Apprentice - FAS Drugs Laboratory Technician - Police Staff

Nottinghamshire Police

Nottingham (NG15 8AY)

Closes in 12 days (Thursday 23 October 2025)

Posted on 10 October 2025

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Summary

We are looking for the right person who welcomes the challenges of a demanding but rewarding role, working within EMSOU’s Forensic Services team. Where every day you’ll be making a genuine difference to people’s lives, whilst working towards a nationally recognised qualification.

Wage

£21,024 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

£21,024 to £22,011 per annum, based on national living wage for your age.

Training course
Laboratory technician (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday: hours to be confirmed

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 December 2025

Duration

2 years 4 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

  • Undertaking the ordering of stock and consumables. Ensuring that they meet the required standards and are stored in the required manner.
  • Co-ordinating and managing equipment maintenance visits in line with laboratory best practice and the ISO 17025 quality standards.
  • Contributing to a safe and secure environment for drugs analysis and co-workers by following established standards and procedures; complying withlegal regulations.
  • Inputting and extracting data accurately from IT systems such as Niche and Microsoft packages in accordance with policy and technical procedures.
  • Monitoring and responding to enquiries received via email or by telephone efficiently and professionally seeking advice as appropriate.
  • Liaising and working with colleagues within the teams based at the Arrow Centre and external partners.
  • Receiving and storing exhibits whilst maintaining the continuity and integrity of the exhibits.
  • Undertaking training and development to attain levels of competence and to maintain competence.
  • Solving problems and contributing to the continuous improvement of the FAS Drugs laboratory.
  • Providing statements of evidence for continuity for exhibits when requested from the Court.
  • Providing DNA and fingerprint samples for the purposes of elimination and for storage on national databases.
  • To participate in Career Conversation process and take responsibility for identifying your own professional and career development needs.

Where you'll work

The Arrow Centre
Hucknall North
Nottingham
NG15 8AY

Training

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

Training provider

LOUGHBOROUGH COLLEGE

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

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English and Maths (grade 4/C or above)

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

Skills

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

Other requirements

As part of the application, process candidates are required to complete a series of questions and a 500-word supporting statement. When completing this please evidence your skillset against the role profile, which is attached to this advert. CV’s will not be accepted. Please ensure any documents you attach during your application do not have your name or any identifiable personal details (including any images) included within the text or the document name, so that your application can remain anonymous. Shortlisting will take based on questions and statement provided. Successful candidates will be shortlisted and then be invited to interview. If you have passed the interview, conditional offers are made, subject to references, vetting and medical. References: Nottinghamshire Police will be contacting your referees Vetting: Nottinghamshire Police vetting you will request some information from you to commence you individual vetting checks Medical: You will be required to complete a medical questionnaire. All applicants will be subject to the Nottinghamshire Police Vetting Policy.

About this employer

Nottinghamshire Police is committed to Equality & Diversity and is keen to recruit people with a wide range of skills and experiences and an understanding of cultural issues. We are particularly encouraging females and other under-represented groups within Nottinghamshire including those with a disability to join us.

https://www.nottinghamshire.police.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

Opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and experience in the support staff functions of Nottinghamshire Police, giving you the chance to become a valued member of one of our many departments within Headquarters.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LOUGHBOROUGH COLLEGE

Ron Lawrence

Recruitment@notts.police.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000345764.

Apply now

Closes in 12 days (Thursday 23 October 2025)

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