Junior Laboratory Technician

Mitie Cleaning & Hygiene Services; Daventry; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading facilities management company is seeking a Junior Laboratory Technician for a 12-month industrial placement in Daventry. This role allows students to apply chemistry knowledge in a real laboratory setting while gaining hands-on experience and developing important skills. Responsibilities include conducting lab tests, supporting production processes, and preparing detailed reports. The placement comes with full training, a competitive salary, and additional benefits like a holiday allowance and employee discounts.

Benefits

25 days' holiday plus bank holidays

Access to employee discount platform

Flexible lifestyle benefits

Cycle-to-work scheme

Enhanced pension contributions

Qualifications

• Studying towards a chemistry degree or related subject.
• Interest in laboratory work and industrial applications.
• Ability to manage a changing workload.

Responsibilities

• Conduct daily lab testing and calibrations.
• Provide support to production processes.
• Prepare detailed reports on chemical analyses.

Skills

Knowledge of Microsoft Office

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Proactive attitude

Education

Degree in Chemistry or related field

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Sandwich Placement - Junior Laboratory Technician

Location: Daventry

Company: Mitie Group

Contract Type: 12-Month Placement (Full-Time)

Hours: Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week

Salary: Competitive, depending on experience

About The Role

This role is for a university student seeking an industrial placement year as part of their chemistry-related degree.

A placement year in industry gives you the chance to apply your chemistry knowledge in a real laboratory, gain hands-on experience with professional equipment and quality systems, and build confidence working in a technical team. It strengthens your CV, develops key skills such as problem-solving, communication, and time management, and often improves your chances of securing a graduate role with either your placement employer or within the wider industry. It also helps you explore different career paths in chemistry, understand how businesses operate, and return to university with a clearer direction and stronger motivation for your final year.

We promote an inclusive environment, with a great mix of lab work, project involvement, and development — with full training and support throughout your placement.

Working as part of the laboratory team in Daventry, you would be involved with:

• day-to-day analytical testing
• quality control
• production support
• investigations and problem solving
• and interesting project-based work.

Key Responsibilities

• Daily lab testing - calibrations, effluent analysis, Quality Control.
• Providing support to production
• Conduct chemical analysis on field samples and prepare accurate, detailed reports.
• Support problem-solving and investigations on field, production and laboratory issues.
• Contribute to project work.
• Manage laboratory administration, including data documentation and management.
• Calibrate and maintain laboratory equipment.
• Prioritise and manage a dynamic workload, adapting to changing business needs.

What We're Looking For

• Currently working towards a degree in Chemistry or a related subject with a strong chemistry content.
• Genuine interest in laboratory work and applying chemistry in an industrial setting.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office (especially Excel, Word and Outlook) for data handling, reporting and communication.
• Awareness of health and safety requirements in a laboratory environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail and accuracy when recording and interpreting data.
• Ability to organise and prioritise a changing workload.
• A proactive attitude, with willingness to take initiative, ask questions and seek out learning opportunities.
• Reliable, collaborative and comfortable working as part of a team.
• Ability to work autonomously, taking ownership of tasks and using initiative while knowing when to seek guidance.

What You'll Get In Return

• A paid 12-month placement in a real industrial laboratory, working on live projects and real customer problems.
• Full training on laboratory methods, equipment, quality systems and safety procedures, with ongoing support as they develop.
• The chance to apply degree knowledge in practice and build technical and professional skills for future roles.
• Supportive on-the-job coaching, regular feedback and guidance from experienced colleagues.
• 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays.
• Monday to Friday working, 40 hours per week, with a competitive salary depending on experience.
• Access to an employee discount platform for savings on everyday purchases.
• #MISCM

Our market-leading offering provides you with benefits that suit your lifestyle.

We have a virtual GP on hand for you and members of your household. We offer financial wellbeing assistance through our Salary Finance scheme. For example, you could access 50% of your earned pay before payday for a small fee. Salary Finance also offers competitive loans.

When you join us, we’ll give you a link to our flexible lifestyle benefits platform, Choices. You might choose to purchase up to five extra days’ holiday each year. You might buy critical illness insurance, seek dental treatment or buy technology products at an affordable cost. There are many choices!

We give you access to high street discounts from thousands of well-known retailers, gyms and more through our MiDeals platform. And we have a cycle-to-work scheme. Life cover of up to four times your salary is available. We also offer enhanced pension contributions, a save-as-you-earn scheme, and a Mitie Matching Share Plan (you could even be awarded free shares in Mitie).

We award our employees with Mitie Stars as recognition for their hard work. There are cash prizes up for grabs each month and at the end of the year there’s a chance to scoop a top prize of £10,000!

Our success is a direct result of the experience and quality of our people. Progressing your career is therefore a top priority for us. We offer a diverse variety of training and development avenues via a wide selection of learning resources to suit you.

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long-term condition (for example dyslexia, anxiety, autism, a mobility condition or hearing loss) and need us to make any reasonable adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please let us know by emailing Vikrant Verma at [e-mail].

Since 1987, Mitie’s 80,000 employees have been maintaining companies globally. We are the UK’s leading facilities management and professional services company, and our clients range from household names in banking, critical government sites as well as hospitals and schools.

Join our Mitie Team. Together our diversity makes us stronger.

Looking to move roles but not leaving the Mitie family? Why not share your experience with others about life at Mitie?