Science Manufacturing Technician Apprentice
SIGMA-ALDRICH COMPANY LIMITED
Haverhill (CB9 8QP)
Closes in 15 days (Monday 10 November 2025)
Posted on 15 October 2025
Contents
Summary
As an Apprentice at Merck, you will support the systems and equipment involved in the production of nucleic acids. We are a regulated environment and where required you will wear specialist safety equipment. A premium is placed on appropriate attitudes and behaviours to ensure employees comply with organizational safety and regulatory requirements.
- Wage
-
£14,722.50 to £23,809.50, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
On successful completion of year 1 a salary increase will be applied
- Training course
- Science manufacturing technician 2023 (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday (optional times between the following 7am - 3pm, 8am - 4pm or 9am - 5pm with 30-minute lunch)
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
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Monday 1 December 2025
- Duration
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2 years
- 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
In this role, you will support the manufacturing of nucleic acids within a fast-paced, lean production environment, adhering to strict safety and quality standards.
Responsibilities include:
- Preparing reagents and buffers
- Operating automated synthesisers
- Performing downstream chemical reactions, and maintaining accurate production records
As you progress, you will gain experience with advanced purification techniques such as HPLC, RPC, and PAGE gel, conduct analytical assessments including mass spectrometry and optical density measurements, and contribute to product validation and release. The role involves both manual and automated lab work, requiring attention to detail, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Where you'll work
Homefield Road
Haverhill
CB9 8QP
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE
Training course
Science manufacturing technician 2023 (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Review instructions or information to understand the task.
- Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
- Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Apply controlled environment procedures for example, gowning, isolators, contamination control, and sanitisation.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and waste handling.
- Conduct in process or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
- Apply first line maintenance practices.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
- Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
- Perform second person witness and second person checks for critical tasks.
- Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
- Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements and GDPR.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
- Apply standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Select, check, and prepare raw materials for biotechnology process for example, weighing, measuring, control and blending, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
- Conduct pre-checks of hand tools, equipment and machinery for biotechnology process including calibration record where applicable.
- Connect service connections for biotechnology process such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic.
- Operate biotechnology equipment for example, start-up, shut down, or cleaning mode.
- Set and adjust biotechnology process parameters such as agitation revolutions per minute, temperature, pressure, flow rate or time.
- Check calibration and calibrate analytical equipment.
- Conduct at point analysis of the product using laboratory techniques (bench top analysis) for example, pH, conductivity measurement, optical density measurements, and protein concertation.
- Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, conduct parameter checks (size, colour, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Remove and replace disposable components and check functionality for example, break lines, isolators, and tri-clamps and tube welding.
- Conduct aseptic method for example, aseptic technique or aseptic sampling.
- Interpret drawings and graphs.
- Select, check, and prepare raw (incoming) materials for aseptic process for example, weighing, measuring, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
- Conduct pre-checks of hand tools, equipment and machinery for aseptic process including calibration record where applicable.
- Operate aseptic process equipment for example, start-up and shut-down.
- Set aseptic process parameters such as temperature, and pressure.
- Conduct pre and in-process checks such as environmental monitoring.
- Make adjustments to aseptic process parameters.
- Clean equipment and process areas in-between production to avoid cross-contamination.
- Conduct volume checks.
- Calibrate analytical equipment.
- Review instructions or information to understand the task.
- Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
- Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Apply controlled environment procedures for example, gowning, isolators, contamination control, and sanitisation.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and waste handling.
- Conduct in process or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
- Apply first line maintenance practices.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
- Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
- Perform second person witness and second person checks for critical tasks.
- Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
- Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements and GDPR.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
Training schedule
The learner will be studying the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science Apprenticeship Standard Qualification.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE or equivalent in:
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
- Team working
- Initiative
- Organisation skills
- IT skills
Other requirements
The work would be carried out at our site in Haverhill, Suffolk. Working days - 5 days per week (Monday to Friday with Tuesday at college during term time). We are based on an industrial estate (not on direct bus routes). Parking is available.
About this employer
Our UK oligo manufacturing plant operates twenty-four hours a day, 6 per week with around eighty employees to meet the fast delivery expectations of these made-to-order products. DNA is everywhere and continues to advance life science research and genomic discoveries that ultimately improve our everyday health and lives.
After this apprenticeship
If a vacancy is available at the end of the 2-year period and the successful applicant has completed their apprenticeship to a high standard, they will be converted to a permanent position.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000346191.
Apply now
Closes in 15 days (Monday 10 November 2025)
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