Laboratory Support Specialist

- United States - VWR International; Eigenbrakel; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Avantor in Belgium is seeking a proactive Laboratory Support Specialist to ensure daily lab operations run smoothly. You will maintain equipment, support analytical workflows, and assist scientists with purification and QC activities, inventory management, and safety compliance.

The role blends hands-on maintenance with operational support in a fast-paced research environment, requiring discipline, teamwork, and strong attention to detail.

Qualifications

• Experience in chemistry, analytical, pharmaceutical, biotech, or research labs.
• Familiarity with lab equipment and workflows.
• Experience handling consumables and stock management is an asset.
• Experience supporting chromatography systems (HPLC/UPLC/LC-MS) is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine cleaning and maintenance of laboratory equipment.
• Support analytical workflows and QC activities.
• Prepare solvents and assist with purification and data recording.
• Maintain inventory and safety compliance; participate in 5S activities.

Skills

Laboratory experience

Equipment familiarity

Consumables handling

Chromatography systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry

Analytical Chemistry

Biochemistry

Chemical Engineering

Laboratory Sciences

Equivalent lab experience

Job description

The Opportunity

Executes day-to-day lab operations & support objectives at customer facilities, following a defined standard output or set of procedures, focused on minimizing laboratory workflow interruptions. Problems and issues faced are generally recurring and solutions are typically known and/or prescribed. More complex problems are solved by applying methods learned through experience and/or using available support. Activities may include PPE and/or safety station checks and maintenance, reviewing defibrillators, extinguishers and dispensing areas to confirm working order, storage, tracking and distribution of chemicals/materials ensuring accurate inventory control, and hazardous waste collection and recycling. Collects, documents, and organizes data and observations. Communicates activity records, service level metrics and other information requiring some explanation or interpretation to team members, supervisors or customers. We are looking for a proactive and organized Laboratory Support Specialist to support Sciences laboratory operations. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring laboratory equipment, , analytical systems, and scientific support activities are maintained to the highest standards, enabling scientists to focus on research activities.

This position is ideal for someone with a background in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Laboratory Sciences , or equivalent practical laboratory experience.

Key Responsibilities

Laboratory Equipment Support

• Perform routine cleaning and maintenance of laboratory equipment.
• Clean refrigerator doors, seals, and perform freezer defrosting activities.
• Clean vacuum pump cabinets and cryostat/QDa filters.
• Replace activated charcoal filters and solvent waste vent filters.
• Clean rotary evaporator baths and ultrasonic baths.
• Clean analytical system OA components.
• Clean lyophilization equipment and associated filters.
• Clean NMR spinners and other specialized analytical equipment.

Technical Laboratory Support

• Prepare solvents for UPLC/MS systems.
• Support purification activities through filling and emptying purification racks.
• Perform recovery testing on purification systems.
• Assist with preparation activities for qNMR analyses.
• Support routine laboratory technical operations.

Scientific Support Activities

• Prepare QC plates for analytical testing.
• Inject standards and perform quality control runs on analytical systems.
• Ensure analytical systems are operational and ready for laboratory use.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Participate in laboratory 5S activities and workplace organization projects.
• Maintain compliance with laboratory procedures and safety requirements.
• Identify opportunities to improve laboratory processes and efficiency.

Candidate Profile

Required Education

• Bachelor's degree in: Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Chemical Engineering
• Laboratory Sciences
• OR
• Equivalent experience in a pharmaceutical, research, analytical, or laboratory environment.

Required Experience

• Experience working in chemistry, analytical, pharmaceutical, biotech, or research laboratories.
• Familiarity with laboratory equipment and scientific workflows.
• Experience handling laboratory consumables and stock management is an asset.
• Experience supporting chromatography systems (HPLC, UPLC, LC-MS) is highly desirable.

Technical Skills

• Knowledge of laboratory good practices (GLP/GMP awareness is a plus).
• Understanding of analytical laboratory environments.
• Ability to follow SOPs and documented procedures.
• Comfortable with routine equipment maintenance and troubleshooting support.
• Good computer literacy (Microsoft Office).

Personal Skills

• Strong attention to detail.
• Well organized and structured.
• Hands-on and service-oriented mindset.
• Reliable and accountable.
• Team player with strong communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic laboratory environment.

Preferred Background

• We are particularly interested in candidates who:
• Have a Chemistry background or experience
• Have previous experience in pharmaceutical or biotech laboratories.
• Enjoy combining technical laboratory work with operational support activities.
• Are comfortable interacting with scientists and laboratory users daily.

#LI-ONSITE

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Why Avantor?

Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.

The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the ai