Laboratory Technician JBLE1_NI in Antrim

Position: Laboratory Technician

Location: McQuillan Environmental, Antrim

Responsible to: Laboratory Manager

Contract type: Full-time, permanent

Salary: Competitive

Why work for McQuillan Companies?

McQuillan Companies is a family-run business based in Northern Ireland, delivering a diverse range of construction, environmental, and facilities management services across the public, private, and commercial sectors. Our expertise spans civil engineering, road surfacing, demolition and quarrying, including the supply of premium aggregates and bituminous materials, alongside total waste management, and accredited environmental testing.

We also provide year-round outdoor and facilities maintenance services such as winter gritting, outdoor cleaning, landscaping, property restoration, and insurance reinstatement. Together, these capabilities allow us to deliver comprehensive, fully coordinated solutions for our clients. As a growing company with a dynamic and supportive environment, we value diverse perspectives and are committed to creating a workplace where our people can thrive and build rewarding careers.

McQuillan Environmental's UKAS 17025 accredited laboratory provides testing, monitoring and waste consultancy services to a wide range of industrial companies, environmental consultants, contractors, retailers and government authorities throughout Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and UK. Our services comprise testing of waste water, trade effluents, groundwater, surface water, landfill leachate, soil, waste and other products to assess their quality, impact on the environment and waste classification.

We offer a range of benefits including:

• Competitive salaries
• An employee health scheme
• Employee private healthcare
• An excellent employee pension scheme
• 31 days of annual leave, increased in line with years of service milestones
• Working as a part of a dynamic group of professionals who excel at maintaining regulatory standards while fostering a supportive and welcoming environment
• Excellent development, learning and training opportunities
• Participation in a range of team building activities

Overall objectives

We seek to appoint a Laboratory Technician to join our busy and expanding team within McQuillan Environmental. If you are looking for a career opportunity within a growing business that includes a range of benefits, in a dynamic and engaging working environment then McQuillan Companies is the place for you. This role will require someone with a 'can do' attitude, a commercial approach and demonstrable attention to detail. The successful candidate will report to the Laboratory Manager and must be hardworking, reliable, and possess excellent communication & interpersonal skills. In return you will be awarded a competitive salary, variety within your role, the ability to build upon your existing experience within the profession and the opportunity to work within a friendly and supportive team.

Key responsibilities:

• General housekeeping of laboratory and cleaning of glassware.
• Ensure adequate supplies of materials and consumables are available to support projects.
• Ensure that tasks relating to quality standards and procedures are carried out in the specified manner.
• Preservation and digestion of samples.
• Retain an up to date knowledge of analytical techniques and equipment.
• Identify incidents of out of specification results and inform their supervisor.
• Daily checks and calibration of laboratory equipment.
• Keep their supervisor informed on a regular basis of progress and any circumstances that alter agreed timescales.
• Ensure that laboratory equipment remains in calibration and functions as required.
• Where this is not the case inform the appropriate persons for them to action.
• Other duties as may be deemed appropriate by their supervisor and that fall within the general remit of the post.
• Be responsible for ensuring that all analysis performed and associated tasks are performed in accordance with McQuillan Envirocare quality policies and procedures and are in accordance with the appropriate regulatory guidelines.
• Ensure that project information is controlled and distributed as per the relevant SOP.
• Ensure that supporting documentation is maintained as per defined procedures.
• Review results generated and inform their supervisor of anomalies, failures or other unusual events and draw conclusions on the work carried out.
• Ensure that equipment in use has been validated as required.
• Ensure that all activities within the laboratory are performed in a safe manner in keeping with the Company’s written procedures.
• Assist in the safe operation of the Analytical Laboratory.
• Perform all activities in accordance with written safety procedures.
• Report all accidents or unsafe conditions in the workplace.
• Participate in Health and Safety training.
• Perform COSHH assessments for materials in the analytical laboratory.
• Participate in training as required.
• With their supervisor undertake appraisals and disciplinary action where applicable.
• Responsible for ensuring project communications (e.g. e-mails, reports) are maintained and updated.
• Communicate regularly with their supervisor.

Essential Criteria:

• Have a minimum of 5 GCSE passes, including a science discipline.

Desirable criteria:

• A full, clean driving license
• LIMS experience
• Previous experience working in lab

Closing date for all applications is: Monday 24th August 2026.

This job description should not be regarded as conclusive or definite. It is a guideline within which the individual jobholder works. It is not intended to be rigid or inflexible and may alter as the Company’s strategic direction changes.

Skills:

• Excellent communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Excellent time management
• Organisational skills
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Pro-Active approach
• Good Report writing skills

Benefits:

• Competitive salaries
• An employee health scheme
• An excellent employee pension scheme
• 31 days of annual leave
• Service milestones
• L&D opportunities