Apprentice Assistant Research Technician – Biosciences – 107376AP – Apprentice Grade 3 in Birmingham

Position Details:

Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Studies

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary £20,782 per annum rising to £25,977 after 12 months service.

Apprentice Grade 3

Full Time / Fixed Term starting in September 2026 for 27 Months

Apprenticeship Standard: Laboratory Technician Level 3

Training Provider: You will undertake a Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship with an Ofsted rated 'Outstanding' training provider, CSR Scientific Training, which will include:

• Fully recognised apprenticeship qualification - Level 3 Laboratory Technician
• On-the-job competency training
• Theoretical knowledge - BTEC Level 3 Applied Science if applicable

The majority of your learning will be completed online once a week with some face-to-face practical sessions/exams in Birmingham (if BTEC is included).

Upon successful completion, apprentices can apply for professional registration as a Registered Science Technician, RSciTech, with either the Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry or Royal Society of Biology.

Closing date: 31 May 2026 - please upload a CV with your application.

Eligibility: The training delivered in apprenticeships is funded through the apprenticeship levy which is subject to Department for Education funding rules for apprenticeships. When reviewing applications the University and the training provider will be checking candidates meet this eligibility criteria. Further information is available on our webpage. You have normally been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years. For exemptions please refer to the government funding rules for apprenticeships.

Our offer to you:

People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working.

In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Apprenticeship context:

The College of Life and Environmental Sciences (LES) is home to around 5,000 students studying more than 100 undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research programmes. It has c350 academic and c150 professional services FTE, and an annual budget of £70m. The College is one of 5 colleges in the University and consists of 4 schools; Biosciences; Geography, Earth, and Environmental Sciences; Psychology; and Sport and Exercise and Rehabilitation. We are dedicated to exploring the diversity and evolutionary challenges of life in all its forms. Across the breadth of life and environmental sciences, we discover, apply and translate science, forging major advances in human and environmental health. From exercise, biomedicine and mental health to climate change, food security and resilience we combine original thinking and real-world experience with clear focus and rigour. This role sits within the Central Services Department, providing technical and laboratory support to the School of Biosciences. Together, we are developing solutions to ensure a healthier and a more sustainable future.

Apprenticeship summary:

You will provide technical assistance in the relevant department. In order to flexibly use resource you may be given the opportunity to work in different areas of the department or wider University.

During this apprenticeship you will learn the following duties:

• Process laboratory waste following Standard Operating Procedures;
• Produce fly food and media to support teaching and research across the College;
• Provide autoclaving and sterilisation services to the College;
• Ensure adequate stocks of laboratory consumables and glassware;
• Troubleshoot issues with fly food and media production working with colleagues to resolve problems;
• Monitor the quality of ingredients, recipes and end products working with service users to identify changes and implement solutions;
• Carry out routine sample preparation following Standard Operating Procedures with guidance from Senior Technicians;
• Carry out specified techniques, tests or experiments as directed;
• Identify simple problems and resolve and recognise when to refer issues to your manager;
• Maintain accurate records and draft routine documentation related to your duties;
• Ensure the health, safety and cleanliness of immediate work area, by encouraging staff and students to comply with all basic University / College Health & Safety policies and reporting any issues to your line manager, technical manager, laboratory manager or College Safety Advisor as appropriate;
• Confirm that all required assessments are in place, approved and up to date;
• Carry out regular maintenance processes as appropriate and ensuring records are maintained;
• Report any breaches or non-compliance with health and safety procedures to the Line Manager, Technical Manager, Laboratory Manager or College Safety Advisor;
• Ensuring waste disposal is carried out correctly for laboratory, recycled and general waste;
• Adopt a proactive attitude to assisting with and implementing carbon reduction and energy saving measures;
• Assisting with stock level control and informing Line Manager when replacements are required;
• Receipt and correct storage of consumables and chemical reagents;
• Reporting any problems with equipment or services to the line manager or colleague as appropriate;
• Treats everyone with dignity and respect in line with current equality legislation;
• Complete any other duties as may be reasonably required by either the Line Manager or Technical Managers.

This apprenticeship would suit:

This post would suit someone with a keen interest in laboratories, research and education, who is looking to develop a career as a technician at one of the UKs leading Universities.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience:

• At least 5 GCSEs (A*- C / 4-9 or equivalent) including Mathematics, English and Science or Biology.
• An enthusiastic, flexible and keen learner who is reliable and dedicated to an apprenticeship.
• Positive service attitude and shows courtesy in dealing with others.
• Ability to organise and manage own workload after consultation with supervisor and demonstrate flexibility in terms of work practices/requirements.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to learn and understand how diversity considerations affect own area (e.g. Dietary requirements/dress code).
• Basic understanding of commonly used software packages.
• An enquiring mind with an aptitude to solve mechanical problems.

Career Pathway:

On completion of this apprenticeship, you may be able to progress into a Research Technician role.

For enquiries please email: apprenticeships@contacts.bham.ac.uk

View our staff values and behaviours here.

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.