Laboratory Support Technician

Barrington James; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Barrington James is recruiting a Lab Support Technician for an established biomedical research organisation in Manchester. You will join the laboratory support team and contribute to the daily operation of a specialist facility.

Responsibilities include cage washing, sterilisation, stock management and documentation, with a focus on hygiene and compliance. Previous animal facility experience is beneficial but not essential, and sponsorship is not provided.

Qualifications

• Basic computer literacy and Microsoft Office proficiency.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage a varied workload.
• Good attention to detail and record-keeping.
• Comfortable performing repetitive, practical tasks to high standards.
• Previous experience in a laboratory animal facility, cage wash or services team.
• Experience operating industrial cleaning, washing or sterilisation equipment.
• Cleaning experience in hospital, laboratory or controlled environment.
• Understanding of how an animal research facility operates is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Operate cage washing and sterilisation equipment, including cage washers, autoclaves, bottle washers and decontamination chambers.
• Support daily processing of animal cages, ensuring cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation to required standards.
• Coordinate routine activities in the cage wash area and monitor workflow.
• Maintain consumable stock levels and rotate stock; identify replenishment needs.
• Place orders for laboratory and general facility supplies; ensure material availability.
• Receive deliveries and transfer goods to storage areas.
• Remove, treat and dispose of facility waste per procedures.
• Carry out regular cleaning and housekeeping to maintain hygiene.
• Maintain records for benchtop equipment and keep documentation up to date.
• Identify and report faults; coordinate engineer visits and maintenance.

Skills

Basic computer literacy

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Repetitive tasks

Animal facility experience

Cleaning equipment operation

Hospital/lab cleaning experience

Animal research facility understanding

Job description

Lab Support Technician

Location: Manchester

An established biomedical research organisation is looking for a Lab Support Technician to join its laboratory support team in Manchester.

This is a practical, hands‑on role supporting the daily operation of a specialist laboratory animal facility. You will be responsible for cage processing, operating cleaning and sterilisation equipment, managing consumable supplies and maintaining high standards of cleanliness throughout the facility.

Working as part of a small team, you will help ensure that laboratory equipment, animal accommodation and essential supplies are processed and maintained efficiently, allowing scientific teams to carry out their research without disruption.

Previous experience in an animal facility is highly beneficial, but not essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate cage washing and sterilisation equipment, including cage washers, autoclaves, bottle washers and decontamination chambers.

• Support the daily processing of animal cages, ensuring equipment is cleaned, disinfected and sterilised to the required standards.

• Coordinate routine activities within the cage wash area, monitoring workflow and identifying any issues that could affect daily operations.

• Maintain consumable stock levels, organise stock rotation and identify when supplies need replenishing.

• Place orders for laboratory and general facility supplies, ensuring essential materials remain available.

• Receive deliveries and transfer goods to the appropriate storage areas.

• Remove, treat and dispose of facility waste in accordance with established procedures.

• Carry out regular cleaning and housekeeping duties to maintain a high standard of hygiene throughout the facility.

• Maintain records for relevant benchtop equipment and ensure documentation is kept up to date.

• Identify and report faults with machinery or facility equipment, helping coordinate engineer visits and maintenance work.

What are we looking for?

Essential requirements:

• Basic computer literacy, including the ability to use Microsoft Office.

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage and prioritise a varied workload.

• Good attention to detail, particularly when completing routine tasks and maintaining accurate records.

• Comfortable carrying out repetitive, practical tasks to a consistently high standard.

• Previous experience working within a laboratory animal facility, particularly in a cage wash or services team.

• Experience operating industrial cleaning, washing or sterilisation equipment.

• Previous cleaning experience within a hospital, laboratory or similarly controlled environment.

• Understanding of how an animal research facility operates is highly desirable

Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK, as sponsorship is not available for this position.