Material Technician – Lab Environment

Avantor; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

Avantor Services is seeking a Material Technician to join the Drug Substance team at the Cambridge Discovery Centre. This lab-based, multidisciplinary role supports early drug development through material coordination, shipment logistics, internal sample management, and cold-storage inventory ownership.

You will ensure materials move efficiently and compliantly, liaising with DS scientists, SDU, and Avantor logistics to prevent delays while maintaining accurate documentation and adherence to

Qualifications

• Educated to HND or BSc level in Life Science or related discipline.
• Experience with sample handling and labelling.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to coordinate shipments and manage cold-storage inventory.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate shipment of DS materials, including plasmid DNA, antibodies, samples and other materials.
• Prepare, review and manage shipment documentation to avoid customs delays.
• Act as liaison between DS scientists, SDU, and Avantor logistics.
• Monitor and resolve issues on complex or international shipments to prevent delays.
• Oversee internal sample tracking and DLIMS submissions.
• Support aliquoting, labelling and storage preparation for samples.
• Maintain stock and compliance for cold-storage inventories (-80C, -20C, +4C).
• Troubleshoot shipping/storage processes with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

HND or BSc in Life Science

Tools

DLIMS

Shipping systems

Job description

About Avantor Services

Avantor Services provides a broad range of on-site laboratory services for major pharmaceutical customers. We work collaboratively with our customers to deliver essential scientific and operational support, enabling research teams to focus on their core activities while improving laboratory efficiency and productivity.

The Opportunity

Material Technician – Lab Environment

Location: Cambridge, Discovery Centre

Contract Type: Temporary – 12 months

About Avantor Services

Avantor Services provides a broad range of on-site laboratory services for major pharmaceutical customers. We work collaboratively with our customers to deliver essential scientific and operational support, enabling research teams to focus on their core activities while improving laboratory efficiency and productivity.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Material Technician to join the Drug Substance (DS) team within Biopharmaceutical Development at our client's Cambridge Discovery Centre.

This is a lab-based, multidisciplinary role that underpins early drug development programs through material coordination, shipment logistics, internal sample management, and cold-storage inventory ownership. The role plays a critical part in ensuring materials move efficiently, compliantly, and without delay, allowing scientists to remain focused on research and development delivery.

All activities are carried out in accordance with Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) requirements and Good Laboratory Standards (GLS).

Why This Role Could Be Right for You

If you have a life sciences background and are keen to broaden your experience beyond traditional lab work into sample logistics, materials management, and cross-functional coordination, this role offers a strong development opportunity.

You will apply your scientific understanding in a real-world drug development environment, while gaining hands-on exposure to shipping coordination, cold-storage inventory ownership, laboratory systems, and process improvement activities.

With training and on-the-job support provided, this position is ideal for someone who is detail-oriented, proactive, and eager to learn new—but closely related—areas, building a broader skill set while remaining connected to science-driven work.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate the shipment of materials for the DS group, including:
  • Plasmid DNA
  • Control monoclonal antibodies
  • Non-GLP and GLP toxicology lots
  • CLD cell lines
  • PPS bulk materials
  • Analytical samples for external assays (HCP, DNA, ProA, ISF, bioassay, density)
• Prepare, review, and manage all shipment documentation, ensuring full accuracy to prevent customs delays
• Act as the primary liaison between:
  • Internal DS scientists
  • Sample Dispatch Unit (SDU)
  • Avantor logistics stakeholders
• Monitor, track, and follow up on complex and international shipments, resolving SDU or customs queries to avoid project delays

Internal Sample & Material Management

• Oversee internal sample tracking and management, including DLIMS submissions
• Support aliquoting and labelling activities, ensuring samples are correctly prepared for storage and dispatch
• Maintain alignment with internal standards for sample traceability, handling, and documentation

Cold-storage Inventory Ownership

• Take ownership of departmental freezer inventories (-80°C, -20°C, +4°C), including:
  • Receipt and logging of new materials
  • Fulfilment of material requests
  • Stock tracking and usage monitoring
  • Supporting routine disposal activities
  • Supporting routine freezer cleaning
• Ensure compliance with all cold and ultra-cold storage standards and inventory integrity requirements

Systems Support & Cross-functional Collaboration

• Act as the primary contact for scientists regarding Avantor shipping systems and storage workflows
• Troubleshoot system or process issues and escalated where necessary
• Collaborate with scientists, Avantor teams, and SDU to drive continuous improvement in shipping and material management processes

Skills, Knowledge & Competencies

• Educated to HND or BSc level in a Life Science or related discipline
• Understanding of protein structure is advantageous
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong organisational, planning, and time-management skills
• Excellent communication skills with confidence engaging across scientific and operational teams
• Customer-focused, collaborative, and service-oriented mindset
• Flexible and proactive, with the ability to handle multiple responsibilities and priorities
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a team
• Knowledge and understanding of Good Laboratory Standards (GLS)

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Why Avantor?

Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.

The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor.

We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world.

EEO Statement

We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

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By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation.