Medical Laboratory Technician Jobs in Portland, OR
Medical laboratory technicians in Portland run the tests behind nearly every diagnosis, from the OHSU core lab on Marquam Hill to Kaiser's regional lab off Airport Way. Posted pay at the big employers starts near $30 an hour. Here are the current openings, then who hires and how to qualify.
Current medical laboratory technician Openings in Portland, OR
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Medical Laboratory Technician Work in Portland
Most lab work in the Portland metro happens in a handful of big rooms. OHSU runs its core lab and clinic labs from Marquam Hill and the Center for Health & Healing in South Waterfront. Kaiser Permanente Northwest sends specimens from its medical offices across Oregon and Southwest Washington to the Airport Way Regional Laboratory near PDX and the Columbia Corridor. Legacy Health hospital labs, including Emanuel in North Portland and Good Samaritan on NW 22nd Ave, have been managed by Labcorp since 2023. Multnomah County employs its own lab staff for public health clinics.
Health care is one of the few sectors still adding jobs in the metro, and labs run around the clock, so evening and night shifts are common entry points. Most hospital lab jobs here are union, which is why posted ranges are wider than in many cities.
Top Portland Employers for Medical Laboratory Technicians
These employers run clinical labs in the Portland metro and hire medical lab staff:
- OHSU - the academic health system hires MLTs for its Marquam Hill core lab and South Waterfront clinic labs, AFSCME-represented.
- Kaiser Permanente - the Airport Way Regional Laboratory staffs lab assistants, technicians and medical laboratory scientists on every shift.
- Labcorp - manages the inpatient labs at Legacy Health hospitals and runs outreach testing across the metro.
- Multnomah County - the county has a Medical Laboratory Technician classification for its health department labs, ASCP certification required.
Medical Laboratory Technician Salaries in Portland
- Entry level: about $30 to $33 per hour for newly certified MLTs at hospital and county labs.
- Experienced: roughly $34 to $42 per hour, the top of the OHSU and county ranges.
- Senior / scientist track: about $43 to $50 per hour for medical laboratory scientists with a bachelor's degree.
These are estimates drawn from employers' posted ranges, not a guarantee. Evening and night shift differentials, union step increases, and moving from an associate-level MLT to a bachelor's-level MLS credential are what move pay the most in Portland.
How to Become a Medical Laboratory Technician in Portland
The usual route is a two-year associate degree in medical laboratory technology followed by the ASCP MLT exam or the AMT equivalent. Portland Community College offers Medical Lab Technology at its Cascade campus on N Killingsworth St, and Oregon Tech's Portland-Metro campus in Wilsonville offers a bachelor's in Medical Laboratory Science for those aiming at the scientist level. Oregon does not license individual lab personnel. The Oregon Health Authority's Clinical Laboratory Regulation program licenses laboratories, not people, so employers set the certification bar, and OHSU and Multnomah County both require ASCP or AMT certification.
What the Job Involves
Medical laboratory technicians receive and process blood, urine and tissue specimens, run analyzers in chemistry, hematology and urinalysis, perform quality control, and report results to providers through the lab information system. They troubleshoot instruments, flag critical values to nurses and physicians, and keep detailed records so every result can be traced.
Skills Employers Look For
- ASCP MLT or AMT certification, or eligibility within 90 days
- Hands-on experience with chemistry and hematology analyzers
- Quality control and calibration routines
- Lab information system and electronic record use
- Careful specimen identification and chain of custody
- Willingness to work evenings, nights and weekends
Career Path and Advancement
Many Portland lab careers start in specimen processing or as a lab assistant at Kaiser's Airport Way lab or an OHSU clinic, then move to MLT after an associate degree. From there, the ladder runs to lead technician, a bachelor's-level medical laboratory scientist role, and specialties such as blood bank, microbiology or histology, with supervisor and lab manager jobs at the large systems.
Related Careers in Portland
If lab work interests you, these related Portland roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a state license to work as a medical lab technician in Portland?
No. Oregon does not license individual lab personnel; the Oregon Health Authority licenses the laboratories themselves. Portland employers still expect national certification, usually ASCP MLT or AMT, at hire or within a few months.
How much do medical laboratory technicians make in Portland?
Posted ranges at OHSU and Multnomah County run from about $30 to $42 an hour for MLTs. Bachelor's-level medical laboratory scientists at Kaiser's regional lab are posted in the mid $40s to about $50 an hour.
Where can I study medical lab technology in Portland?
Portland Community College offers Medical Lab Technology at the Cascade campus in North Portland. Oregon Tech's Wilsonville campus offers a bachelor's in Medical Laboratory Science for the scientist track.
What shifts do Portland lab technicians work?
Hospital and regional labs run 24 hours a day, so evening and night shifts are common, especially for new hires. OHSU, for example, has posted MLT roles on a 3 pm to 11:30 pm schedule, and differentials add to base pay.
What is the difference between an MLT and an MLS?
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 earns more at Portland employers.
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