Biological Laboratory Technician
A biological laboratory technician assists biologists, doctors, or members of the criminal justice system with their research, including sample collection, experimentation, and lab testing.
What does a technician in a biological laboratory do?
Duties
As a biological laboratory technician, you must do a number of crucial duties, such as the following:
- Conduct autonomous laboratory experiments under the direction of a supervisor and contribute to research projects.
- be accountable for daily lab supervision of students or junior researchers, including general maintenance duties like ordering or purchasing supplies and maintaining records.
- To track experimental techniques and data, keep a well-organized notebook under the strict supervision and direction of the primary investigator (PI).
- To guarantee that safety laws are followed, give other staff members and students basic trainings through regular contact.
- As directed by the PI, prepare solutions and reagents and properly dispose of biohazardous waste or chemicals.
Everyday Life
You will assist researchers with scientific tests, analysis, and experiments depending on where you workâprivate enterprise or a government research facility.
Your research could have a broad range of effects, such as preventing contamination in production processes, generating medical remedies to treat diseases, and cultivating cultures in petri dishes to help with microbiological experiments.
Depending on the assignment, you may interact and collaborate closely with scientists, academic staff, students, and others.
In order to conduct specialized experiments, analyze biological samples, and model the data gathered, daily activities involve the use of conventional laboratory instruments, cutting-edge computer software, and robotics technology.
Your job may occasionally need you to participate as instructed in experimental operations involving animals. If your job include fieldwork, you’ll spend a large portion of the day outdoors trekking great distances to reach particular locations for water or trash samples.
Schedule For Work And Typical Hours
You can anticipate working a full-time schedule of about 40 hours per week in this position. Although it is uncommon, working on weekends or during holidays may be necessary to meet project deadlines.
You will conduct investigations and tests with the help of biological and medical professionals in an atmosphere that can range from a fully furnished laboratory to an operational office.
When conducting fieldwork for live samples, you can be working outside in unfavorable weather conditions while occasionally coming into contact with wildlife.
Expansion of the job
Over the period of 2014 to 2024, this industry is expected to experience job growth that is 5% higher than the national average. There will be more options for biotechnology researchers to find work as demand for their work grows.
In order to develop resistance against diseases like cancer, AIDS, and Alzheimer’s disease, new and creative research will be conducted.
There is a growing need for lab technicians with scientific research skills to carry out tests for workable solutions in this area since genetic engineering for plants and crops is evolving quickly to produce higher yields and require less treatment.
For privately held pharmaceutical companies and governmental organizations to operate effectively, biological laboratory technicians are also crucial.
If you have a lot of experience working in research settings and a higher degree, your prospects of moving up the career ladder as a biological laboratory technician are higher.
The majority of technicians go on to work as scientists or managers of national science programs.
Common Employers
Medical research, biological sciences, molecular biology, environmental toxicology, pharmaceuticals, resource management, agricultural sciences, criminal justice, etc. are just a few examples of the many research-intensive areas where you can find employment.
Medical Diagnostic Laboratories LLC, The Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Clinical Research Management, Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc., Piney Technical Services, Montrose Environmental Group, Inc., Charles River Laboratories, and Moses Lake Industries are a few employers that are hiring biological laboratory technicians.
How to Become a Technician in a Biological Laboratory
You need a two-year degree or technical qualification to work as a biological laboratory technician.
You can apply those credits toward an undergraduate degree if your certificate program is certified by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
The majority of those in the profession, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, receive training from a hospital or vocational school, while others receive it while serving in the armed forces and earning a diploma in clinical lab technology.
You need to be extremely well-organized and able to communicate well in order to excel in this line of work. A large portion of the work entails forging strong working connections and fulfilling requirements from frequently several managers and supervisors. Additionally, you will be handling confidential information and sensitive items.
Data on the wages of biological laboratory technicians
The information below will help you learn more about this profession. The editorial material and recommendations on this page are based on our research, while the income and growth information is based on newly released Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Low Range for National Annual Salaries
- Average: $32,990; High: $45,230; Low: $69,180
Nationwide minimum wage
- Low $16/hour, Average $22/hour, and High $33/hour
How do Biological Laboratory Technician wages compare to those at comparable positions nationwide? Biological laboratory technicians can earn an average yearly pay of $45,230, or $22 per hour, according to the most recent data on employment across the US.
It is therefore a Salary Above Average. When just starting out or depending on the state you live in, they may make as little as $32,990, or $16 per hour.
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