Scientific Laboratory Technician

HSE Health and Safety Executive; Buxton; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job description

You will provide essential daily scientific support duties in the Fibres and Minerals Team, specifically but not limited to the Proficiency Testing Schemes (PT).

The PT scheme is a service on offer from HSE. The PT scheme is a quality assurance tool used to assess the performance and accuracy of laboratories, organisations, or individuals conducting specific tests or measurements. It involves the participation of laboratories in a program where they are provided with samples or test materials to analyse, without knowing the correct results beforehand.

Your role will be to provide routine laboratory support within a small team in the delivery of the asbestos PT scheme offered by HSE. This will predominantly involve the production of samples for five international PT schemes and other HSE delivery.

You will be trained and work towards obtaining qualifications in British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) Identification of Asbestos in Bulk Samples P401 and P403 Air sampling and Fibre Counting, or equivalent. This will enable you to support analysis and fibre counting work within the Fibres and Minerals Team.

You will be working in a controlled and safe laboratory environment with asbestos and other potentially hazardous materials e.g. crystalline silica on a daily basis. You will be required to assist in packing and despatch of the scheme samples and quality control samples, as required. Upon successful training, the role may include site visits.

As you develop in the role, you may be required to work in a laboratory environment for prolonged periods at a microscope. There may be periods of lone working in both the laboratory and office.