MOHS Histotechnician

Mohs Technician

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It's also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community.

Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

A Mohs Technician (or Mohs Histotechnician) is a specialized laboratory professional who plays a critical role in Mohs micrographic surgery, a precise procedure used to treat skin cancer. Their primary responsibility is to prepare and process tissue samples removed during the surgery, enabling the Mohs surgeon to examine them under a microscope to ensure all cancer cells are removed while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.

A day in the life of a Mohs Technician (or Mohs Histotechnician) at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

• Tissue Preparation: Receive, orient, and map tissue specimens excised by the Mohs surgeon. This involves freezing the tissue (using a cryostat), cutting it into very thin slices (typically 4-6 microns), and mounting them onto slides.
• Staining: Apply histological stains (commonly hematoxylin and eosin, or H&E) to the slides to make cellular structures visible under a microscope. Perform specialized staining techniques if needed.
• Slide Preparation: Ensure slides are accurately labeled, coverslipped, and organized for the surgeon's review, maintaining high-quality standards for microscopic evaluation.
• Laboratory Maintenance: Operate and maintain lab equipment (e.g., cryostats, microtomes), ensure a clean and compliant workspace, and adhere to safety regulations like OSHA and CLIA.
• Assisting the Surgeon: Collaborate closely with the Mohs surgeon, sometimes assisting during surgery by setting up equipment or providing patient education (e.g., wound care instructions). Provides real-time, high-precision histology support during cancer surgeries. Directly affects patient outcomes by enabling complete removal of malignant tissue. The technician stays until all of the surgeries are complete, no matter how long that may take.
• Record Keeping: Manage the end-to-end specimen process, from intake to archival. Will document all data with exceptional accuracy, ensuring proper identification and strict adherence to laboratory protocols.
• Support the Surgical Process: Systematically document every surgical stage of the Mohs procedure. This includes the precise creation of surgical maps, expert processing of tissue blocks, and the preparation of high-quality slides for diagnosis.
• Independently manage the specimen tracking system and oversee the accurate labeling, filing, and long-term archival of slides in accordance with the 10-year retention policy.
• Diligently prepare and maintain all required patient, environmental, and instrument logs on an ongoing basis to ensure a constant state of readiness for inspection.
• Partner directly with the Mohs surgeon to prepare for CLIA laboratory inspections. Will be a key player in the re-certification process, helping to address any queries and implement corrective actions.
• Precision is critical to produce legible slides that allow surgeons to identify cancer cells accurately.
• Familiarity with histological techniques, cryosectioning, and lab equipment operation. Knowledge of skin pathology and Mohs procedures is essential.
• Other duties and/or projects as assigned.
• Adheres to HMH Organizational competencies and standards of behavior.

Qualifications

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• High School diploma, general equivalency diploma (GED), GED equivalent programs, and/or other Vocational degrees/certificates.
• One or more years of experience in MOHS DERM office or Lab.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced clinical environment.
• Proficient computer skills that include but are not limited to Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite platforms.
• Ability to work in a cold room (cryostat) environment for extended periods.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

• Associates degree in related field or other relevant area of study.

Licenses and Certifications Preferred:

• Histology Technician Certification or Histology Technologist.
• Completion of a Mohs technician training program, such as those offered by the American Society for Mohs Histotechnology (ASMH), which provides hands-on training in cryosectioning, staining, and mapping.

If you feel that the above description speaks directly to your strengths and capabilities, then please apply today!

Compensation Minimum rate of $34.65 Hourly HMH is committed to pay equity and transparency for our team members. The posted rate of pay in this job posting is a reasonable good faith estimate of the minimum base pay for this role at the time of posting in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency Act and does not reflect the full value of our market-competitive total rewards package. The starting rate of pay is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guarantee of a specific offer. Posted hourly rates may be stated as an annual salary in the offer and posted annual salaries may be stated as an hourly rate in the offer, depending on the level and nature of the job duties and credentials of the candidate. The base compensation determined at the time of the offer may be different than the posted rate of pay based on a number of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to:

• Labor Market Data: Compensation is benchmarked against market data to ensure competitiveness.
• Experience: Years of relevant work experience.
• Education and Certifications: Level of education attained, including specialized certifications, credentials, completed apprenticeship programs or advanced training.
• Skills: Demonstrated proficiency in relevant skills and competencies.
• Geographic Location: Cost of living and market rates for the specific location.
• Internal Equity: Compensation is determined in a manner consistent with compensation ranges for similar roles within the organization.
• Budget and Grant Funding: Departmental budgets and any grant funding associated with the job position may impact the pay that can be offered.

Some jobs may also be eligible for performance-based incentives, bonuses, or commissions not reflected in the starting rate. Certain positions may also be eligible for shift differentials for work performed on evening, night, or weekend shifts.

In addition to our compensation for full-time and part-time (20+ hours/week) job positions, HMH offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits.

Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) is an Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, genetic information, refusal to submit to a genetic test or make available to an employer the results of a genetic test, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, national origin, nationality, ancestry, disability, marital status, liability for military service, or status as a protected veteran.