Laboratory Support Technician

Barrington James Drug Discovery & Preclinical; Manchester; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Barrington James Drug Discovery & Preclinical is recruiting for a hands-on Lab Support Technician in Manchester to support a specialist laboratory animal facility. The role focuses on cage processing, operating cleaning and sterilisation equipment, managing consumable supplies and upholding high cleanliness standards.

You will work in a small team to ensure equipment, animal housing and essential materials are maintained efficiently, enabling researchers to proceed with experiments with minimal

Qualifications

• Experience in cage wash or services team within a laboratory animal facility.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and stock levels.
• Basic computer literacy and Microsoft Office proficiency.
• Right to work in the UK; sponsorship is not available.

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.

Job description

An established biomedical research organisation is looking for a Lab Support Technician to join its 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.

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?

• 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.