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Clinical Lab Assistant II-Central Specimen Receiving, Full-time Night Shift

Northwestern Medicine · Chicago, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 21, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Full time nights in Chicago. How does that fit your life?

What they are checking: Honest fit with the schedule and location the posting states.

What would you do

A specimen arrives that does not meet criteria. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they reject it, which is unpopular and correct.

How do you keep accuracy up on a night shift with fewer people around?

What they are checking: The posting is full time nights, when the second pair of eyes is not there.

An instrument or automation line goes down overnight. What do you do?

What they are checking: The posting names operating and maintaining laboratory automation systems.

A nurse or provider needs a result faster than you can give it. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: The posting names collaborating with nurses and providers to ensure excellent patient care.

About the work

Walk me through receiving a specimen into the laboratory information system.

What they are checking: The posting names receiving specimens into the LIS as a core duty.

How do you decide which reference laboratory a specimen goes to and how it travels?

What they are checking: The posting names processing for transport to reference laboratories and identifying the correct one.

Tell me about waived or moderate complexity testing you have performed.

What they are checking: The posting names both under the direction of a clinical laboratory scientist.

Walk me through running quality control and what you do when a control fails.

What they are checking: The posting names verifying instrument accuracy, quality control, maintenance and troubleshooting.

How do you make sure data entry on a specimen drop-off is accurate?

What they are checking: The posting names registering drop-offs in the LIS assuring accurate data entry.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

The CLA II reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. Responsibilities: • Collaborate with the main lab staff, other ancillary departments, departments, nurses and providers to ensure excellent patient care. • Receives specimens into the laboratory information system. • Inputs and retrieves lab results in laboratory or hospital computer system. • Register specimen dropoffs (e.g. Home health) in LIS assuring accurate data entry. • Properly processes specimens for transport to reference laboratories. • Distributes specimens to the appropriate testing area. • Identifies and solves problems utilizing appropriate resources with the assistance of a supervisor, manager, pathologist and/or coworkers when appropriate. • Verifies the accuracy of all instruments and test kits; responsible for quality control, maintenance, troubleshoots • Operate and maintain laboratory automation systems as appropriate. • Performs diagnostic/analytic testing of specimens, interprets, documents and report results to provider. • Accurately performs waived and/or moderate complexity testing under the direction of CLS • Ensures appropriate testing is ordered and properly identifies the correct reference laboratory for referred specimens • Communicates specimen rejections, critical/notifiable results to appropriate clinical personnel and completes required documentation. • May review/record refrigerator temperature(s) and QC/QA records. Areas of concern are recorded through the Corrective Action Log and reported to maintenance for repair. • Adheres to lab procedures with following up on outstanding orders including time-sensitive draws/charges • Answers phone calls to the laboratory and triages appropriate • Coordinates courier pickups as needed. Department Specific duties • Performs phlebotomy and other lab specimen collections per age related standards as required. • Completes biological transport training as required and maintain competency. • Recognizes temperature dependent transport conditions and select correct packing list destination. • Monitors and maintains specialty supplies, including kits, swab and collection containers and disperse to units • Ensures supplies are available and stored at the appropriate temperatures • Performs microbiology setups or other testing preparation duties. • May assist with bone marrow and other biopsy processing. • Pull AP slides for second opinion requests and log material back into Epic when material is returned. Required : • High School Diploma • Minimum of 1 year of work experience in a general lab, specimen processing or phlebotomy area or enrolled in lab related education program. Preferred : • Phlebotomy Certification or training from an accredited School or Institution Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

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