Requirements

Laboratory technician - requirements

As a laboratory technician, you’ll be working in a lab helping scientists do experiments, research and analysis. Learn more about what this job involves, the different places you could work at and what you’ll need to study.

Know what you'll need to land a job below.

What qualifications do you need to be a laboratory technician?

While you can become a laboratory technician with a foundation degree or diploma, most employers will expect you to have an undergraduate degree in a scientific subject. Subjects to consider include:

You can also get into this role through an apprenticeship.

Please note this is a beta version. We'll continue to improve our suggestions here so that we show you the most relevant subjects.

Do you need a postgraduate qualification to be a laboratory technician?

You don’t need a postgraduate qualification for this role, but it’s a good idea if you want to progress your career into research or to specialise.

Related subjects offered at master's level include:

Anatomical sciences
Biomedical research
Biomedicine

What skills do you need to be a laboratory technician?

As a laboratory technician, high attention to detail and great communication skills are important, as well as academic knowledge of one or more science subjects.

Hard skills usually include:

Laboratory experience
Chemistry
Biology
Maths
Pharmaceuticals
IT

Soft skills include:

Attention to detail
Analytical thinking
Communication
Research
Management

Do you need work experience to be a laboratory technician?

Work experience in a lab can help you stand out when looking for jobs. This might be in a research lab at uni, a clinical lab in a hospital, or a school or college science department.

Depending on your degree, you might be able to do a placement year in industry. This is a great way to find out what it’s like to work in a lab.