab techs are usually non-exempt, the opposite of many roles), and the OSHA and CLIA compliance that comes with the work.
At FirstHR, we build templates for exactly that situation: the physician office labs, independent dental labs, small food and environmental testing labs, and cannabis testing startups that hire directly, where the owner does the hiring. The six templates below cover the real lab types: general, medical, dental, food/QC, environmental, and cannabis/chemical QC, each ready to fill in and post, with the classification and compliance guidance built in. The guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
What a Lab Technician Does
A lab technician prepares samples, runs tests and analyses, operates and maintains equipment, and records and reports results, all while following safety and quality procedures. The work spans preparing and handling samples, running tests to procedure, calibrating and maintaining equipment, documenting results, performing quality control, following PPE and safety protocols, and managing supplies.
What changes is the lab. A medical technician processes patient specimens under CLIA; a dental technician fabricates prosthetics; a food technician tests products under GMP and HACCP; an environmental technician runs EPA-method tests; a cannabis technician operates analytical instruments. For scoping the role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Lab Technician Types by Industry
Lab technician is an umbrella title that splits into several distinct roles by industry, each with its own duties, certifications, and compliance. Naming the right one keeps the posting credible. Here is how they compare.
| Lab type | Core work | Typical certification |
|---|---|---|
| Medical / clinical | Test patient specimens (CLIA) | ASCP / AMT |
| Dental | Fabricate crowns, bridges, dentures | CDT |
| Food / QC | Test products (GMP, HACCP) | Food science coursework |
| Environmental | Water and soil (EPA methods) | Science degree, ISO 17025 |
| Cannabis / chemical QC | Instrument analysis (GC, LC) | Chemistry, ISO 17025 |
The right job description depends on which type you are hiring, since the duties, the equipment, the certifications, and the compliance obligations all differ. Start from the matching version so the posting describes the real job, then fill in your specific tests, instruments, and standards. This page provides a template for each type plus a plain general version for any small lab.
Lab Technician Duties and Responsibilities
Lab technician duties center on four areas: sample and testing, equipment and records, safety and quality, and lab operations. Every lab type shares these, with the emphasis shifting by setting. These are the duties grouped the way the templates use them.
A strong posting grounds these in your lab: the tests and instruments the technician will use, your certifications and standards, the safety programs, and the reporting line. It also names the safety and compliance duties honestly, since a lab role carries real exposure and regulatory obligations. Candidates read a lab-tech posting for the lab type, the tests, the certifications, and the pay before applying.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by your lab type. The prepare-test-record core runs through all six, but the duties, the certifications, and the compliance differ enough that the matched version reads more credibly. Use this guide to choose.
6 Free Lab Technician Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company overview, position summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, work environment, classification, compensation, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets, set the certifications and reporting line, and post.
Template 1: General Lab Technician (Small Business)
The universal, plain-language version for any small lab: prepare samples, run tests, maintain equipment, and record results. The right base to adapt.
Template 2: Medical / Clinical Lab Technician
For a physician office lab or clinic. Adds specimen handling, CLIA-certificate testing, ASCP certification, quality control, and HIPAA confidentiality.
Template 3: Dental Lab Technician
For an independent dental lab. Fabricates crowns, bridges, and dentures from prescriptions using traditional techniques and CAD/CAM, with CDT certification.
Template 4: Food / QC Lab Technician
For a food or beverage manufacturer or contract food lab. Adds raw-material and finished-product testing, microbiology, GMP, and HACCP food safety.
Template 5: Environmental / Water Testing Lab Technician
For an environmental, water, or soil testing lab. Adds EPA methods, sample chain of custody, wet chemistry, and accreditation (TNI / ISO 17025).
Template 6: Cannabis / Chemical QC Lab Technician
For a cannabis testing or chemical QC lab. Adds instrument analysis (GC, LC, ICP-MS), potency and contaminant testing, a chemical hygiene plan, and state rules.
Exempt or Non-Exempt?
Lab technicians are generally non-exempt under the FLSA, which means hourly pay and overtime, and this is more clear-cut than for many roles. Get it right before you post, since it is the opposite of how you would classify a degreed professional.
The Department of Labor's guidance on technologists and technicians is direct: they generally do not qualify for the learned professional exemption, because their occupations have not attained recognized professional status requiring an advanced specialized academic degree as a standard prerequisite for entry. A lab technician typically holds an associate degree or certificate rather than the advanced degree the exemption requires, so the role is usually non-exempt and owed overtime for hours over 40 in a week. This differs from a degreed lab scientist or technologist doing higher-complexity work, who may qualify. The federal salary threshold for the white-collar exemptions is the 2019 rule's $684 per week. The exempt vs non-exempt guide covers the full test. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm with a professional.
OSHA, CLIA, and Safety
Small labs carry real compliance obligations the job description and onboarding should reflect. Which apply depends on your lab type. These rules change, so treat this as a prompt to check current requirements, not legal advice.
You do not put regulatory citations in the posting itself, but the role should name the safety and compliance duties that apply to your lab, and onboarding should capture the required training, most importantly Chemical Hygiene Plan training before any work with hazardous chemicals. For the industry-specific versions on this page, those duties are reflected in the template.
