U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine & Surgery (BUMED)
Locations Nationwide | Full-Time | Active Duty or Reserve

For Sailors, staying in peak health is critical to job performance and mission success. As a Navy Medical Technologist and Officer in the Medical Service Corps, your role in operating clinical laboratories puts you at the frontline of Sailor health — providing the accurate, timely diagnostic data that physicians and patients depend on to get back to the work of keeping our country safe.

This is a unique opportunity to lead high-volume, mission-critical laboratory operations in settings unavailable in civilian practice — from major naval medical centers to deployed forces aboard hospital ships and in the field — without the billing pressures or administrative burdens of traditional healthcare systems.

Position Highlights

• Lead and manage a full range of clinical laboratory services across hematology, chemistry, microbiology, blood banking, and more
• Ensure accuracy of results and compliance with the highest industry standards — Joint Commission and CAP accredited facilities
• Provide clinical laboratory and blood bank support to deployed forces in operational settings
• Supervise laboratory facilities and personnel at home and abroad
• Collaborate with physicians, nurses, and hospital corpsmen in a multidisciplinary military medical team
• No billing, collections, or insurance-driven productivity pressure
• Opportunities for laboratory leadership, supervisory development, and continuing education
• Worldwide posting options  — 250+ Navy and military medical facilities globally

What to Expect After Applying

You will be connected directly with a  Navy Medical Service Corps Recruiter  who will provide:

• Full details of the active duty or Reserve opportunity
• A clear overview of officer rank, pay structure, and total compensation
• A current review of nationwide and overseas location options, regularly updated
• Guidance tailored to your background — new graduate, experienced MT, or current lab supervisor

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an NAACLS-accredited program in Medical Technology or Clinical Laboratory Science
• Current certification as a Medical Technologist (MT) by ASCP or equivalent national certifying agency (NCA)
• Minimum two years of clinical laboratory experience (may be waived with 4+ years of documented lab technician experience)
• U.S. citizenship required; currently practicing in the United States
• Ages 18–41 (commissioned officer track)
• Willing to serve a minimum of three years of active duty
• Able to pass a full military medical examination

Preferred qualifications

• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher with strong performance in major coursework
• Supervisory experience in a hospital-based clinical laboratory
• Clinical experience in blood banking
• Evidence of continuing education — coursework, seminars, professional meetings
• ASCP specialty certifications (SBB, SM, SH, or equivalent)

Compensation & Benefits

• Officer total compensation: $82,257–$149,333+/yr  — includes base pay, tax-free Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), based on rank and years of service
• New MT officers typically commission at  O-1 to O-3  (Ensign to Lieutenant) depending on experience
• Health Professions Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP)  — available based on specialty need and availability; contact a recruiter for current eligibility
• Sign-on and relocation bonuses available based on current needs

Comprehensive Benefits Include:

• 100% healthcare coverage — no out-of-pocket costs; coverage extends to retirement and covers your family
• 30 days paid vacation annually + 13 sick days + 10 federal holidays
• Housing allowance (BAH) or on-base housing — tax-free, varies by duty station
• Retirement pension + Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with employer match
• Paid malpractice coverage
• CME support and continuing education funding
• Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility (PSLF)
• VA home loan benefit — no down payment required
• GI Bill education benefits for you or your dependents

Practice Environment

• Fully integrated healthcare system (MHS Genesis EMR) with modern, well-equipped laboratory facilities
• Joint Commission and CAP-accredited labs at major naval medical centers
• High-acuity patient population including active duty trauma, operational medicine, and complex cases
• Access to a complete spectrum of medical and surgical specialties for clinical collaboration
• Commissioned officer role within the U.S. Navy Medical Service Corps — Healthcare Sciences section
• Opportunity to serve in operational settings: deployed forces, USNS Comfort, USNS Mercy, and overseas bases

Training & Advancement

Upon commissioning, Medical Technologist officers attend  Officer Development School (ODS)  in Newport, RI — a five-week program covering Navy structure, leadership, customs, and military etiquette. From there, you receive your first duty assignment and begin building your career as both a lab professional and a Naval officer.

Promotion opportunities are regularly available and competitive, based on performance. Specialized experience and leadership in the Navy's laboratory system can lead to valuable credentialing and civilian career opportunities post-service.

Why Navy Medicine?

Navy Medical Technologists lead laboratories that directly impact combat readiness — running tests that determine whether a Sailor can deploy, diagnosing conditions under time pressure in austere environments, and supporting blood bank operations during trauma and surgical cases. It's laboratory science at its most consequential.

Professional setting and work environment
Serve at major naval medical centers in highly desirable locations — San Diego, CA; Portsmouth/Norfolk, VA; Bethesda, MD; Jacksonville and Pensacola, FL; Honolulu, HI; and more. Positions are also available at overseas installations in Japan, Guam, Germany, and Spain, as well as aboard the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy hospital ships. Reserve Medical Technologists serve close to home during monthly drilling, with annual training opportunities worldwide.

You’ll have the opportunity to care for active-duty service members, veterans, and their families in well-equipped, collaborative clinical settings across the country. Practice in modern hospitals and outpatient clinics in highly desirable locations nationwide , including California, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, and more. Whether you’re interested in San Diego, Honolulu, Pensacola, or another destination, we’ll work with you to align your location preferences with available opportunities .

This role offers a unique sense of purpose—supporting those who serve—while maintaining a structured, team-based environment that allows you to focus on patient care without many of the administrative burdens found in private practice . You’ll also have opportunities to participate in humanitarian and relief efforts, extending your impact beyond the clinic and into communities in need.