[Closed] Lab assistants

Previously worked as...a lab assistant (university) both in the UK and abroad, also worked as field researcher and an assistant lab managaer.

One was crop science based i.e. commercial, fast paced, very labour intensive and broad in terms of roles i.e. fielding calls/on the spot crop testing/putting together results presentations/being interviewed by Farmers Weekly. exhausting but rewarding (+100 hour weeks during harvest). The experience/qualifications needed were next to none, as on site training was provided in protein testing, LECO machine use etc. However I had already an extensive 'working in labs' portfolio of work from my undergraduate degree.

Second areas have been institutional (large UK university and medium sized Canadian university), very different focus, very much needed to know what I was doing (where degree becam useful!) and be able to be left alone for long periods of time, often repetitive, boring work. Very little social interaction. And work that one couldn't really not focus on, although the more you learnt about the projects respectively, the more interesting it became. - http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/groups/trobit/

In general, lab assistant work (depending what field) can pay very well, especially if taken as a second job. However, quite often a bit dull, solo work, mp3 player required.

Qualifications: degree, lots of various other training mostly inhouse, presently doing an msc.

It'd be worth your while collaring a member of staff on their lunch/fag break and asking them, as to be honest depending what you're doing, it can vary infinitely in your experience of it.

Any questions, just ask 🙂 Done some 6 years of various lab work...

Used to work as a lab tech doing routine QC on pigment/dyes. Not earth shattering but it was in a private company and at the time they were very busy and the money was good with all the overtime I wanted. Ah those were the days - disposable income!

NHS or Private? NHS will be rubbish wages and looking like either paycut or no increase given the financial cuts expected in the public sector, "senior assistant healthcare scientist" (glorified dogsbody) for NHS here

I'm a technician in the Wellcome Centre for Molecular Biology at the University of Glasgow. Although some might find the work repetitive and dull, I don't. I left school at the age of 16 and trained as a sheet metal worker (TIG welder), but left that in my early 20's to go to college then university (Ecology Bsc Hons), from which I eventually made my way to the post I'm in now.

The wages are pretty poor. I'm nearly 40 with 12yrs of research experience in various labs under my belt, but I haven't cracked the 20k barrier yet. 😕 However, the working environment is second to none. It's stimulating, healthy, clean and very, very relaxed. Every day I'm in the lab I learn something new, and quite often I find myself actually excited about going into work to find out the results of an experiment. Just for that, I think I'm a remarkably lucky sod.

I have heard stories about some of the big 'industrial' labs not being the greatest places to work for, but these are told by folk who in my opinion, haven't really seen the grimmer side of working life. That's why it always makes me smile when someone complains about hating having to do loads of 'minipreps' because it's so dull. Just try working in a stinking, noisy foundry, doing the same repetitive job for gawd knows how many years before you come snivelling to me young Johnny-me-lad!

Corr! I needed to get that off my chest, didn't I? 😆

Beagy

p.s. Drop me an email if my jobs in the same sort of field and you want more info

I wouldn't take a "lab assistant role" with a degree unless the job was very specific and you actually were working in a field of interest with the view of using it as a stepping stone. I have an MChem.

I've been a QC technician as a sumer job, I've worked in labs and I'm now a development chemist. Work is ok, often dull and monotonous* but occasionally very interesting. *Repetition is vital in experimental proof.
Our lab assistants spend there time running the more labour intensive tests, preparing solutions and test pieces.

My money is reasonable, around the national mean but I would expect less for an assistant role, I think our fresh starters are on 18-19k. The main selling point is that there is an option to get paid more as you get experience and experties in areas.

Atmosphere very much depends on company but we have a big and busy lab so there is a pleasant atmosphere to work in as it's posible to chat easily while still working. How interesting your work is also depends on managers, I've had all sorts from amazing through to incompetent/ dangerous.

Find out what the personal development situation is. If you aren't going to move up the ladder you may get bored fairly soon.

12 years in contract research before breaking out and going into the bike industry. 🙂

Everything from rodents to dogs and monkeys! Ah, the smell of dogshite on a hot summers morning... especially after a few beers the night before.

