Laboratory Services Technician in Newcastle upon Tyne

Salary: £27,319 to £28,031 with progression to £29,588 per annum. Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 09 March 2026

The Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Laboratory Services Technician. This is an exciting opportunity to join a team of technical staff supporting the diverse research & teaching activities within the School of Natural & Environmental Sciences (SNES), through the provision of laboratory services and technical support across our campus estate.

You will provide laboratory technical support for academic and research staff and students within the School working primarily in the research areas and assisting in the teaching laboratories (when applicable) across multiple disciplines in alignment with the post holder’s experience under the direction of the Technical Operations Manager and the Technical Team Leader of the area.

Under the direction of technical management and working closely with technical colleagues, you will:

• Help ensure the smooth day-to-day running of key requirements and facilities across multiple buildings.
• Help to manage shared laboratories, growth rooms, and controlled environment areas across the SNES campus estate to allow users to work safely in a cohesive and collaborative environment.
• Ensure equipment is maintained and working safely, reporting any issues or items that need repair in a timely fashion.
• Support users by helping manage the provision of gases and cryogens including cylinder and regulator ordering; Chemical and consumable orders and store requests including licenced ethanol purchases ensuring systems are working safely and efficiently.
• Oversee laboratory waste services, including chemical waste and biological/GM autoclave waste keeping appropriate and up-to-date records for statutory inspections.
• Assist lab users with sample and package shipping including Dangerous Goods.
• Ensure the timely redistribution of chemicals, lab materials and samples across campus.
• Liaise with the University’s Sustainability Team to ensure the compliant disposal of electrical waste (WEEE) generated across SNES campus estate.

The candidate must:

• Have relevant experience working in laboratory environments with good understanding of general lab procedures and techniques.
• Be capable of training and advising lab users (where applicable) on safe techniques and work with users to ensure they are working safely and effectively.
• Be confident and competent with day-to-day management of Health and Safety and understanding of H&S policies.
• Have excellent teamwork, communication and organisational skills.
• Have good understanding of gases and gas systems.
• Be able to work autonomously, prioritise their tasks and report back to senior technical colleagues in an appropriate and timely fashion.
• Be able to respond to unknown risks in a logical and calm manner, ensuring those around are safe and risks are mitigated as best as possible.

We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment.

Under the direction of the technical team leader and working closely with technical colleagues, be responsible for gas and cryogen services including cylinder and regulator ordering; ensuring sufficient supply of gases, dry ice and liquid nitrogen are available; and liaising with gas & cryo vendors.

As directed by the technical team leader and senior technical colleagues, maintain minimum stock levels and according to the School and University purchasing procedures, initiate orders to ensure sufficient supply of chemicals and lab materials including general consumables such as gloves, wipes, disposable plastics etc.

Maintain good financial records of all purchases and receipts of incoming goods, including signatures and timely confirmations of goods received. Ensure items are correctly distributed to end users (when applicable) or safely stored accordingly.

To be responsible for the disposal of lab and hazardous materials including chemical waste and biological/GM autoclaved waste according to standard University procedures and policies. Ensure compliance with relevant safety protocols including relevant SOPs, risk assessments, COSHH & BioCOSHH.

In conjunction with the School safety officer monitor compliance with all statutory and local safety arrangements. Report any failures of compliance to the senior technical staff for the area.

In conjunction with the technical team leader for the activity, be responsible for the day-to-day operation of specific pieces of equipment. To undertake fault diagnosis, testing, repair, calibration and preventative maintenance on instrumentation under the role’s responsibility.

Working with technical colleagues and facility users to ensure equipment is prepped and ready for statutory testing and inspections, and liaising with reps and suppliers when applicable.

When required, to help manage shared laboratory spaces, working with PIs, RAs, other technical staff and PGT/PGR students to allow for cohesive and collaborative work in a safe environment.

When applicable, train and advise staff and research students in appropriate laboratory techniques and good laboratory practice to ensure that they are able to carry out their work in a safe manner and when using the facilities to ensure safe working practices are followed.

Working in accordance with other technical colleagues, assist users with the shipping and receiving of samples and packages including dangerous goods.

In accordance with University sustainability policies, and working with technical colleagues, arrange appropriate disposal of electrical waste (WEEE).

Support technical colleagues with general lab duties such as lab checks, tap flushing, glasswashing and lab coat laundry arrangements.

Any other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade which may be required.

The Person (Essential) Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrable work experience in a relevant technical role.
• Thorough working knowledge of Health and Safety procedures.
• Experience of writing COSHH, BioCOSHH risk assessments.
• Excellent team working skills.
• Demonstrates technical and problem solving capability.
• Demonstrates good organising ability to meet deadlines, with a positive and proactive approach to duties and diligence and attention to detail.
• Contribute to design and specification of research/teaching activities.
• Ability to adapt to changes in laboratory research/teaching priorities.
• Experience in using autoclaves.
• Demonstrable experience of managing stock control.
• Experience using computer-based ordering systems.

Qualifications:

• Apprenticeship in an appropriate subject with experience in a relevant technical role; or BTEC level 4 / HNC / HND; or A’ level (or equivalent) qualification; or broad work experience acquired through a combination of vocational training and considerable on-the-job experience, demonstrating development through progressively more demanding relevant roles.
• Full driving licence.
• Degree in a relevant field.
• Professional Registration with a relevant scientific body.

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution. We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population. At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme. In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.