Scientific laboratory technician : Employers and vacancy sources

Organisations with laboratories are likely to employ scientific technicians. These include:

• large, public limited companies in industry;
• hospitals;
• specific government departments or government-funded research institutions;
• environmental agencies;
• research and educational institutions.

Pioneering research and laboratory work is undertaken in the pharmaceutical industry by companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and AstraZeneca, who dominate the market.

There are many companies in the food manufacturing business where technicians could seek employment. There are also a range of companies involved in the manufacture of plastic, metal, oil, cosmetics, food and textiles.

Large city hospitals employ medical and biological technicians to assist in defined pieces of research.

Government departments (such as agriculture, health, defence and food) employ laboratory technicians and assistants, as do other government organisations with laboratories (such as public health, police and forensic science services, environmental and conservation).

Water companies require laboratory technicians to assist with the sampling and testing of water. Gas and electricity companies will also be involved in scientific analysis, testing and sampling.

There are research parks located throughout the UK, which house privatised or semi-privatised laboratories and employ a number of technicians, often on a contract basis.

Most vacancies for laboratory technicians arise in the education sector, particularly in universities and educational research centres, where technicians tend to be involved in externally funded research projects and supporting undergraduates and postgraduates in their academic research.

Sources of vacancies

• Nature Jobs  
• New Scientist Jobs  
• Laboratory News
• Jobs.ac.uk
• Times Educational Supplement (TES)
• Guardian Jobs  
• National, local and technical press.

See also journals and websites of professional bodies and careers service vacancy lists. Recruitment agencies sometimes handle vacancies - see specialist agencies advertised in the New Scientist.

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