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This position has closed. Northwestern Medicine removed this listing from their careers page on Sep 25, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Clinical Lab Assistant II-Full-time Days

Northwestern Medicine · Oak Brook, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 22, 2026

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

This is part time evenings. How does that fit what you are looking for?

What they are checking: Honest fit with the hours the posting states.

Tell me about an error you made or nearly made with a specimen.

What they are checking: Whether they will speak honestly about a near miss.

What would you do

An instrument is behaving oddly and you are on an evening shift. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they troubleshoot within their limits and know when to call.

A nurse calls asking where a result is. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can work with the wards, which the posting names first.

How do you keep accurate data entry when specimens are arriving in batches?

What they are checking: Accuracy under volume, which is what an evening drop-off run looks like.

About the work

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

What they are checking: The core task, and whether they know what has to be checked before it is accepted.

How do you decide a specimen is not acceptable for the test ordered?

What they are checking: Pre-analytic judgment, which is where most laboratory errors begin.

What waived or moderate complexity testing have you performed?

What they are checking: The posting names both, and the difference matters for what they can do unsupervised.

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

What they are checking: Whether QC is a real gate for them or a box to tick.

How do you process a specimen going to a reference laboratory?

What they are checking: Handling and transport, where a good specimen is most easily ruined.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

This is a full-time, 40 hours per week, position located at the Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center in Oakbrook. 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. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more. Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): 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 at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.