Production Laboratory Technician Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the production laboratory technician job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also lays out exactly what kind of skills and qualifications you need to snag a job as a production lab tech.

Whether you’re someone looking to break into the production laboratory technician career path or an employer trying to craft a killer job description to bring in the best candidates, this guide has got you covered from all angles.

No beating around the bush here – let’s dive straight into the nitty-gritty!

What Does a Production Laboratory Technician Do?

A production laboratory technician is responsible for conducting various tests and analyses on raw materials, in-process products, and finished goods in a manufacturing or production environment.

Their primary role is to ensure that products meet quality standards, regulatory requirements, and customer specifications.

For instance, at wyeast, production laboratory technicians are expected to perform both lab and production tasks safely, accurately, and effectively, including culture propagations and sample analysis.

Production laboratory technicians report to a production manager, laboratory supervisor or a quality control manager depending on the structure of the company

Most positions for production laboratory technicians wants candidates who possess an Associate’s degree in a relevant scientific field like biology, chemistry and the likes.

Others may want someone with a Bachelor’s degree. Also usually required for hiring for the role is good laboratory experience or on-the-job training.

There are specific industries like environmental testing and pharmaceuticals that may look for specific certifications and licenses.

The production laboratory technician job description usually involves conducting test on different samples, following laid down SOPs and other industry protocols, and correctly operating laboratory equipment and ensuring that they are well maintained.

It also entails recording and interpreting test results correctly.

Additional duties of a production lab technician may include calibrating laboratory equipment correctly to keep it in top shape and ensuring good inventory practices to ensure laboratory is well stocked at all times.

They are also responsible for providing process improvement for general operations optimization and for training new recruits on the scope of their work.

Production laboratory technicians play an important role across industries, ensuring safe and quality products.

Across different countries, there are strict rules governing testing and manufacturing processes.

Technicians stay in line with those regulations without violations.

The production laboratory technician role is one of those behind-the-scene types, but their impact is wide across almost all industries.

From food to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals to environmental testing, these technicians are strategic to ensuring safe and quality products get to the market.

Production Laboratory Technician Job Description Example/Sample/Template

The production laboratory technician job description consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Maintain and operate a wide array of instruments and equipment, like chromatography systems, pH meters, spectrophotometers, and balances
• Run test on raw materials and products to ensure they are up to par with laid down standard
• Collect and order samples for testing
• Collect, analyze, interpret, and report data correctly
• Help develop and assess new testing procedures and methods
• Recommend new process improvement for general operations optimization
• Train new team members on equipment, procedures, and safety practices
• Help check if new lab equipment work properly when they come in
• Conduct root cause analyses and set corrective or preventive actions in place to mitigate quality issues
• Take part in continuous learning and staying sharp as changes happen across the industry
• Contribute to developing and updating SOPs and manuals.

Production Laboratory Technician Job Description for Resume

If you are making a new resume or CV and have worked previously as a production laboratory technician, you can apply the job description above in creating the Work Experience section of your resume/CV.

You can highlight the duties and responsibilities you have performed previously as a production laboratory technician in the Professional Experience section of your resume by utilizing the sample job description provided above.

This will show that you have been effective in performing the duties and responsibilities of the production lab tech and will boost your chances of been hired.   

Production Laboratory Technician Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

Here are some of the competencies that make an effective production laboratory technician:

• Possess proficiencies in running several lab test
• Able to operate and maintain lab instruments and equipment
• Know sampling techniques and sample prep methods
• Possess adequate understanding of good laboratory practices and quality control protocols
• Familiarity with approximate industry guidelines, regulations and compliance demands
• Can analyze and interpret data correctly
• Able to work with relevant information management software
• Have solid analytical and critical thinking skills
• Pays good attention to details and recommend solutions
• Expertise in data analysis and statistical methods
• Have troubleshooting skills for resolving process and equipment related issues
• Impressive communication and recording skill-set
• Possess interpersonal skills for collaborative endeavors
• Possess solid time management and organization skills
• Excellent knowledge of principles and concepts of science
• Able to adapt to new development in methods, technologies, and the likes
• Possess safety and compliance awareness
• Able to follow SOPs, safety standards and good lab practices
• Can ensure good inventory practices for reagents and supplies to avoid unnecessary downtime
• Able to troubleshoot issues in collaboration with other departments.

Production Laboratory Technician Salary

From the May 2024 salary survey data by Salarydotcom, the average yearly salary of a production lab technician, also known as manufacturing laboratory technician in the United States, is $46,139.

The best paying U.S. cities for production or manufacturing laboratory technicians according to the data are:

• San Jose, CA, $57,905
• Santa Clara, CA $57,905
• Fremont, CA $57,812
• Daly City, CA $57,674
• San Francisco, CA $57,674

The States that pay the highest salaries to manufacturing laboratory technicians include District of Columbia and California, with salary of $51,353 and $50,891 yearly on the average respectively.

Conclusion

This post has provided all you need to learn about the job description of a production laboratory technician.

You have learnt their key duties, responsibilities, obligations, and tasks.

Additionally, it also presented the salary and the knowledge and skill-set employers look for in hiring for a production laboratory technician role.

You can use the information on this page to draft a comprehensive job description if you are an employer looking to attract valuable talent to your company.

At the end of the day, production laboratory technicians play a great role in ensuring that safe and satisfying products get to the hands of consumers all over the world.