NigCareers

Are you searching for a Lab technician job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a Lab technician. Feel free to use our Lab technician job description template to produce your own Lab technician job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a Lab technician.

 

Who is a Lab Technician?

Lab technicians also referred to as laboratory technicians, perform normal technical duties and experiments to assist laboratory-based scientific inquiries. Lab workers use specialized equipment to evaluate samples and other materials, test them, and then report their findings.

Laboratories work more efficiently with the help of qualified specialists known as laboratory technicians. To successfully conduct tests and experiments, they collaborate with senior technicians, scientists, and other stakeholders. They also frequently document lab procedures. They are generally in charge of organizing and maintaining the furniture and equipment used in laboratories.

A laboratory for scientific research is supported by its laboratory technicians. The majority of a technician’s job is performed in laboratories, and they may work alone or with a team of scientific staff members. Most scientific fields, including forensics, medicine, and manufacturing, are open to their employment.

The tasks a laboratory technician completes are largely influenced by the location of their workplace. In a medical setting, they can be performing blood tests, analyzing cells, or analyzing bodily fluids or tissues. If they are testing food and drink samples for a manufacturer of food and beverages, it may be to check for contamination or guarantee quality.

In a lab, a lab technician conducts tests and analyses. Healthcare facilities, manufacturing firms, and educational institutions are just a few of the businesses where lab technicians work. They are employed in a variety of sectors, including biology, electronics, medicine, and the environment.

The duties of a lab technician vary widely depending on the environment and the sector. As an illustration, a medical lab technician gathers samples and conducts tests on body fluids and tissue to help doctors diagnose and cure diseases. Products may be subjected to tests that are chemical, physical, or biological by other lab technicians. Depending on the position and industry, lab technicians may need further training. Some positions only demand a high school diploma or GED, while others call for an associate’s degree, a certificate, or a bachelor’s degree.

 

Lab Technician Job Description

What is a Lab technician job description? A Lab technician job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a Lab technician in an organization. Below are the Lab technician job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a Lab technician job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

The duties and responsibilities of a lab technician include the following;

• Utilize the necessary technical tools and equipment, and conduct normal and atypical testing and analysis.
• Use a computer to calculate test findings, record them, and then report them.
• Prepare for and manage experiments
• Execute quality assurance and, if necessary, calibrate equipment
• Keep the tools in good operating order and the workspace tidy.
• Adopt safe working practices and observe all safety, health, and environmental laws and regulations.
• Adjust and calibrate machinery to ensure the laboratory runs smoothly.
• Order, store, and inventory lab supplies.
• Collect information to carry out fundamental research and experiments.
• Compare processes with more experienced technicians.
• Clean and sanitize lab workstations and equipment.
• Select and gather samples for research and testing.
• Organize and store gathered samples.
• Record experimentation.
• Perform risk assessments as required.
• Keep up with technological advancements in their professions.
• Employ the proper testing equipment to gather, receive, label, and/or analyze samples or substances as needed.
• Design and carry out laboratory tests by accepted testing practices, logging observations, and analyzing results.
• Ensure that all test findings and experimental data are accurately recorded in the required format (written or electronic).
• Arrange and keep all chemicals, liquids, and compressed gasses to the recommended safety procedures.
• Ensure that safety regulations are followed at all times inside the lab.
• Maintain equipment record books and daily logs.
• Sanitize, maintain, calibrated, and clean laboratory apparatus.
• Order necessary laboratory materials.
• Assist with technology as required.
• Keep abreast of pertinent scientific and technological advancements.
• Analyze and label samples of diverse chemicals that are on hand in the lab, including bodily fluids. such as tissues, corrosives, toxic, reactive, flammable, etc.
• Report observations, analyses, and interpretations in the result sheet.
• Conduct experiments in controlled environments to confirm or refute various types of hypotheses using sophisticated logical and scientific methods.
• Arrange and store all gasses, chemicals, and liquids.
• Preserve and record all data and outcomes in the designated formats (such as paper and electronic).
• Maintain the laboratory’s electrical and non-electrical equipment.
• Purchase lab supplies by the specifications.
• Observe safety regulations and laws in the letter.
• Maintain order and cleanliness in the laboratory.

 

Qualifications

• Biology, chemistry, or a closely related discipline as a bachelor’s degree.
• A valid license for laboratory technicians.
• A history of success as a lab technician.
• Working knowledge of using both electrical and non-electrical lab instruments.
• Able to safely handle potentially harmful substances (flammable liquids, biohazards, etc.).
• Thorough familiarity with laboratory best practices, preventative measures, and QHSE management systems.
• Working knowledge of database systems and the MS Office Suite.
• The capacity to operate independently and under pressure.
• Excellent hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
• Excellent communication skills both in writing and speaking.
• Abilities in analysis.

