Lab Automation Technician

PerkinElmer; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the scientific sector is seeking an Automation Technician for their Cambridge site. The role involves maintaining and enhancing automated systems, ensuring minimal downtime, and providing engineering support. Ideal candidates will have strong communication skills, experience in laboratory settings, and a technical engineering background. This full-time evening shift position requires a proactive approach and a commitment to safety and compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience in Laboratory Instrument Support across various automated systems.
• Ability to work independently and within a team.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support while maintaining compliance with standards.
• Diagnose faults on complex equipment and systems.
• Carry out maintenance and commissioning work on scientific equipment.

Skills

Communication

Analytical Skills

Relationship Management

Problem Solving

Customer Focus

Education

Technical Engineering Qualification

HNC/HND in Engineering Discipline

5+ years experience in Laboratory Instrument Support

Job description

We are looking for an Automation Technician to join the team located at one of our client sites in Cambridge. This is a full-time hours role working an evening shift; Monday to Friday 16:00 to 00:00. The Automation Technician is responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, and enhancing automated systems, with a view to provide minimal downtime and increased time for science. The successful candidate will provide first line engineering support to identified automation platforms outside of the normal working patterns to enable a broader use of equipment.

Job Responsibilities:

• Ensure prompt, flexible, customer focused engineering support whilst maintaining compliance with statutory, regulatory and engineering standards.

• Support Automation Engineers to diagnose faults on complex equipment and systems utilizing the multi-disciplinary support internal and external to the team to produce a satisfactory solution.

• Carry out engineering maintenance and commissioning work associated with scientific equipment and systems in a safe, cost-effective manner to ensure minimum business disruption, as instructed.

• Adhere to company risk assessments and methods developed in line with engineering standards and health & safety requirements.

• Ensure compliance with standard operating procedures, offering suggestions on improvements, where identified

• Assist the Automation Engineering team to identify and source components and services.

• Assist in creating supporting documentation e.g. service reports, SOP’s and Risk Assessments.

• Assist in managing the availability of essential spares to support the range of equipment and systems used within the R&D facilities in a cost-effective manner.

• Support the Automation Team Supervisor to ensure efficient performance of the scientific equipment and systems using Key Performance Indicators to instigate improvements and influence changes.

• Support the PerkinElmer Management Team to ensure all activities are completed.

• Act as an ambassador to PerkinElmer, ensuring a first-class service is always delivered.

• Participate in training activities in order to gain a better understanding of Automation, via Vendor or in house cross training.

• Develop knowledge of equipment assets and science, to enable understanding of current and new technologies utilized by customer.

• Interface with other supply partners as required.

Critical Skills:

• Very Strong relationship management and excellent communication skills/influencing skills.

• Experience within the Laboratory Instrument Support sector across a wide range of scientific and/or automated systems

• Ability to work to own initiative but team orientated and able to work with minimal supervision

• Strong analytical skills with proven ability to break down and solve complex problems in a logical and structured approach.

• Knowledge and understanding of EHS procedures

• Experience of working in a fast paced, operational environment.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• High customer focus.

Basic Qualifications:

• Technical Engineering Qualification or Apprenticeship

• HNC/HND or equivalent in relevant engineering discipline OR

• 5+ years’ experience within the Laboratory Instrument Support sector.

• PC literate in Microsoft packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc).

Working Environment:

• Role is site based on a customer site in Cambridge, UK.

• Full time hours, evening shift, Monday to Friday 16:00 to 00:00

• Must be able to work in a laboratory, controlled environments requiring personal protective equipment (e.g., lab coat, safety glasses, etc.) in the laboratory.

• Job pace may be fast and job completion demands may be high.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position more than 25% of the time

• The person needs to occasionally move between labs, corridors, adjoining rooms, and buildings onsite

• Frequently operating around instruments, objects, tools or controls, which will require regularly bending, squatting, stretching and reaching in order to perform in a service function.

• May be required to complete Medical Clearance, Respiratory Protection Training, and Fit Testing to wear a respirator as protection against hazards present in the laboratory environment.