technician

laboratory technician

specialist

nondestructive testing technician

human resources coordinator

ZRT Laboratory

ZRT believes in the opportunity for growth through respect of others, quality of work, dedication, and innovation. They hold employees to high standards. If you want to succeed, professionalism matters.

As the current laboratory manager, I am proud to have grown at ZRT over 18 years as an Intern, Specimen Processor, Laboratory Technician, Research Associate, Supervisor, Technical Supervisor, Laboratory Manager, and Quality Systems Manager. Nepotism is real in a family business, but that doesn't disqualify hard work and dedication which many others have realized as they progress forward in the company.

COVID was one of the greatest challenges for ZRT. Many of us organized the laboratory, created efficient testing protocols, modernize processes, brought in new instrumentation and liquid handling, standardized QC, created a pay structure and transparency, revised position structures, and dealt with the onslaught of new laboratory regulations surrounding LDTs. It is incredibly hard to modernize a 20+ year old laboratory business. It feels good to find success, and I have some great coworkers that helped accomplish these goals.

Over the past four years the laboratory has gone through a modernization process. New instrumentation has been brought in that has made work up to 5x as efficient as it was. There has never been a "mass firing", but there has been a continuous push toward efficiency. On the other hand, forecasted business can change suddenly, something out of ZRT's control. It is not possible to predict the future.

ZRT has industry leading pay for laboratory staff without higher level degrees or certifications. ZRT invests and believes in its employees. Recent pay increases did not come from retention needs, they came from efficiency.

ZRT works with top research and government institutions and has hundreds of publications. They produce millions of results each year for providers and patients. The staff at ZRT functions as a team with everyone relying on each other. There are 80+ individuals that work for ZRT (laboratory, specimen processing, IT, accounting, administrative, research, marketing, sales, customer service, docs) to push forward the mission of providing innovative and boundary breaking testing. We work hard because we believe in what we do. DYOR and see what has been accomplished in 27 years of business.


On the surface, this looked like a progressive workplace dedicated to saving lives. 

There are some good people working there. The health plan was great.

 Upper management understands the science of hormone testing but not basic business dynamics and functions. Communication was lacking from upper management. I didn’t have any skip level meetings and contact with departments outside marketing were rare. Employees didn’t really talk to each other. The company spun it as that the employees were introverted but I think the lack of communication between coworkers may be a symptom of the toxic environment. 

 I don’t think most of the people in upper management understood the difference between sales and marketing, nor did they seem to want to learn. They should have gotten out of the way of the marketing department but instead proceeded to ignore their expertise and act like authorities on subjects they know nothing about.  There was no IT support for the website because it wasn’t a priority with upper management (despite wanting to be competitive with other companies in the space). The micromanagement culture was the most difficult aspect of working for ZRT. The stress caused by the micromanagement put a strain on interactions  between coworkers in my department.

Projects were slow to get off the ground. Upper management wasn’t very receptive to new ideas. They wanted different results without having to do anything differently.  There was a lack of documentation and procedures. Pointing out gaps and how to fix them was often met with annoyance. 

The attempt at having a “culture” was mostly events put on by the rec committee. Unfortunately, food carts and potlucks can’t make up for the underlying dysfunction of the company. No company is perfect, however, the high level of dysfunction served as a bottleneck which prevented important projects from ever getting off the ground. 

I'll start with the pros.  It was a casual work environment.  It had great benefits, PTO, and we got bonuses twice a year.  We also had flexible work schedules, which kept me there for more than a decade.

There were changes in management (which happens everywhere), but I was able to adapt with little to no problem.

That leads me to the cons.  Things began to go downhill after the most recent change in leadership.  An increase in the amount of micromanaging turned a fun working environment into a toxic one.  This in turn put me under a lot of stress, to the point where I would dread going to work the next day and even have panic attacks.

There also is not a lot of opportunity for growth.  You can gain experience, but if you want growth, this would not be the place for you long-term.

