Research Laboratory Apprentice

Summary

Research Laboratory Apprentices are vital for the future technical support to the research establishments in the University of Cambridge. You will be joining the technical and scientific teams in our department, who are responsible for delivering support to the research, teaching and ensuring health and safety compliance of the laboratories.

Wage

£23,881 a year

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Training course

Laboratory technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday – Friday 9 am to 5 pm with one day per week dedicated for studies and course work.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

2 years

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

Some of your key duties will include:

Working in a scientific research laboratory (e.g. use of and maintaining laboratory equipment such as X-ray systems, Pulsed Laser Deposition, Scanning Electron Microscopy) and as needed trouble shoot and resolve simple problems.
Under guidance modify and adapt items for specific uses (such as a heating stage for an X-ray diffractometer).
Follow documented processes to deposit materials and to collect experimental data.
Provide a general introduction for new users on how to operate systems or equipment.

Where you’ll work

Department of Materials Science Metallurgy
27 Charles Babbage Road
Cambridge
CB3 0FS

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

CSR SCIENTIFIC TRAINING LIMITED

Your training course

Laboratory technician (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
Complete documentation proficiently
Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
Contribute to the preparation of reports.
Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results
Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
Complete documentation proficiently
Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
Contribute to the preparation of reports.
Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results

Your training plan

Through the training provider, CSR Scientific Training, you will undertake a Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship which will include:

Fully recognised apprenticeship qualification - Level 3 Laboratory Technician
On-the-job competency training
Theoretical knowledge - BTEC Level 3 Applied Science or Level 4 HNC (depending on prior academic attainment)

The majority of your learning will be completed online once a week with some face-to-face practical sessions/exams in Sutton Coldfield/Birmingham City Centre. Travel and accommodation expenses will be paid for these trips.

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

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

x 5 including Maths, English and Science (grade C/4 or above)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Team working

Other requirements

Applicants should have a keen interest in Science and Technology.

About this company

The Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy has a large and vigorous research school, with about 100 research fellows, postdoctoral scientists and visiting scientists, and more than 140 research students studying for the postgraduate degrees. The growth in our research activities over the past twenty years has been almost exponential, with a current research income of more than £10 million per year. Although our research has always been closely linked with industrial needs and supported in large part by industry as well as government, recent trends have seen the development of larger-scale working relationships with major research sponsors. Similarly, our wide range of international contacts which bring visiting researchers to Cambridge has been extended through formal collaboration agreements with institutions from around the world. The Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy plays a central and major role in research and teaching in materials science. With an academic staff of around 30, including Research Fellows, the Department’s research covers all major areas of the subject, and this breadth is reflected in the scope of our increasingly popular four-year undergraduate course. The emphasis in undergraduate teaching is always on the underlying principles which are applicable to the whole range of engineering materials; ceramics, metals, polymers, composites, solid state device materials. The lecture courses are integrated with laboratory work, projects, example classes and supervisions in small groups. Contact with industry plays an important part in the course through visits to industrial facilities, speakers from industry and vacation placements. The Department is continuing to grow and remains one of the leading centres for the study of materials in the world.

https://www.msm.cam.ac.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Upon succesful completion of your Level 3 apprenticeship, there may be the possibility to progress onto a higher level apprenticeship, such as the Level 5 Technician Scientist.

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