How to Write a Lab Technician Job Description
A strong lab-tech posting takes about 15 minutes once you settle the lab type, the certifications, and the safety duties. Here is the process the templates are built around.
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on protected characteristics, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Lab Technician Pay and Outlook
Lab technician pay varies by lab type, region, and experience, and because the role is usually non-exempt, it is paid hourly with overtime.
The big variables are your lab type, region, and the experience you need. Pay tends to be higher in hospitals and specialized labs and in higher-cost regions, and lower for entry-level roles. Because lab technicians are typically non-exempt, the role is paid hourly with overtime, so it is often expressed as an hourly rate. For your posting, benchmark to your specific lab type, region, and experience rather than a single national figure, and include a good-faith hourly range where your state or city requires it. National compensation surveys and local listings both help you set a competitive number for the specific lab role you are filling.
Hiring a Lab Technician
A large hospital or reference lab hires technicians through a recruiting team and a standard structure. A small physician office lab, dental lab, food or environmental lab, or cannabis testing startup makes the same hire directly, where the owner or lab manager runs the whole process. Here is what actually matters.
After You Hire: Onboarding
The job description is step one, and because a lab technician handles samples, chemicals, and sometimes patient specimens, the onboarding should center on certifications, safety, and the procedures the technician will follow, which also supports your compliance. Send the offer letter with the hourly pay, the non-exempt classification, and the terms, collect the signed offer, complete Form I-9 within the first days along with the rest of the new hire paperwork, and gather tax forms.
For a lab role specifically, add the lab-critical steps: verify and store any required certifications or licenses, collect signed safety-policy and confidentiality acknowledgments, and assign the safety training the role requires, most importantly Chemical Hygiene Plan training before any work with hazardous chemicals, alongside the usual onboarding documents. A structured first weeks helps a new technician learn your equipment, procedures, and safety protocols, and a repeatable onboarding template makes it consistent, the kind of structured start the employee onboarding guide describes. Once terms are agreed, the offer letter template handles the core terms, and the employee handbook template covers your safety and conduct policies. FirstHR fits this directly for an owner-led or small lab: send the offer for e-signature with the classification stated, store certifications and signed safety acknowledgments in document management, and assign safety and competency training with completion records. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with your payroll provider. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a lab technician do?
A lab technician prepares samples, runs tests and analyses, operates and maintains equipment, and records and reports results, all while following safety and quality procedures. The core responsibilities are consistent across lab types: preparing, labeling, and handling samples; running tests to established procedures; operating, calibrating, and maintaining equipment; recording and reporting results accurately; following safety, PPE, and quality protocols; keeping logs and documentation; and managing inventory and supplies. The specifics shift by setting. A medical or clinical lab technician processes patient specimens and runs diagnostic tests under a CLIA certificate. A dental lab technician fabricates crowns, bridges, and dentures. A food or QC technician tests raw materials and finished products. An environmental technician runs EPA-method tests with chain of custody. A cannabis or chemical QC technician operates analytical instruments. What unites them is accurate, careful, compliant lab work. This page offers a template for each common lab type, with the OSHA, CLIA, and FLSA guidance generic templates leave out.
What are the different types of lab technician?
Lab technician is an umbrella title that splits into several distinct roles by industry, which is why a single generic template rarely fits. A medical or clinical lab technician works in a physician office lab, clinic, or hospital, processing patient specimens and running diagnostic tests under CLIA, usually with ASCP or AMT certification. A dental lab technician fabricates dental prosthetics like crowns, bridges, and dentures, often using CAD/CAM, and may hold a CDT certification. A food or quality-control lab technician tests raw materials and finished products in food and beverage manufacturing, working under GMP and HACCP. An environmental or water testing lab technician analyzes water, soil, and environmental samples using EPA methods with strict chain of custody. A cannabis or chemical QC lab technician runs analytical instruments such as GC, LC, and ICP-MS for potency and contaminant testing. Each works in a different setting with different certifications, equipment, and compliance obligations, so the right job description depends on which type you are hiring. This page provides a template for each, plus a plain general version for any small lab.
Is a lab technician exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
Lab technicians are generally non-exempt under the FLSA, which means they are paid hourly and entitled to overtime, and this is more clear-cut than for many roles. The Department of Labor's guidance states that technologists and technicians generally do not qualify for the learned professional exemption, because their occupations have not attained recognized professional status requiring an advanced specialized academic degree as a standard prerequisite for entry. A lab technician typically holds an associate degree or a certificate rather than the advanced degree the learned professional exemption requires, so the role is usually non-exempt and owed overtime for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. This differs from a lab scientist or technologist with a bachelor's degree doing higher-complexity work, who may meet the exemption, and it is the opposite of how you would classify a degreed professional like an engineer. For the job description, the practical approach is to mark a technician role as non-exempt and hourly unless a specific, higher-level, degreed position genuinely meets the exemption tests. The federal salary threshold for the white-collar exemptions is the 2019 rule's $684 per week. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm classification with an employment professional, since it depends on specific duties and pay and state rules vary.