Theres some very good advice above - at times theres a very "production line" feel to studies, the years really can fly by with you repeating the same task hundreds of times a day, seven days a week, month after month... At the same time, there can be a huge sense of achievement and the pay is good once you figure in overtime (often basic pay is shite, but made up for with good o/t rates)

good advice regards the "unsuitability" of degree students for lab work, we had a lot start viewing it as a stepping stone, and become very disillusioned.

overall - stressful at times, an ability to disappear into a zone and work away while doing something else with your brain is vital, but as beagleboy says, compared with working down t'pit its a doddle.

Re being a lab assistant and having a degree, I think it must depend on the place/employer. Everyone who worked as a tech in my GF's old lab in Manchester had a degree. One had an MSc. For most it was a first job, and some were able to gain postgrad quals while working, my GF did an MPhil and then was taken on as a RA and did a PhD while working. It's very unuisual to get an RA position with a Batchelor's (I know one person who did). The Prof there treated techs as junior research staff, which had pros and cons (but was basically due to him being a cheapskate control freak).

Money-wise she started on about 12K (in 2002) and as a tech maybe earned up to about 17 before she became a RA (2005?) then it went up to 22 or so. That is in academia so probably less than comparable role in industry. Re conditions/job satisfaction I think it's ace, if I had my time again I'd love to work in science or engineering.

There's a great deal of variation depending on the industry you are looking to working.

In contract analytical work, food and environment,you are less likely to see the approaching 20K salaries for starters. I happily used to offer 14K to fresh MSc graduates, and there were no shortage of takers.

The industry will also determine the 'routineness' of it all. The closer you get to a research or development environment the more likely you will have variety in your job.

If you want to know more about contract labs, drop me a line.

Matt

I did many years ago. The Electrical Research Association in Leatherhead.
The work was varried and interesting, relaxed atmosphere, pay low! Unless you had a degree which I didn't, you couldn't get anywhere and pay was kept low. I left!

reserch technician here, and previously worked as a lab assistant. money can be from 10k starter (placement) up to around 32k (unusual, requires regrading and long service here, but can be achieved if you have support) as said above the work can vary vastly depending on the work done in the lab, and the ares of work.

It can be repetitive (try putting 6 ton of sand into 1kg bags!) but i generally find the work changes frequently so is never boring.
currently got a bsc in design.

things i have tested in my previous role: condoms, footballs (with a canon), fruit crates, carpet cleaner, sat-navs, solar panels, electric golf trolleys, car polish,barbeques.

currently 50/50 split between office and lab - involved in low temperature (liquid nitrogen temp) mechanical properties testing of insulation type materials. work for the commercial institute of a university. as well as the testing i prepare reports and generally supportive role to the acedemics/ engineers.

mail in profile if you want more info.

Lab work.

Its not a job for a human being, but only a human being can do it.

You have my sympathies. 😥

I used to work in a lab (I wont say which, theres only one handling that kind of work in the country)

Depends on the lab, I had about 5 or 6 different types of jobs/tests to do, and was prety much left to my own devices to manage the workload and the other lab workers. Without the other stuff the lab work was very boring and reppettative, take sample in, phone clients, analyse, write 3 page report, send to client, repeat twice daily (on average). I wouldnt go back to it (can earn 3x what they paid with the same qualifications), but would be quite happy going back in a level above in the same company as even the managers got to pick up the occasional lab job to keep themselves involved.

I work as a lab tech in a college and hate it. The job itself is easy and could be very laid back but it is the lecturers that treat me like poo. Hey ho hopefully only four days left of it then I'll be moving on.

Thank's for the replies, I viewed the thread earlier but due to the nazi computer geeks at work monitoring internet use it's best not to reply on a thread about a change of job.
The job is in the private sector
Non medical, a mix of construction and agricultural testing
Money wise the pay isn't as good as any of the figures listed so far.
Mind you I don't have a degree.
There is also plenty of overtime apprently.