 

Essential Skills

• Phlebotomy: The ability to take blood from a patient is known as phlebotomy. Blood is frequently drawn for testing by medical laboratory technicians in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings. They must be familiar with correct phlebotomy procedures in addition to handling patients who may be anxious about having their blood collected for this reason.
• Reporting Test Results: When working in a clinical context, medical laboratory technicians frequently take advantage of their accuracy in reporting test results. They can be in charge of accurately documenting details regarding patient samples and communicating them to medical specialists. To do this, they must be able to read and evaluate data and clearly explain intricate scientific procedures.
• Maintenance of Instruments: Medical laboratory technicians must be able to care for the equipment they utilize daily. This entails being able to disinfect and clean equipment as well as fix old or malfunctioning machinery. Having the tools you require to do your job well can be made possible with the aid of maintenance skills. To avoid accidentally causing harm or damage, it’s crucial to know how to operate the apparatus safely.
• Organization: The capacity of the organization is the capacity to track documents, papers, and other objects. Tracking samples through the testing procedure requires the use of organizational skills by medical laboratory personnel. Additionally, they must be able to locate patient files promptly for doctors or other medical specialists. This guarantees that they can give accurate information regarding test results and available treatments.
• Communication: The ability to present information is referred to as communication capacity. Medical laboratory technicians must be able to speak well because they frequently interact with patients and other healthcare providers. This involves having the ability to communicate any essential treatment recommendations and test results. It also entails conducting professional interactions with superiors and coworkers.
• Skills in Problem Solving: To do their duties accurately and on time, medical laboratory technicians need to be able to solve problems. When reviewing test results, where they may be asked to pinpoint a problem’s origin or come up with solutions, they make use of these abilities. For instance, they might need to come up with a new method of processing the same kind of sample if they discover that it was contaminated to obtain reliable results.
• Interpersonal Skills: Medical laboratory technologists interact with a range of people, including patients, doctors, and other medical professionals. To properly carry out their jobs, they must be able to communicate with these people. Empathy, compassion, patience, and active listening are examples of interpersonal abilities that can help you create lasting relationships at work and enhance your professional reputation.
• Specimen Handling: The skill of handling and processing specimens, which are samples of biological fluids or tissues that medical laboratory personnel receive from patients, is known as specimen processing. Preparing slides for microscopic examination, centrifuging tubes to separate various fluid types, and interpreting test results are all operations that are included in specimen processing.
• Quality Control: The capacity for quality control is the assurance of the accuracy of every step of a process. Quality control is a technique used by medical laboratory professionals to guarantee the accuracy and dependability of their results. Additionally, quality control makes sure that the testing apparatus is efficient and yields reliable results.
• Time management: This is the skill of being able to plan and complete tasks in a way that ensures you meet deadlines. Medical laboratory technicians must be able to manage their workload well because they frequently work under tight deadlines. This ability can ensure that they finish all of their tasks on time and uphold a good reputation at work.
• Regulatory Conformity: Compliance with regulations is the capacity to adhere to guidelines established by governing bodies. Medical laboratory technicians need to be able to comprehend and use workplace standards, such as safety procedures and quality control methods. To deliver correct results while relaying test results to doctors or patients, they also need to be able to accurately track and record data.
• Troubleshooting: Problem-solving skills include the capacity to troubleshoot. When testing results are unexpected, equipment malfunctions or other problems arise, medical laboratory workers, apply troubleshooting techniques. They can use this to guarantee patients obtain accurate diagnoses and maintain quality control in their work. Medical laboratory technologists must be able to identify potential safety concerns to take preventative measures before an accident happens.
• Development of SOP: Standard operating procedures are used by medical laboratory professionals to guarantee accuracy and consistency in their work. They create SOPs for the tools they use, the tests they run, and the data they keep track of. Because it indicates your ability to adhere to policy and guarantees quality control in the workplace, knowing how to draught SOPs in great detail will help you advance your career as a medical laboratory technician.
• Observation of Details: When conducting tests and evaluating samples, medical laboratory workers must be able to adhere to detailed instructions. By doing this, they can guarantee the results they deliver are correct and assist doctors in making wise treatment choices. Maintaining a clean workspace, adhering to safety procedures, and accurately recording test results are all examples of paying attention to detail.
• Collection of blood: Blood collection-related duties are frequently carried out by medical laboratory technologists, including setting up the tools and materials needed to take blood. They must also understand how to handle and get rid of blood-containing medical waste. This includes being aware of the proper safety procedures to follow when handling sharp needles and other blood collection equipment.
• Medical Terminology: To interact effectively with doctors and other healthcare professionals, medical laboratory technicians need to have a basic comprehension of medical jargon. When discussing patient care, diagnosis, and prognosis, medical personnel employ medical terminology. Understanding test results and patient treatment options might be made easier with a broad vocabulary.