What qualifications and certifications does a lab technician need?
A lab technician typically needs an associate degree or relevant coursework plus attention to detail and the ability to follow procedures, with certifications that vary significantly by lab type. The general baseline is an associate degree or certificate, comfort with lab equipment and procedures, strong documentation skills, and the ability to follow safety protocols and wear PPE. Beyond that, the certifications are setting-specific. A medical or clinical lab technician often needs or benefits from an ASCP or AMT certification and works under a CLIA certificate. A dental lab technician may hold a CDT (Certified Dental Technician) credential. A food or environmental technician benefits from relevant science coursework and knowledge of GMP, HACCP, or EPA methods. A cannabis or chemical QC technician needs analytical and instrument experience. Some states also require licensure or registration for clinical lab staff, so check your state. For your posting, set the education and certification bar to your specific lab type and complexity of testing, list certifications as required only where they genuinely are, and name the specific equipment, tests, and standards your lab uses so the posting attracts the right candidates.
How do I write a lab technician job description?
Start by identifying your lab type, since a medical, dental, food, environmental, or cannabis lab tech do different jobs, then write the posting around the real work and the compliance that applies. Pick the version that matches your lab: general, medical/clinical, dental, food/QC, environmental, or cannabis/chemical QC. Write an honest position summary and list the actual responsibilities, which span sample and testing, equipment and records, safety and quality, and lab operations, calibrated to your setting. State the reporting line and the certifications required for your testing complexity. Classify the role as non-exempt and hourly, since lab technicians generally do not meet the exemption tests. Name the safety and compliance duties that apply to your lab, such as a Chemical Hygiene Plan for hazardous chemicals or CLIA for a clinical lab. Add the qualifications and any required certifications, a work-environment section noting PPE and exposures, the compensation with a good-faith hourly range where your state requires it, and an equal-opportunity statement. Naming your specific tests, instruments, and standards makes the posting far stronger than a generic template. The free templates on this page give you a starting structure for each lab type.
Does a lab need a Chemical Hygiene Plan or a CLIA certificate?
It depends on the lab, but two requirements are common and worth knowing. First, OSHA's Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) applies to any lab that uses hazardous chemicals and requires a written Chemical Hygiene Plan, a designated Chemical Hygiene Officer, employee information and training before assignment to areas with hazardous chemicals, and exposure recordkeeping, with the plan reviewed at least annually. If your lab handles hazardous chemicals, a new technician should be trained on your Chemical Hygiene Plan before working with them, so build that into onboarding. Second, any facility that tests human specimens for diagnosis needs a CLIA certificate from CMS; most physician office labs run under a Certificate of Waiver, while moderate- or high-complexity testing requires a qualified lab director and additional requirements. Labs in other fields have their own frameworks: food labs follow GMP and HACCP, environmental labs follow EPA methods and accreditation like ISO 17025, and cannabis labs follow state rules and ISO 17025. The job description should name the safety and compliance duties relevant to your lab, and onboarding should capture the required training. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm your specific obligations with the relevant agency or an attorney.
How much does a lab technician make?
Lab technician pay varies by lab type, region, and experience, but there are solid national benchmarks. For clinical and medical lab roles, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that clinical laboratory technologists and technicians had a median annual wage of $61,890 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $38,020 and the highest 10 percent more than $97,990; the field held about 351,200 jobs and is projected to grow 2 percent through 2034. Other lab types map to different occupations: chemical technicians had a median around $57,790, biological technicians around $52,000, and dental lab technicians (a distinct occupation) around $45,820 in May 2024. Because lab technicians are typically non-exempt, the role is paid hourly with overtime, so it is often expressed as an hourly rate. Pay tends to be higher in hospitals and specialized labs and in higher-cost regions, and lower for entry-level roles. For your posting, benchmark to your specific lab type, region, and the experience you need rather than a single national figure, and include a good-faith hourly range where your state or city requires it. National compensation surveys and local listings both help you set a competitive number.
What happens after I hire a lab technician?
Once the candidate accepts, the hire moves into onboarding, and because a lab technician handles samples, chemicals, and sometimes patient specimens, getting the offer, the certifications, and the safety training right matters, and supports your compliance. The base sequence matches any W-2 hire: send the offer letter with the hourly pay, the non-exempt classification, and the terms; collect the signed offer; complete Form I-9 within the first days; and gather tax forms. For a lab role specifically, add the lab-critical steps: verify and store any required certifications or licenses (ASCP, CDT, or a state license), collect signed safety-policy and confidentiality acknowledgments, and assign the safety training the role requires, most importantly Chemical Hygiene Plan training before any work with hazardous chemicals, plus bloodborne-pathogen training for a clinical lab. A structured first weeks helps a new technician learn your equipment, procedures, and safety protocols rather than learning them on the fly. FirstHR fits this directly for an owner-led or small lab: send the offer for e-signature with the classification stated, store certifications and signed safety acknowledgments in document management, assign safety and competency training with completion records, and use the HRIS and self-service portal. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with your payroll provider. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR; today the platform handles onboarding and document tracking once the candidate signs.