Assistant Technician 1

Charles River; Tranent; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading contract research organization is seeking an Assistant Technician 1 for their BioSciences Lab Services group in Scotland. This 12-month fixed-term position involves providing laboratory support, conducting horticultural tasks, and ensuring adherence to Standard Operating Procedures. Ideal candidates should possess National 5 qualifications or higher, a positive approach to working in a busy lab, and good computer skills. Salary is £23,842.35 per annum.

Qualifications

• National 5 qualifications (Assistant Technician) or HNC (or higher) or relevant on‑job experience.
• Positive and constructive approach to a busy laboratory environment.
• Good level of computer literacy for Microsoft Word and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Provide laboratory support to Study Directors in day-to-day running of studies.
• Horticultural tasks including growing and monitoring plants.
• Assist with study set‑up, sample collection, and data generation.
• Conduct laboratory work in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures.
• Undertake routine tasks of laboratory and equipment maintenance.
• Maintain a safe working environment by observing safety procedures.

Job description

For 70 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well‑being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.

The Biosciences division currently has an exciting career opportunity for an Assistant Technician 1 to join our new and evolving BioSciences Lab Services group on a 12 month fixed term contract.

The successful candidate will work within the team which provides support across a variety of operational areas to the pharmaceutical, veterinary pharmaceutical and chemical/agrochemical industries by evaluating the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of new chemical and biological entitiesboth in vitro and in vivoin a variety of test systems (cells, animals, plants and soils).

Responsibilities

• Provide laboratory support to Study Directors in the day to day running of studies.
• Horticultural tasks include growing and monitoring plants, crop maintenance, implementing fertiliser and pest prevention regimes, and assisting with horticultural aspects of the scientific research.
• Provide assistance with study set‑up, sample collection and data generation.
• Conduct laboratory work in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures and the principles of Good Laboratory Practice.
• Undertake routine tasks of laboratory and equipment maintenance as may be delegated.
• Ensuring that a safe working environment is maintained by observing all safety procedures and working methods and by making proper use of protective clothing and equipment.

Qualifications

• National 5 qualifications (Assistant Technician) or HNC (or higher) or relevant on‑job experience (Technician)
• A positive and constructive approach to working in a busy laboratory environment and the ability to pay close attention to detail is essential.
• Good level of computer literacy for Microsoft word and excel.

Salary will be £23,842.35 per annum.

The closing date is 31 December 2025.

About Safety Assessment

Charles River is committed to helping our partners expedite their preclinical drug development with exceptional safety assessment services, state‑of‑the‑art facilities and expert regulatory guidance. From individual specialty toxicology and IND enabling studies to tailored packages and total laboratory support, our deeply experienced team can design and execute programs that anticipate challenges and avoid roadblocks for a smooth, efficient journey to market. Each year approximately 120 investigational new drug (IND) programs are conducted in our Safety Assessment facilities.

About Charles River

Charles River is an early‑stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non‑GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.

With over 11000 employees within 70 facilities in 18 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our clients’ unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world. And in 2016, revenue increased by 23.3% to $1.68 billion from $1.36 billion in 2015.

At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well‑being of many across the globe. We have proudly supported the development of ~70% of the drugs approved by the FDA in 2016.