Dispensing Analyst & Laboratory Technician Apprentice

ORCHID CELLMARK LTD

Oxfordshire (OX14 1DY)

Closes in 12 days (Tuesday 17 March 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 2 March 2026

Print

Contents

Summary

An exciting opportunity to start your career in forensic science! We are looking to expand our established Apprenticeship Scheme and train new apprentices as Laboratory Technician and Dispensing Analysts. Using cutting edge technology, you will be part of the Toxicology team who provide police forces with high quality, specialist forensic services.

Wage

£21,703.76 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

If you are aged 21 and over, pay will increase to £25,428.

Training course
Laboratory technician (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday. Start/finish times to be agreed but between 7.30am to 5.30pm, with either a half an hour or one hour lunchbreak (upon preference). Study leave to attend external training as part of the apprenticeship programme.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 13 April 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

2

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Reporting to the Toxicology Apprentice Mentor, some of your key duties will include:

  • Check, examine and prepare bodily fluids and hair samples, ready for extraction (to include witnessing of other colleagues’ work)
  • Update LIMS systems and process documentation to allow accurate monitoring and rapid progression of workflow (to include batch making for extraction)
  • Assessment of paperwork to determine work required (predominantly for Road Traffic Act cases)
  • Administration tasks, to include (but not limited to) examination queries, work request queries and hair faulting
  • Preparation of laboratory solutions, calibrators and quality control samples
  • Efficient stock control and ordering of non-stock items
  • General housekeeping of laboratory areas including disposal of dry and wet chemical hazard waste
  • Other general laboratory duties to include (but not limited to) glassware washing, cleaning of equipment used for hair cutting and weekly pipette calibration

Where you'll work

Abingdon Business Park
16 Blacklands Way
Abingdon
Oxfordshire
OX14 1DY

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

CSR SCIENTIFIC TRAINING LIMITED

Training course

Laboratory technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
  • Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
  • Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
  • Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
  • Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
  • Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
  • Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
  • Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
  • Complete documentation proficiently
  • Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
  • Contribute to the preparation of reports.
  • Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
  • Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
  • Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
  • Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
  • Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
  • Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
  • Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
  • Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results
  • Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
  • Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
  • Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
  • Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
  • Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
  • Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
  • Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
  • Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
  • Complete documentation proficiently
  • Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
  • Contribute to the preparation of reports.
  • Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
  • Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
  • Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
  • Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
  • Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
  • Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
  • Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
  • Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results

Training schedule

You will undertake a Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship with an Ofsted rated 'Outstanding' training provider, CSR Scientific Training, which will include: 

  • Fully recognised apprenticeship qualification - Level 3 Laboratory Technician 
  • On-the-job competency training 
  • Training will be delivered online with occasional site visits by a vocational skills coach to assess you in the workplace

Upon successful completion, apprentices can apply for professional registration as a Registered Science Technician, RSciTech, with either the Royal Society of Chemistry or Royal Society of Biology.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade C/4 or above)
  • Maths (grade C/4 or above)
  • Science (grade C/4 or above)

A Level in:

Science (Chemistry preferred) (grade C)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Initiative

Other requirements

• Occasional carrying of quantities of liquids in open and closed containers. • High level of concentration, particularly when carrying out repetitive tasks. • The position will entail some office-based work but will be predominantly laboratory based. Security clearance to NPPV3 + SC so at least 5 years residency in the UK preceding vetting required. This vacancy will close early once the positions have been filled, so do not delay your application.

If you hold a degree in a similar field, you will not be eligible for apprenticeship funding.

About this employer

Established in 1987, Cellmark has over three decades‘ experience of providing police forces with high quality, specialist forensic services. As one of the largest forensic science providers and DNA testing companies in the world, Cellmark has a proven reputation for quality, reliability and service excellence.

https://www.cellmarkforensics.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Disability Confident

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

  • Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, there is potential to progress to an analyst role

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CSR SCIENTIFIC TRAINING LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000018650.

Apply now

Closes in 12 days (Tuesday 17 March 2026 at 11:59pm)