Life Science Technician
What the work is
Identifies, collects and tests living organisms, and conducts field and laboratory studies in support of Life Scientists, Medical Scientists or Environmental Scientists.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Assists in the collection and identification of living organisms
- Assists in maintaining records of collected specimens
- Assists with experiments conducted on living organisms and analysis of data collected about them
- Provides technical services and support for scientists in several fields, including biology, agriculture and environmental science
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a school science laboratory and prep room, supporting teachers and students through the school week. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A practical lesson goes smoothly because every piece of equipment was where the teacher needed it
- A student asks what you do and then wants to see the prep room
- A tricky experiment finally works, and a whole class cheers
Hard days
- A teacher asks for a practical lesson that needs preparing by first period tomorrow
- A spill or breakage that has to be handled safely before the next class arrives
- Cleaning, counting and labelling long after the students have left
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 311535, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.