Lab & Operations Assistant – 4 Day Working Week
Looking for a role where no two days are quite the same? We offer a genuine 4-day working week and a salary of £28,000–£30,000 depending on experience.
Start date: Flexible, depending on the successful candidate.
Aptec Products, based in West Auckland, Bishop Auckland, is a small manufacturing business of around 25 employees producing technical textiles and dry powder mixes. We are looking for a Lab & Operations Assistant to support our day-to-day laboratory and operational activities.
This is a permanent role working 38 paid hours, Monday to Thursday, 7:30am–5:30pm.
This is a broad role with a genuine mix of laboratory, production support and operational administration. No two days will be quite the same, and the balance between lab and operations work will vary depending on the needs of the business. You will work very closely with the Operations Manager, providing day-to-day information, highlighting issues and helping turn operational plans into action across the business.
The purpose of the role is to take ownership of the routine lab and operational activities that help keep products, information and decisions moving, while feeding relevant information back to the Operations Manager.
The Role
Your day-to-day work will include:
1. Routine laboratory analysis and in-process testing on powder mixes and textiles
- Textile and raw material testing
- Preparing Certificates of Analysis and delivery documentation
- Monitoring stock levels and carrying out routine daily checks
- Updating spreadsheets with production, delivery and operational information
- Communicating production plans and highlighting concerns or bottlenecks
- Booking in goods and working within our manufacturing software
- Monitoring PPE stock and liaising with Purchasing where required
- Carrying out routine daily, weekly and monthly Health & Safety checks
- Supporting dispatch and delivery preparation
You will work closely with the Operations Manager and communicate regularly with production, warehouse, purchasing and accounts.
The role involves regular movement between our two buildings, so there will be a fair amount of walking during the working day.
About You
We are looking for someone with a genuine interest in how materials, products and processes work.
You will need to be organised and have good attention to detail. You will need to be comfortable working accurately with test results, records and routine procedures.
Further education in a scientific, technical or laboratory-related field would be an advantage, although a degree is not required.
You do not need to come from a laboratory background, but you should be organised, comfortable working with detail and able to move between scientific, administrative and practical tasks throughout the day.
Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook are essential.
Experience in any of the following would be advantageous:
- Laboratory testing or Certificate of Analysis generation
- Manufacturing or production environments
- Material science or technical textiles
- ISO 9001 requirements
- Microsoft Access
- Further Education in a scientific field
You’ll also need to communicate well, use your own judgement and be comfortable feeding information and concerns back to the Operations Manager.
Experience of working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, where customer or production priorities can change at short notice, would also be useful.
What We Offer
- Genuine 4-day working week 38 paid hours – Monday to Thursday, 7:30am–5:30pm
- £28,000–£30,000 depending on experience
- Up to 6% employer matched pension
- Five weeks’ holiday plus statutory holidays, allocated in hours and taken flexibly
- Company sick pay after 12 months' service
Very occasional flexibility may be required outside the normal Monday-to-Thursday working pattern, although this would be rare.
You’ll be joining a small company where people know each other, communication is straightforward and your contribution matters.
If you enjoy variety, like understanding how things work and are looking for a role that combines laboratory work with practical day-to-day operations, we’d be very interested to hear from you.
How to Apply
Please apply directly to Karen Nelson, HR Manager, at Knelson@aptecproducts.co.uk
Applications from recruitment agencies and unsolicited CVs will not be accepted.
Equal Opportunities
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified and experienced candidates.
