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Laboratory Technician

Laboratory Technician Image

Laboratory technicians or assistants work with scientists in different types of labs, such as chemical, medical or educational. Areas they work in include diagnosing diseases and developing new products.

The Work

You could be:

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

Starting salaries for laboratory technicians range from £17,000 to £20,000 a year. With experience salaries can rise to £20,000 to £30,000 and some specialist technicians and lab managers can earn £40,000 or more.

In NHS labs, healthcare science support workers on the Agenda for Change pay scales start around Band 2, £24,647 to £26,763 a year. With experience they can work their way up to Band 3, £26,869 to £28,998 a year. The current pay scales are from April 2024.

Conditions

Workforce Employment Status

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Useful Subjects

Getting In

You can enter at various levels, depending on the employer. Some employers might still consider school leavers with some subjects at National 4 or 5, or equivalent including science subjects. Usually they ask for more qualifications.

You could work in a wide variety of labs, including but not limited to, food and drink, forensic, hospital, local authority, manufacturing company, oil and gas, paint, plastics, research institution, or school, college or university.

Workforce Education Levels (UK)

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Job Outlook Scotland

Employment

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Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland
2024
7578
3.3 %
RISE
2029
7829
  United Kingdom
2024
81980
4.1 %
RISE
2029
85324

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What Does it Take?

You should be:

Training

Getting On

Video

Courtesy of NHS Health Careers

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.

Association for Science Education (ASE)
Tel: 01707 283000
E-mail: info@ase.org.uk
Website: http://www.ase.org.uk
Twitter: @theASE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AssociationforScienceEducation

Cogent
Tel: 01925 515200
E-mail: info@cogentskills.com
Website: http://www.cogentskills.com
Twitter: @cogent_skills
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CogentSkills

Cogent is the Sector Skills Council for the science industries.

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Career Sectors

Biology

Chemistry and Materials Science

Food Science and Technology

Mathematics and Statistics

Physics

Science General