School Laboratory Technician
What the work is
Provides the knowledge, skills and support necessary for practical science activities to be run in schools, and ensures the safety of staff and students in science laboratories, with a focus on chemical and laboratory management.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Prepares, distributes and sets up samples and/or demonstrations, equipment and associated scientific materials for practical teaching laboratory use
- Assists science teaching staff with demonstrations, instruction of students on the use of equipment during science experiments, and the application of safety measures
- Maintains scientific teaching resources, classrooms, storerooms, preparation rooms and laboratories in a clean, safe, orderly and secure manner
- Operates laboratory equipment and performs routine operator maintenance and instrument calibrations as required, in compliance with manufacturer specifications
- Maintains a safe laboratory waste storage and disposal system in accordance with departmental guidelines
- Works within a budget to ensure that laboratories have the correct equipment to carry out practicals
- Performs record keeping and stocktaking of equipment and materials within the science department
- Ensures personal protective equipment is in working order, communicates safety concerns to teachers, and writes standard operating procedures for equipment and processes to ensure student and staff safety
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 311536, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.