Laboratory Technician in Milton Keynes

The Opportunity: Under close supervision, provide direct benchtop services support at customer facilities. Execute routine laboratory support procedures and preparations (e.g. media/buffer prep, solvent/reagent mixtures, filtrations, material weighing, some physical testing, witness senior staff experiments). Maintain lab inventory and labeling (e.g. chemical reagents, glassware, gas cylinder levels). Verification/maintenance of laboratory equipment (e.g. balances, pH meters, sonicator cleaning, glass washing). This role is multi-disciplinary, and the successful candidate will support the day-to-day operations of a defined set of laboratories. The Lab Technician’s role directly and indirectly supports scientists across R&D functions allowing scientists to concentrate on their core role. This role is to be primarily lab-based, focusing on the delivery of scientific technical support to the R&D laboratories in accordance with Health and Safety and Good Laboratory Standards requirements.

Key Tasks:

• To carry out all scientific support activities in accordance with Health and Safety guidelines, GLS & local agreements
• Proactively deliver the operational laboratory support managing workload and service levels as required by the research group(s)
• Preventative maintenance, cleaning & documentation of several laboratory instruments including incubators, tissue culture hoods, water baths, etc. (to be defined by the work area)
• Perform specialist equipment user performance checks if required
• Management of consumables & reagents, including Point of Use (PoU) Kanban areas by daily monitoring and replenishment, and liaising with in-house media prep services
• Maintain and organise laboratory consumable inventories
• Monitor and keep communal areas clean and tidy
• Receipt and unpacking of temperature-sensitive parcel deliveries
• Aliquoting of tissue culture reagents (use of aseptic techniques)
• Waste management
• Assist in study preparation
• General house-keeping within laboratories

Driving FM service delivery:

• Optimise use of shared space and maintain BAU throughout the changing footprint
• Act as a contact for key customers, actively engaging with them on a regular basis to understand their business requirements
• Liaise with key purchasing contacts to enable more cost-effective expenditure
• Coordinate technical activities and communicate with customers, Avantor Services Laboratory Manager, Laboratory Technician team and third parties to ensure a professional level of service is provided
• Proactively identify and support operational efficiencies by implementing process improvements resulting in time and cost-savings for the customer
• Provide key metrics in-line with relevant KPIs within defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Skills, knowledge & competencies:

• GCSE Maths and English and an interest in Science
• Full training will be given, previous experience in a laboratory or pharmaceutical/food manufacturing environment desirable but not essential.
• Ability to work as part of a team, as well as being self-motivated, and being able to use initiative
• Ability to understand and follow Health & Safety instructions. A commitment to quality standards and the importance of following procedures
• Computer Literate
• Front facing customer service skills, good temperament, polite and courteous, with good communication skills (written and verbal)

This is a great opportunity for someone interested in starting their career within the laboratory environment.