 

How to Become a Lab Technician

• Obtain a 10+2 diploma in the science field: The essential criterion for a lab technician’s position is the completion of 10+2 in the science stream with physics, chemistry, math, or biology as focus subjects. After finishing your 10+2 requirements, you can enroll in a lab technology diploma program degree program. Both programs may have a 10+2 requirement with a scientific stream for admission.
• Obtain a formal academic degree: Another fundamental qualification for employment as a lab technician is either a diploma after 10+2 or an undergraduate degree. While some businesses and private labs hire diploma holders, large businesses and hospitals with many specialties may require bachelor’s degrees as a requirement for employment. A bachelor’s degree is useful if you want to pursue higher courses. You can specialize in one particular subject, such as bacteriology, microbiology, radiography, applied genetics, clinical pathology, or molecular biology, with a postgraduate or master’s degree in a field connected to laboratory technology. If you wish to work as a lab technician, think about obtaining the following credentials:
  • A degree in ECG technology.
  • A degree in medical imaging technology.
  • A degree in medical laboratory technology.
  • A degree in radiography technology,
  • A degree in cardiovascular technology.
• Complete certification programs: Better employment opportunities might be attained through diploma and degree programs. Short-term courses called certification programs can help you stay current with advances in laboratory technology. Since the field of lab technology is so diverse, a certificate program aids in the development of particular skills that are pertinent to your industry. Consider enrolling in the following certification programs if you want to work as a lab technician:
  • Technical Laboratory Certification
  • Medical Laboratory Technology Certification
  • Technical Blood Bank Certification
  • Clinical Diagnostic Techniques Certification
  • ECG technology certification
  • Medical record technology certification
  • a degree in cath lab technology
• Acquire training: For lab technicians, the majority of institutions offer hands-on instruction. Look for internship options during or after your schooling. Large laboratories commonly hire paid or unpaid interns to assist them with sample collection, equipment maintenance, documentation, and reporting responsibilities. While working with seasoned experts, take advantage of these chances to refresh your abilities.

Know how to apply academic principles to real-world work settings. Companies typically look for lab technicians that have experience in a related discipline. When you begin applying for jobs, completing internships may be helpful. On social media, on business websites, and in newspapers, you can look for internship possibilities. For accreditation and licensing, work experience is also advantageous.

• Develop the necessary skills: A lab technician may need extra talents in addition to their educational background to succeed. Professionals in this entry-level position collaborate with senior stakeholders and work in teams. Having the necessary skills may help you advance your job quickly.
• Prepare a resume: When looking for a position that is in high demand, such as a lab technician, a strong resume might make a difference. Your resume should have a summary at the start. In reverse chronological order, list your education, licensing, job, and internship experience. Emphasize any professional experience that can apply for the current position. Before applying, always update your resume with pertinent information, such as your current employment role or wage expectations.

 

Where to Work as a Lab Technician

1. Environmental organizations
2. Consultancies or organizations that specialize in research
3. Universities Clinics and hospitals
4. Public Service
5. Water providers
6. Pharmaceutical businesses
7. Chemical businesses
8. Food and beverage businesses

 

Lab Technician Salary Scale

In the USA, the average lab technician makes $35,125 a year, or $18.01 an hour. Most experienced workers earn up to $53,112 per year, while entry-level occupations start at $29,836 annually.

In the UK, the average lab technician makes £24,288 a year, or £12.46 an hour. The starting salary for entry-level jobs is £21,655, while the average yearly salary for experienced workers is £30,000.

In Canada, a laboratory technician makes an average yearly salary of $47,211, or $24.21 per hour. Most experienced workers earn up to $60,866 annually, while entry-level roles start at $36,888.

In Australia, a laboratory technician makes, on average, $70,974 a year, or $36.40 an hour. Most experienced workers can earn up to $77,443 per year, while entry-level roles start at $67,770.

In Ireland, a lab technician makes an average annual pay of €27,913 or €14.31 per hour. Most experienced workers can earn up to € 40-200 each year, while entry-level occupations start at € 22,000 annually.

Science, Technology, and Engineering

Tags: How to Become a Lab Technician, Job Description, Lab Technician, Lab Technician Job Description, Lab Technician Qualifications, Lab Technician Salary, Lab Technician Skills, Who is a Lab Technician