Apprentice Assistant Teaching Technician

Summary

The apprentice will learn to ultimately be able to provide skilled technical support over the full range of activities supported under the Preparation manager, and which will include supporting undergraduate practical sessions for the Bioscience, Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering.

Wage

£20,494 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Rising to £25,618 after 12 months service.

Training course

Laboratory technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday to Friday - typically 9am - 5pm, but they will be required occasionally to support activities outside these hours

35 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

2 years 1 months

Positions available

1

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

Provide general teaching laboratory support including the setting up and clearing away of equipment, consumables and reagents
Prepare materials and reagents (e.g. stock solutions, agar plates etc.). This will require the accurate use of measuring devices such as balances and pH meter and sterilisation equipment such as serialisation ovens and autoclaves
Assist in the preparation of more complex reagents and biological materials
Recording and signing out materials and equipment for student loan
To be responsible for ensuring that equipment is accurately calibrated prior to classes starting and that all requirements are in place
To complete equipment function tests, maintenance and calibration. Equipment may include water baths, rotary evaporators, pH meters, microscopes, data loggers, electrophoresis equipment etc.
To identify simple faults and troubleshoot equipment during classes
Setting up of IT equipment
Receive deliveries (equipment, consumables and hazardous substances) and delivery documentation. Ensure deliveries are safely unpacked and that hazardous substances are stored according to regulations and that temperature sensitive deliveries are stored in appropriate fridges/freezers
Assist with the organisation and housekeeping of storage rooms, this may involve bringing equipment required for the day’s classes to the front of the store for easy access etc.
Carry out specified techniques, tests or experiments as directed
Identify simple problems and resolve and recognise when to refer issues to your manager
Maintain accurate records and draft routine documentation related to your duties
Ensure the health, safety and cleanliness of immediate work area, by encouraging staff and students to comply with all basic University/College Health & Safety policies and reporting any issues to your line manager, technical manager, laboratory manager or College Safety Advisor as appropriate
Confirm that all required assessments are in place, approved and up to date
Carry out regular maintenance processes as appropriate and ensuring records are maintained
Report any breaches or non-compliance with health and safety procedures to the Line Manager, Technical Manager, Laboratory Manager or College Safety Advisor
Ensuring waste disposal is carried out correctly for laboratory, recycled and general waste
Adopt a proactive attitude to assisting with and implementing carbon reduction and energy saving measures
Assisting with stock level control and informing Line Manager when replacements are required
Receipt and correct storage of consumables and chemical reagents
Reporting any problems with equipment or services to the line manager or colleague as appropriate
You will treat everyone with dignity and respect, supporting equality and valuing diversity
You will complete any other duties as may be reasonably required by either the Line Manager or Technical Managers

Where you'll work

Edgbaston
Birmingham
West Midlands
B15 2TT

Training

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

College or training organisation

CSR SCIENTIFIC TRAINING LIMITED

Your 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

Your training plan

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
Theoretical knowledge - BTEC Level 3 Applied Science (if required)

The majority of your learning will be completed online once a week with some face-to-face practical sessions/exams in Birmingham (if BTEC is included).

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

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 9 to 4 (A* to C))
Maths (grade 9 to 4 (A* to C))

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Logical
Team working

About this company

A world top 100 university and part of the prestigious Russell Group, the University of Birmingham makes important things happen. Delivering groundbreaking research and excellent research led teaching. People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success. We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University. We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work. Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries. The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum, and botanical gardens.

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/jobs/apprenticeships (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/jobs/staff-benefits

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

On completion of this apprenticeship or further in your career, you may be able to progress into one of the following roles:

Specialist technician
Technical assistant
Teaching Laboratory Technician
Research Laboratory Technician
Workshop Technician
Senior Technician
Team leader
Technical Support manager

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