Medical Laboratory Technician Jobs in Memphis, TN
Medical laboratory technicians in Memphis run the analyzers behind every hospital chart, from Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis in East Memphis to the reference lab on Hacks Cross Road. Tennessee licenses MLTs, so the credential carries weight here. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get licensed.
Current medical laboratory technician Openings in Memphis, TN
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Medical Laboratory Technician Work in Memphis
Most MLT jobs in Memphis sit inside hospital pathology departments. Baptist Memorial Health Care is the biggest single source of postings, with MLT openings in general pathology and the blood bank at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis on Walnut Grove Road, at Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women, at BMH Collierville, at its freestanding emergency department in Arlington, Tennessee, and across the state line at BMH DeSoto in Southaven. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare staffs its core lab at Methodist University Hospital in the Medical District around the clock, including full-time and part-time night shifts.
Outside the hospitals, Quest Diagnostics runs a laboratory on Hacks Cross Road in southeast Memphis that hires MLT-level staff for day-shift bench work. Hospitals here run 24 hours a day, so nights, weekends and weekender schedules are a normal way in for a newly certified technician.
Top Memphis Employers Hiring Medical Laboratory Technicians
These Memphis-area hospitals and labs post MLT openings on their own career sites:
- Baptist Memorial Health Care - hires MLTs for general pathology and blood bank at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, Baptist Women's, BMH Collierville and BMH DeSoto, including weekender night shifts.
- Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare - posts full-time and part-time night MLT roles at Methodist University Hospital and lists an associate degree plus MLT credentials.
- Quest Diagnostics - the national lab company hires an MLT group lead for weekday bench work at its Hacks Cross Road laboratory and lists ASCP certification.
Medical Laboratory Technician Salaries in Memphis
- Entry level: about $19 to $22 per hour for newly certified MLTs.
- Experienced: roughly $22 to $27 per hour with a few years on the bench.
- Senior / lead: $27 to $31 per hour or more for leads, blood bank specialists and night shifts at hospitals.
These are estimates. The federal wage survey groups MLTs with higher-paid laboratory scientists, putting the Memphis metro's combined median near $30.80 an hour, so technicians usually sit below that figure. Quest's posted pay for its Memphis MLT group lead starts at $21 an hour. Night and weekend differentials, blood bank and microbiology experience, and moving up to a scientist license with a bachelor's degree all raise pay.
How to Become a Medical Laboratory Technician in Memphis
The usual route is a two-year associate degree in medical laboratory technology followed by a national certification exam from ASCP, AMT or AAB. Southwest Tennessee Community College offers a NAACLS-accredited Medical Laboratory Technology A.A.S. at its Union Avenue Campus Allied Health building in the Medical District. Tennessee is one of the states that licenses lab personnel: the Tennessee Medical Laboratory Board, part of the Tennessee Department of Health, issues the Medical Laboratory Technician license, and licensees complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years. Methodist lists the Tennessee license alongside national certification on its MLT postings.
What the Job Involves
MLTs run routine and moderately complex tests on blood, urine and other body fluids in chemistry, hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, microbiology and the blood bank. Daily work includes receiving and processing specimens, running and calibrating analyzers, performing quality control, reviewing and releasing results, flagging critical values to nurses and physicians, and keeping records that pass inspection.
Skills Employers Look For
- MLT certification from ASCP, AMT or AAB
- Tennessee Medical Laboratory Technician license
- Experience on chemistry and hematology analyzers
- Quality control and troubleshooting
- Blood bank and crossmatch knowledge
- Accuracy under time pressure on stat orders
Career Path and Advancement
Memphis MLTs often start on nights or weekender shifts at a hospital lab, then move to days, a specialty bench such as the blood bank, or a lead role like the group lead jobs Quest posts. With a bachelor's degree, many step up to medical laboratory scientist, the role Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital hire for, and from there to lab supervisor or manager.
Related Careers in Memphis
If lab work interests you, these related Memphis roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to work as an MLT in Memphis?
Tennessee licenses laboratory personnel through the Tennessee Medical Laboratory Board, which issues a Medical Laboratory Technician license. Memphis hospitals also expect national certification from ASCP, AMT or AAB, and Methodist lists both on its MLT postings.
How much do medical laboratory technicians make in Memphis?
Most Memphis MLTs earn roughly $19 to $27 an hour, with leads, specialists and night-shift techs reaching about $31. Quest posts $21 an hour and up for its Memphis MLT group lead.
Where can I study medical laboratory technology in Memphis?
Southwest Tennessee Community College offers a NAACLS-accredited Medical Laboratory Technology A.A.S. at its Union Avenue Campus. The same campus offers a Laboratory Phlebotomy Technician certificate, a common first step into the lab.
Do Memphis labs hire MLTs for night shift?
Yes. Hospital labs run around the clock, and Methodist and Baptist both post night and weekender MLT schedules. Night and weekend work is often the quickest way for a new graduate to get hired.
What is the difference between an MLT and a medical laboratory scientist?
An MLT usually holds an associate degree and performs routine and moderately complex testing. A medical laboratory scientist holds a bachelor's degree, handles more complex testing and troubleshooting, and generally earns more; in Tennessee each carries its own license from the Medical Laboratory Board.
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