Section Lead

Who we are: At Arkana Laboratories, everyone has an important role to fill. Come join us and be a part of a team dedicated to making life better for those who need it most.

This place is packed with super-smart people who do their best work together. We work hard every day to advance our understanding of disease and provide world-class care to our patients in hopes of leaving our corner of the world a little better than we found it. While we are committed to improving the lives of thousands of patients, we never lose sight of the realization that they are the reason we get to create change in our field.

Built on generosity, teamwork, and the freedom to try new things, we take great pride in our work. Great ideas come from everywhere in this company and we celebrate each success and failure for the opportunity it gives us to keep reaching. For more than twenty years after our founder, Dr. Patrick Walker, wrote his goals on the back of a napkin, our people, culture, and values have remained strong.

About the position: Keep department operation running at the standard pathologists depend on: technically sound, same-day turnaround, and audit-ready every day, while continuously redesigning how the section works so it gets faster, more consistent, and less dependent on any one person, and while keeping a trained team on the bench at all times.

What You’ll Work On

1. Turnaround time: All cases are processed and results delivered same-day at a rate consistent with Arkana's laboratory-wide TAT standard, with any exception documented and communicated proactively.

2. Method validation: New or revised methods, sample preparation and procedures, are validated, documented, and implemented on a defined cadence, with validation records ready for CAP/CLIA/New York State review at any time.

3. Quality and compliance: The section passes CAP inspection and internal audits with zero unresolved deficiencies; non-conforming results are identified, investigated, and corrected before any report leaves the section.

4. Instrument uptime: Equipment remains in validated working order, with preventive maintenance completed on schedule and unplanned downtime minimized through proactive troubleshooting.

5. Team capability: Section technicians and aides are trained to independent competency on all tasks within the standard onboarding window, with documented sign-off and a clear path to cross-training.

6. Section readiness: Supply inventory, SOPs, and lab logs are current and complete at all times, so the section can be handed off or audited without notice and without gaps.

7. Staffing coverage: The section is staffed with trained, competent personnel on every shift, with shift schedules and workload plans built proactively around case volume so coverage gaps never drive a TAT miss.

8. Continuous improvement: Section workflows are re-examined on an ongoing basis using lean and design-thinking methods, with at least one measurable process improvement (time, error rate, or cost) implemented and documented per year.

9. Automation and digital tooling: Opportunities to automate manual steps or apply AI-assisted methods and workflow tools are actively evaluated, piloted where appropriate, and brought forward with a clear before/after case for adoption.

10. Workplace Organization: Area is clean, organized and safe to promote efficiency, quality, operational and inspection readiness.

What We’re Looking For:

Education and Experience

• 3-5 years of histology-specific laboratory experience, with Certified Technician (ASCP) status in one of the following: HT, HTL, CT, or MLT, combined with demonstrated staff management or supervisory experience;
• Histology-specific certification is not required, but ASCP certification (or an equivalent laboratory credential) must be obtained within an agreed timeframe after start, and histology-specific training will be provided on the job.

Skills

• Must meet and maintain personnel qualification requirements under CAP and CLIA and hold or be eligible for New York State Department of Health Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program (CLEP) certification, as Arkana tests specimens originating from New York.
• Proficient in MS Office and Excel; strong general computer skills required.

Location and Schedule: This position is on-site at our Little Rock headquarters and is classified as essential personnel. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 6:30am to 3:30pm, with Saturday on call from 8am to 4:30pm.

What we offer: We know that health is more than doctor visits and life is more than work. We work hard at Arkana but in turn provide competitive salaries and generous benefit offerings.

Specifically, we offer the following benefits to full-time employees:

• Competitive salary
• Generous paid time off and Paid Holidays
• Minimal cost health insurance for you and affordable options for your family
• 401(k) with immediate eligibility and match
• Company-paid life insurance
• Company-paid long term disability coverage
• Affordable vision and dental plans
• Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account availability
• Wellness plan and complimentary yoga classes
• Monthly in-office massages and employer-sponsored lunches

Please see Careers for further information.