Laboratory Technician Apprentice (Level 3 - 6 Progression) - The Birmingham Assay Office

Department: Science Apprenticeship - Materials L3

Location: Birmingham

Compensation: £20,875 / year

Working for The Birmingham Assay Office

The Birmingham Assay Office is a leading authority in the testing, hallmarking, and certification of precious metals and gemstones. It provides advanced analytical services, valuations, and gem grading, supporting quality assurance across the jewellery, fashion, and consumer goods industries. With a strong focus on innovation, education, and consumer protection, The Birmingham Assay Office plays a vital role in maintaining industry standards and trust.

At our Analytical Laboratory, we’re proud to offer a diverse array of industry standard and unique testing, together with certification services and expert analysis across multiple industries. While we have a rich history of specialising in the analysis of precious metals, we’ve expanded our capability significantly in recent years. Through investment and understanding market trends, we’ve gained extensive knowledge and experiences in testing various products including costume jewellery, watches, luxury products, fashion items, other consumer goods and metal recovery/exploration. It’s worth mentioning that our Analytical Laboratory holds UKAS Accreditation, ensuring the highest quality in a wide range of international tests, including those required for product safety compliance under REACH and RoHS and US regulations and legislations.

The Package

• Starting salary: £20,875 per annum (increasing to National Minimum/Living Wage after 12 months, if applicable)
• Working hours: 37 hours per week Monday – Friday, 8am – 4pm, flexibility start times available
• 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Additional 3 days of leave given to cover Christmas shut down once probation is passed
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health Cash Plan
• Death in Service Benefit
• Enhanced Pension Scheme
• Length of Service Awards
• Regular training and CPD opportunities

What will I be doing as a Laboratory Technician Apprentice?

Kickstart your career in science and metallurgy with hands‑on experience in a specialist laboratory! As an Apprentice Laboratory Technician, you’ll gain practical skills in analysing precious and base metals, platinum group metals, and rare earth elements, while working with cutting‑edge laboratory equipment. This is a long‑term apprenticeship programme designed to take you from foundational skills to advanced expertise. You will begin with a Level 3 apprenticeship, then progress through a Level 6 degree apprenticeship, which encompasses levels 4, 5, and 6, giving you comprehensive training and qualifications that are highly valued in the industry. You’ll be trained by real‑world professionals, develop a deep understanding of chemical testing and contribute to exciting projects from day one.

Key Responsibilities:

• Precious metal analysis, including weighing the samples, carrying out operational procedures of potentiometric titration, cupellation and acid parting, calculating the results and producing a report
• Operating XRF and ICP‑OES spectrometers to analyse a variety of samples including precious/base metal content, rare earth elements and plating thickness determination
• Provide operational support to other staff
• Preparing samples and associated reagents
• Following methods of analysis for testing of samples to satisfy appropriate regulatory and in‑house compliance
• Touch acid testing
• Washing of glassware will be required on an ad hoc basis amongst the laboratory team
• Use of internal systems to create and process customer orders, type reports, invoice jobs, etc.
• Liaising with internal and external customers
• Ensure adherence and maintenance of all ISO accreditation

Setting You up for Success

This isn’t just an apprenticeship, it’s a five‑year journey that could set the course for your entire career. You’ll start with the Level 3 Materials Technician apprenticeship, gaining hands‑on experience in a specialist laboratory, learning how to test, analyse, and understand metals and materials in a way that few people ever get to. From there, you’ll progress onto the Level 6 Materials Science Degree Apprenticeship, covering Levels 4, 5, and 6, where you’ll tackle advanced materials challenges, develop in‑depth technical expertise, and build the skills that industry leaders value most. By the end of the programme, you won’t just have a degree, you’ll have real‑world experience with cutting‑edge equipment, recognised qualifications, and the kind of practical knowledge that employers actively seek.

This apprenticeship offers a rare chance to grow from a hands‑on technician into a fully qualified materials science specialist, opening doors to an exciting and highly rewarding career in science and metallurgy. It’s challenging, it’s immersive, and it could be the start of something extraordinary.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

About you: This is a very hands‑on and practical role, so you should be willing to get stuck in and be hungry to learn from the offset! To succeed in this position, you will bring a natural curiosity for how things work and a keen interest in science, particularly in chemistry. You’ll be someone who enjoys working with your hands as much as your mind, and you thrive in environments where precision and attention to detail matter. A hunger to learn, ask questions, and take pride in producing accurate, high‑quality work will help you succeed in this role. You’ll be proactive and reliable, bringing a strong sense of responsibility to the work you do, whether that’s preparing samples, supporting technical procedures, or collaborating with your team. You understand the importance of safety, cleanliness, and consistency in a laboratory setting, and you’re always ready to roll up your sleeves and support the team where needed—even with tasks like cleaning equipment or organising materials. Good communication skills will help you interact confidently with colleagues and customers, and you’ll be comfortable using basic computer systems to log data, produce reports, or track orders. Most importantly, you’ll bring a positive attitude, enthusiasm to learn, and the drive to build a meaningful career in a specialised and exciting area of science.

Please note, due to the nature of this position, you must be aged 18+ and we are only able to accept applicants who live within a 45‑minute commuting distance to site.

Qualifications

It’s not just about school results, it’s about enthusiasm! In our experience, the most successful apprentices are those who have the drive to find out more about the sector, can be up‑front about what they do and don’t already know, are considerate, self‑reflective and impatient to learn the job role!

Experience

Whilst previous experience is great, we’re not just interested in experience and qualifications; we’re looking for someone with the right attitude and aptitude to fit right in at The Birmingham Assay Office.

So how does the apprenticeship work?

At Tiro, we’re passionate about transforming careers through science apprenticeships, and we can’t wait to welcome you on board. Over the course of this five‑year apprenticeship, you’ll spend a minimum of six hours each week on ‘off‑the‑job’ training. This includes theory learning—such as virtual lessons and online modules—as well as practical training like shadowing experienced specialists, receiving mentoring, and completing assignments. All of this contributes towards both your Level 3 Materials Technician apprenticeship and your Level 6 Materials Science Degree apprenticeship, giving you a complete pathway from hands‑on laboratory skills to advanced materials science expertise. You’ll be guided every step of the way by an expert Tiro tutor and an experienced mentor at The Birmingham Assay Office, who will help you develop the knowledge, skills, and professional habits that are essential for a successful career in materials science and metallurgy.

This is a truly hands‑on role, giving you opportunities to work with cutting‑edge laboratory equipment and experience real‑world challenges that you wouldn’t normally encounter in a classroom or lecture hall. And the best part? You’ll earn a salary while you learn, so you can gain a world‑class qualification without accumulating student debt.

Eligibility

While we never want to hinder your job application process with obstacles, there are some minimum requirements you’ll need to meet in order to do an apprenticeship; these are rules set by the UK Government. As a training provider, we are committed to ensuring that our apprenticeship programmes deliver significant new knowledge and skills. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate that the program will provide learning and experiences beyond their current qualifications and professional expertise. If you already hold a degree or equivalent higher‑level qualification in a closely related field, or possess substantial relevant experience, you may not be eligible for apprenticeship funding, as these programmes are designed for individuals who require upskilling or reskilling in their chosen career pathway. You’ll need to be over 18, not in full time education, have lived in the UK for 3 years and have the right to work in the UK.