Laboratory Technician

Silver Fern Farms Limited; Balclutha; On-site; NZD 55,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff meat sales

Paid sick leave from day one

Employee assistance for wellbeing

Supportive team environment

Diversity and inclusion

Job summary

Silver Fern Farms Limited in Otago seeks a Laboratory Technician to carry out chemical and microbiological testing, ensuring accuracy, safety, and on-time delivery to support food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.

You’ll work with the Laboratory Manager and technical team, perform sampling, calibrate equipment, maintain clean facilities, and report results to keep operations and customer trust high.

Qualifications

• Experience or foundational knowledge of laboratory practices, particularly analytical testing.
• Strong attention to detail and excellent record keeping.
• Understanding of food safety and quality systems; meat industry experience is helpful.
• Good computer literacy with Word and Excel.
• Clear communication and ability to build effective working relationships.
• Proactive approach to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Carry out sampling, preparation, and analytical testing in line with procedures.
• Ensure accuracy, precision, and consistency in all laboratory testing.
• Calibrate and maintain laboratory equipment per schedules.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and well-organised lab meeting health and safety standards.
• Provide accurate, timely reporting for technical, quality, and compliance purposes.
• Contribute to continuous improvement and problem-solving within the lab.
• Follow health, safety, and wellness procedures; ensure safe work practices.

Skills

Analytical testing

Attention to detail

Record keeping

Food safety

Quality systems

Microsoft Word

Excel

Communication

Teamwork

Job description

As a Laboratory Technician, you’ll be an integral part of our Finegand operations, ensuring chemical and microbiological testing is carried out accurately, safely, and on time. This is a hands-on, detail-focused role that plays a vital part in supporting food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.

Working closely with the Laboratory Manager and wider technical teams, you’ll deliver reliable testing outcomes while helping maintain strong laboratory standards and a positive team culture. Your work directly supports site operations and the trust our customers place in our products.

Work hours are 8am-4.30pm, Monday to Friday, with occasional sampling and weekend work required outside these hours.

• Carry out sampling, preparation, and analytical testing in line with Silver Fern Farms monitoring programmes and documented procedures
• Ensure high standards of accuracy, precision, and consistency in all laboratory testing
• Calibrate and maintain laboratory equipment in accordance with schedules and compliance requirements
• Maintain a clean, safe, and well-organised laboratory that meets health and safety standards
• Provide accurate, timely reporting for technical, quality, and compliance purposes
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and problem-solving within the laboratory
• Follow all health, safety, and wellness procedures, always ensuring safe work practices

You’re detail-oriented, reliable, and take pride in producing accurate work. You understand the importance of compliance in a regulated environment and enjoy working as part of a close-knit technical team.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Experience or foundational knowledge of laboratory practices, particularly analytical testing
• Strong attention to detail and a high standard of record keeping
• An understanding of food safety and quality systems (meat industry experience is advantageous but not essential)
• Good computer literacy, including Microsoft Word and Excel
• Clear communication skills and the ability to build effective working relationships
• A proactive approach to safety, quality, and continuous improvement

Te Ahurea / Why Work at Silver Fern Farms?

At Silver Fern Farms, everything we do is driven by our purpose: Creating Goodness from the Farms the World Needs. That means being good to our people, our communities, our animals, and our environment.

When you join us, you’ll benefit from:

• Heavily discounted staff meat sales through our on-site Butcher’s Block
• Paid sick leave from day one
• Confidential employee assistance for wellbeing, financial advice, and career support
• A supportive team environment within a stable, respected New Zealand business

Silver Fern Farms welcomes people from all backgrounds and walks of life. We are proud to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all.