Lab Specialist

Agri-Web Limited; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 5,000 - 7,700; Full time

Job summary

AB Agri is seeking a Lab Specialist at its Binh Duong Factory in Vietnam to support the QA Manager with daily laboratory operations and ensure reliable services that underpin factory production and overall quality objectives.

You will perform ELISA and NIR analyses, handle samples in the LIMS, calibrate and maintain laboratory equipment, and ensure strict adherence to SOPs, WI and safety protocols while delivering timely test reports.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years as Laboratory Technician or Specialist in animal feed industry or related manufacturing
• Hands-on experience with ELISA and NIR analyses
• Proficient in lab safety, chemical handling and SOPs/WIs
• Fluent in English and Vietnamese (written and spoken)
• Experience calibrating and maintaining lab equipment
• Knowledge of raw materials and premix processes

Responsibilities

• Support QA Manager in daily laboratory operations
• Log and manage samples in LIMS
• Conduct ELISA, NIR and physical tests within turnaround times
• Maintain calibration and servicing of lab equipment
• Coordinate internal and external sample testing
• Manage retention samples and stock of reagents
• Assist with shipping, receiving and documentation
• Ensure compliance with quality standards and SOPs

Skills

Lab operations

ELISA testing

NIR analysis

QA support

Safety procedures

Data logging

Team collaboration

Tools

pH meters

Spectrophotometers

ELISA reader

Laboratory mills

LIMS system

NIR instruments

Job description

Lab Specialist

Location: Binh Duong Factory, Vietnam

Contract and shift pattern: Permanent contract and normal working time from Mon to Fri, 8:30 - 17:30

The Role & Key Responsibilities

Lab Specialist will support the QA Manager in laboratory operations and ensuring the smooth daily running of the Quality Department. This role is responsible for delivering reliable laboratory services to support factory operations and achieve overall business objectives.

What you’ll be doing

Lab Operations (85%)

• Perform routine laboratory housekeeping and maintain a clean, organized, and safe working environment.
• Receive, label, and accurately log samples into the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
• Conduct sample preparation, including weighing, and grinding of various sample types (e.g., customer feed samples) using laboratory mills and other equipment.
• Prepare buffers, reagents, and solutions required for analytical testing in accordance with SOPs.
• Perform routine laboratory analyses such as ELISA, NIR, and other physical tests within specified turnaround times.
• Collect, record, and input analytical data (e.g., pH measurements, spectrophotometer readings including ELISA reader and NIR instruments) into relevant systems.
• Develop and manage daily, weekly, and monthly testing schedules to ensure timely issuance of test reports and adherence to lead times.
• Ensure all laboratory activities comply with applicable quality standards, work instructions (WI), and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Adhere strictly to laboratory safety protocols and safe handling procedures.
• Conduct routine calibration, verification, and regular inspection working condition, maintenance of laboratory equipment and instruments.
• Coordinate internal and external sample testing, ensuring samples are dispatched promptly and reports are tracked and filed appropriately.
• Manage retention samples, ensuring proper labeling, storage, and retention in accordance with specified requirements.
• Maintain inventory of laboratory supplies and reagents; monitor stock levels and initiate procurement as needed.
• Support the QA Manager with daily administrative tasks, including shipping, receiving, and documentation management when needed.

Quality Control of Manufacturing Process (10%)

Incoming raw material quality control

• Perform quality inspections and testing of incoming raw materials to support release decisions for production use.
• Monitor the quality condition of raw materials during warehouse storage to ensure compliance with quality standards included shelf life management
• Ensure all materials in quarantine and holding warehouses are properly identified, segregated, and controlled to prevent unauthorized use.
• Evaluate samples of new raw materials as part of the supplier approval process to determine suitability for production and compliance with customer requirements.

In-process control

• Monitor production processes in accordance with approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure smooth operations and compliance with quality and feed safety standards.
• Oversee finished goods label control, ensuring label approvals and verification checks are accurately performed by production personnel prior to product release.
• Implement and manage cross-contamination control measures, including production sequencing and cleaning verification, to minimize carryover risks.

Finished goods quality control

• Perform quality inspections and testing of finished goods to support product release decisions and ensure compliance with established specifications.
• Ensure all finished goods in quarantine and holding areas are properly identified, segregated, and controlled to prevent unauthorized distribution.
• Conduct root cause analysis and investigations for product non-conformities, test failures, or customer complaints, and support implementation of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

PRPs implementation, monitoring and improvement

• Understanding, identification and control the feed safety hazards in feed production environment to ensure the hygiene for manufacturing environment
• Ensure compliance when implementation

Others (5%)

Other relevant tasks which direct by QA Manager when needed

What you’ll bring

• Minimum 3 years of experience working as a Laboratory Technician or Specialistwithin the animal feed industry or a related manufacturing sector asmentioned above
• Provenexperience in operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting laboratoryinstruments and analytical equipment
• Hands-onexperience in one or more of the following analytical techniques: Enzyme activity assays; ELISA testing
• Practicalexperience working in a scientific laboratory environment, including: Handling a variety of chemical agents; Preparing reagents, solutions, and buffer systems; Applying correct manual handling and laboratorysafety procedures; Safe handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals in compliance with laboratory safety standards
• Goodunderstanding of the agricultural and/or feed enzyme industry
• Experiencein calibration, operational checks, and routine maintenance of laboratoryequipment, including but not limited to: Pipettes and multi-channel pipettes; pH meters; Laboratory mills; Spectrophotometers
• Fluent in Vietnamese and English both written and verbal
• Hands-onexperience in NIR (Near-Infrared) technology
• Understanding raw material characters- key requirement of raw materials for mixing process
• Understanding premix characters- key requirement for Premix - customer concerns/ requirement
• Understanding of manufacturing process in animal feed/ pet food – premix/ compound feed or relevant product
• Understanding, identification and control the feed safety hazards in raw material, feed production environment and feed products

Where growth meets purpose

We’re thrilled to share that AB Agri has been recognised as one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality 2025. This is a proud moment for us all. It highlights the real progress we’ve made to build a workplace that is inclusive, supportive, and fair for everyone. Over the last 5 years we have rebuilt our talent management practices, from inclusive hiring, to transparent pay frameworks, flexible work, and the momentum of our Employee Network Groups. Our actions are embedding inclusion at the heart of how we operate and creating a culture where people can be themselves

As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to ensuring our application and recruitment processes work for everyone so if you need any additional support (like alternative formats for your application, bringing a support dog to the offices, a sign language interpreter - or anything else) just let us know.

About The Company

Rewarding your passion

• When you join us, you'll do meaningful work and be rewarded fairly for it.From annual salary reviews and incentive bonus, ongoing career development and enhanced family, financial and wellbeing benefits – these are just some of the ways we reward you - from day one.

About us

We’re AB Agri, part of Associated British Foods (ABF plc) and we’re passionate about feeding the world responsibly and affordably by making quality animal feed, creating nutrition and technology-based products, and offering data services for the agri-food industry.