It takes a lot of very smart, hard-working and talented people to provide the level of care that we give to our patients. Tufts Medical Center is an internationally respected academic medical center and we pride ourselves not only on the sophistication of the care we deliver, but the compassionate way in which we provide it. And that starts with our employees.

Under general supervision, the Milk Lab Technician is responsible for the daily confirmation, preparation, labeling, storage, and distribution of modified infant formulas, breast milk, and donor breast milk. Preparation techniques must adhere to all sanitary regulations and standards established by Tufts Medical Center’s policies.

II. PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• 
  Prepares infant formulas, breast milk, and donor breast milk in accordance with physician orders and dietitian’s specific recipes by precisely measuring, weighing, mixing, and diluting a large variety of ingredients using aseptic techniques.
• Divides prepared infant formulas/breast milk/donor breast milk into individual bottles as determined by feeding, labels bottles, and stores them until delivery.
• Delivers prepared formula/breast milk to bedside refrigerators.
• Maintains a sterile work environment through routine cleaning and sanitization of formula room and equipment.
• Participates in quality control procedures, including but not limited to: maintaining refrigerator temperatures, recording formula batch lot numbers, monitoring formula expiratory dates, disposing and replacing expired formula, and completing temperature logs.
• Alerts the dietitians to any potential problems regarding solution incompatibilities or shortages.
• Inventories and orders appropriate supply of formulas.
• Stocks supplies in patient care areas with ready-to-feed disposable formula according to predetermined standards and patient unit needs.
• Maintains equipment in good working order and contacts appropriate personnel in a timely fashion in the event of equipment malfunction.

III. ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

• Reports to the Director of Nutrition, Frances Stern Nutrition Center,
• Daily contact with the Neonatal Dietitian and Neonatal ICU nurses

Qualifications

IV. JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Degree in nutrition and/or Dietetic Technician certification preferred, or level of knowledge generally obtained through completion of high school plus equivalent work experience.
• Food safety training (ServSafe) preferred
• Ability to follow instructions and detailed recipes, converting measurements if needed.
• Minimum six months to one year work experience.
• Ability to walk, stand, or bend 95% of working day.

V. JOB KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Works in a food preparation environment with some exposure to heat, cold, steam, and cleaning compounds.
• Frequent contacts with physicians, dietitians, nurses, unit coordinators, administrators, and patients and their families.

EDUCATION:

• Degree in nutrition and/or Dietetic Technician certification preferred, or level of knowledge generally obtained through completion of high school plus equivalent work experience.

An equivalent combination of education and experience, which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed above, may be substituted for the above education and experience requirements.