My advice to management would be to cut back on the micromanaging.  It is ineffective and creates a lot of unnecessary stress for your teams.  

I worked in the lab, and it started out as one of the best jobs I've had; the work-life balance was good, training and expectations were clear, and I was respected. The work isn't terribly hard. A typical work day for the lab includes sample handling, running assays, and sometimes data processing. Unfortunately, I experienced the work environment becoming extremely toxic after the company allowed a CEO's family member into management. Management became centered on paranoia, vindictiveness, and work became micromanaged. I was then constantly exposed to what I perceived to be disrespectful and immature behavior and communication from a person in management who was never held responsible for how they treated staff due to their relation to the CEO. Upside is that pay is raised any time there is drama, I don't think they would be able to retain any staff otherwise. If you are offered any position directly under a family member, run - it's going to be a career and mental health killer.

I worked here for just under three years and, for the most part, thoroughly enjoyed my time. Nearly every interaction I had with people was great, the pay and benefits were good, management was (usually) very understanding, and you can feel good that the work you do helps people! I wouldn’t have left if personal life didn’t force me to. 

That said, the atmosphere can be incredibly draining. At times it reminded me of high school with cliques and gossip. It was not uncommon for coworkers to compare the environment to that of the political backstabbing of Game of Thrones, if that says anything. Most people don’t have to engage with this however and if you’re someone who can firmly separate your work and personal life here, you will do great. 

I would recommend working here for anyone who just wants to do what they’re told and just wants a job. If you’re new and try to change things, you will be driven out. The culture was formed long ago and is too resistant to change—so just smile, nod, and do your work. 

Work/life balance is valued highly here, but recent changes in management style and slightly outdated beliefs in work style tend to discourage morale in employees and leaves many feeling unheard and frustrated. These changes have pushed many to leave (some after working there for 20+ years) and while many are vocal about these issues and frustrations, nothing seems to change. I think they have a solid foundation to be a wholesome family-run business, but this gets lost within technicalities and consistent miscommunication within upper management. Some positions pay well while others are underpaid depending on the role,  although the benefits are good. I think they just need to listen to their employees more and adjust the work environment accordingly. 

This is a small but successful company run by wonderful people. The pay at the time was decent but definitely not up to par in comparison to others nor did it match the actual workload, as you are asked to wear many hats in this position. However, the work/life balance is great and so is the benefits package. Additionally the owners really do take care of their employees are often in office themselves. Yearly relatively lavish office parties, quarterly company meetings with paid for lunches. This all made the workload manageable as you are treated like a human being and not another worker bee.

I thoroughly enjoyed working here. There are several fun activities throughout the year for the employees, and periodic bonuses depending on company productivity. My supervisor was one of the best I could hope for. He was patient with training and willing to train above and beyond. He was also willing to fight for his team whenever needed. There generally wasn't a need, though. 

The only downfall was the pay. I was lucky to be in a position where my partner was able to make up for my lack of pay. 

turnover is extremely high because the lab manager goes on a firing spree about twice a year. benefits and pay are good because raises are used to help placate employees after a mass firing. entry-level techs can gain some experience but your position will stagnate quickly after a few early-on promotions, and if you value  or struggle at all with your mental health i would not recommend this company. if you can suck up to management then you will probably do well here.

ZRT is your normal everyday job.  Most work 8 hours with some overtime if needed.  The company is very family oriented and very relaxed.  Through my time there we have gotten annual raises and bi annual bonuses.  The culture is pretty good there as well.  People are friendly and they always do company get togethers and competitions to build moral and team spirit.  The best part of the job is the job security and 100% paid benefits.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Technician 1 salary reported	$27.00 per hour
Laboratory technician 1 salary reported	$23.00 per hour
Specialist 2 salaries reported	$53,040 per year
Nondestructive testing technician 2 salaries reported	$30.00 per hour
Human resources coordinator 2 salaries reported	$25.00 per hour

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