Apprentice Lab Technician

Carmel College; St Helens; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational institution in St Helens seeks an Apprentice Lab Technician to support practical lessons and maintain laboratory equipment. This role offers hands-on experience while pursuing a nationally recognized qualification. Ideal candidates are motivated individuals with strong communication skills and a keen interest in science. Rated outstanding by Ofsted, this is a unique opportunity to grow in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our team as an Apprentice Lab Technician.
• This apprenticeship includes weekly day release into college for at least 6 hours.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with staff about practical requirements and preparation.
• Maintain safety and cleanliness in the lab.
• Prepare laboratory experiments and maintain equipment.

Skills

Communication skills

IT skills

Attention to detail

Organisation skills

Logical thinking

Motivated

Enthusiastic

Keen interest in Science

Education

GCSE in Maths and English (grade A-C or 4-9)

Laboratory Technician Level 3

Tools

Microsoft Office suite

Laboratory Information Management systems

Job description

Responsibilities

• Liaising with staff about requirements for practicals and planning of assessed practicals in discussion with departments
• Preparation and laying out of equipment for practical lessons including safe handling of hazardous chemicals and making up solution to precise concentrations
• Testing and basic repairs of equipment
• Construction of equipment, and sourcing equipment for upcoming practicals. Including monitoring stock levels and purchasing required equipment/resources
• Aiding in setup of IT equipment including iPads
• Purchasing of appropriate supplies as required
• Completing and updating risk assessment worksheets as required
• Maintaining a safe and tidy work environment, including cleaning up after practical lessons, maintaining equipment, and ensuring tidiness in the lab technicians work base
• To complete relevant health and safety training and update relevant documentation
• To attend meetings and complete mandatory training in accordance with the colleges meeting/training schedule
• To assist at the colleges Open Evenings/Consultation Evenings
• Each member of the College will take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself/herself and persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work
• To undertake any other duties as may be assigned commensurate with the grade and overall responsibility level of the post and as changing circumstances may require, Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
• Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
• Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
• Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
• Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
• Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
• Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
• Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
• Complete documentation proficiently
• Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
• Contribute to the preparation of reports
• Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e.g. calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
• Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
• Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
• Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
• Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
• Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
• Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing
• Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results

Qualifications

• Training schedule
• Laboratory Technician Level 3
• Weekly day release into college environment for a minimum of 6 hours per week
• 4-6 weekly visits in the workplace
• Maths and English functional skills delivery within college environment (if applicable)
• We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our team as an Apprentice Lab Technician. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a professional laboratory while working towards a nationally recognised qualification.
• GCSE in Maths and English (grade A-C or 4-9) Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Logical
• Motivated
• Enthusiastic
• Keen interest in Science
• Rated OUTSTANDING during most recent Ofsted Inspection – January 2025
• Carmel College is a Catholic sixth form college that has an inclusive, thriving community. Personal qualities are highly valued and each student has the opportunity to reach their absolute potential. Our Mission is to be a centre of educational excellence, opportunity, challenge and support within a caring Christian environment. We provide excellence in teaching and learning to maintain these high standards. We are the No.1 sixth form in the North West for A-A grades (The Times, Aug 2025) and ranked top 4 nationally for academic excellence.