Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Graduate Technician Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Graduate Technician Assistant supports senior technicians, engineers and researchers by performing routine technical tasks in laboratories, workshops and field sites. Responsibilities span sample handling, equipment setup and preventive maintenance, data capture and initial analysis, quality checks, documentation, and adherence to health & safety and regulatory procedures. This is a fast-learning, hands-on role intended to develop technical competence, troubleshooting ability and operational discipline necessary for progression into technician and specialist roles.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Recent graduates with a Bachelor's or technical diploma in engineering, chemistry, biology, physics or related field.
Internship or co-op positions as Laboratory Assistant, Field Intern or Workshop Trainee.
Vocational training or apprenticeship in technical disciplines.

Advancement To:

Technician / Lab Technician / Field Technician
Senior Technician or Technical Specialist
Quality Control Analyst or Maintenance Engineer
Engineering Technician, Research Assistant, or Production Supervisor

Lateral Moves:

Quality Assurance / Quality Control roles
Technical Sales Support or Application Specialist
Technical Documentation or Training Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Assist senior technicians with set-up, calibration and operation of scientific instruments, test rigs and production equipment, ensuring instruments meet specifications before each use and recording calibration data in accordance with SOPs and quality procedures.
Prepare, label and process samples, reagents and materials for laboratory analyses or production runs, following established protocols to preserve sample integrity and chain-of-custody documentation.
Conduct routine preventive maintenance and inspection of laboratory and workshop equipment (e.g., centrifuges, spectrometers, microscopes, compressors, power tools), document maintenance activities and escalate deviations to maintenance supervisors.
Execute basic analytical and measurement tasks (e.g., pH, conductivity, mass, temperature, volume, optical density) using industry-standard instrumentation and log results accurately into laboratory notebooks or electronic systems.
Support quality control by performing specified QC checks, recording control results, flagging out-of-tolerance values and assisting with corrective action documentation under guidance.
Assist in troubleshooting routine hardware and software problems by performing stepwise checks, replacing consumables, cleaning optics and connectors, and coordinating with senior technicians for complex repairs.
Maintain clean, organized and safe work areas by following housekeeping schedules, disposing of waste according to hazardous materials guidelines, and ensuring emergency equipment (eyewash stations, spill kits) is accessible and tested.
Record experimental and operational data precisely using LIMS, spreadsheets, or paper logs, ensuring entries are complete, dated, signed and traceable for audits and reproducibility.
Support setup and teardown for field sampling campaigns or production runs, including packing equipment, checking inventory, and transporting instruments while complying with site safety rules and travel procedures.
Assist with inventory management of lab reagents, spare parts and consumables: perform stock counts, trigger reorder requests, label new stock and ensure proper storage conditions.
Follow, update and help maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), maintenance checklists and work instructions by documenting observed improvements and communicating procedural gaps to mentors.
Perform basic data cleaning and exploratory analysis (e.g., summary statistics, trend checks, simple plots) to validate data quality and support interpretation by senior staff.
Provide technical support to production or research teams by preparing fixtures, jigs or test samples, and performing repetitive tasks consistently to tight tolerances under supervision.
Participate in on-site safety inspections and audits, help implement corrective measures (e.g., signage, PPE changes, training refreshers), and promote a safety-first culture among peers.
Run routine biological or chemical assays when applicable (e.g., plate preparation, pipetting, staining), maintaining aseptic technique and following biosafety and chemical hygiene practices.
Assist in electrical and mechanical assembly tasks such as wiring harness preparation, basic soldering, component fitting and mechanical alignment under documented guidance and quality checks.
Support calibration traceability by helping maintain calibration logs, cross-checking certification dates and liaising with third-party calibration services to schedule instrument calibrations.
Prepare clear, concise technical reports, routine test summaries and specimen labels for internal distribution and to support regulatory submissions or client deliverables.
Coordinate with cross-functional teams (R&D, production, procurement, health & safety) to schedule lab usage, prioritize urgent test requests and ensure materials are available for time-sensitive tasks.
Participate in training sessions, competency assessments and certification activities to expand technical skills, document training outcomes and demonstrate continuous improvement towards independent task execution.
Assist with the setup and maintenance of digital systems used for capturing operational data (basic configuration of sensors, data loggers, and connectivity checks), escalating IT issues to specialist teams when necessary.
Execute basic environmental monitoring tasks (e.g., temperature mapping, cleanroom particle counts) and assist with remediation tasks to maintain controlled environments.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient in common laboratory techniques and instrumentation handling (e.g., pipetting, weighing, microscopy, basic chromatography or spectrophotometry).
Instrument calibration and preventive maintenance knowledge, with the ability to read calibration certificates and follow maintenance schedules.
Familiarity with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) or equivalent quality systems, and basic audit readiness.
Competency with data capture tools including LIMS, electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) or spreadsheet software (advanced Excel: pivot tables, basic formulas).
Basic troubleshooting skills for mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment including use of multimeters and basic hand tools.
Experience or coursework with data collection and simple analysis (summary statistics, charting, data validation).
Knowledge of laboratory safety, hazardous materials handling, PPE use and waste disposal procedures; able to follow biosafety/hazardous chemical protocols.
Basic familiarity with CAD, PLCs or control systems is advantageous for workshop or production-focused roles.
Ability to perform routine QC testing and recordkeeping, including traceability and nonconformance reporting.
Competence in sample preparation, labeling standards, chain-of-custody and cold-chain handling where applicable.
Basic IT literacy: installing drivers for data loggers, transferring measurement files, and coordinating with IT for system integration.

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail and accuracy in experimental setup, data entry and documentation.
Clear written and verbal communication for cross-functional coordination and report generation.
Reliable time management and ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a busy technical environment.
Problem-solving mindset with eagerness to learn technical procedures and apply feedback.
Teamwork and interpersonal skills for close collaboration with senior technicians, engineers and researchers.
Adaptability and flexibility to support rotating shifts, field assignments or changing project priorities.
Professional integrity, confidentiality and adherence to regulatory and quality requirements.
Customer-focused attitude when supporting internal stakeholders or external clients.
Proactive approach to workplace safety and risk mitigation.
Continuous improvement orientation: curiosity to suggest procedural optimizations and efficiency gains.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree or technical diploma in engineering, chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, environmental science, biomedical engineering, or related technical field.
Equivalent vocational qualifications or apprenticeship with relevant laboratory or workshop experience may be accepted.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in a relevant discipline; additional certifications in laboratory techniques, instrumentation, electrical/mechanical fundamentals, or quality systems (ISO, GLP) preferred.
Coursework or micro-credentials in data analysis, LIMS, or instrumentation maintenance are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Mechanical, Electrical or Chemical Engineering
Biology, Biochemistry or Biotechnology
Materials Science or Physics
Environmental Science or Analytical Chemistry
Biomedical Engineering or Industrial Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0–2 years (entry-level / graduate role), including internships, co-ops or industrial placements.

Preferred:

6–18 months of hands-on experience in a laboratory, manufacturing, field sampling, workshop or maintenance environment.
Demonstrated experience with basic instrumentation, safety practices and accurate technical documentation.