Lab Assistant| 6 Month Contract | (Inside IR35) | Hybrid | Starting ASAP

Day Rate: DOE

About the Role
The Laboratory Assistant role sits within the Plant Health Sciences branch. The branch's core function is to provide a diagnostic testing service in support of Scotland's statutory obligation to ensure it remains free from a range of quarantine organisms and to support the Scottish Seed Potato Classification Scheme.

What do you want this assignment to achieve?

This post will support delivery of a diagnostic service for pathogens of regulatory concern in plant and tuber material associated with imports/exports, certification, plant-passporting inspections and "unknown" pests.

The post will provide support for the delivery of Scotland's annual surveillance, monitoring and testing programmes.

Main Duties of Role

• Sample receipt and registration, preparation and processing of plant samples for laboratory analysis.
• Maintenance of laboratory, ensuring the necessary equipment and labware/media is available.
• Manual work, lifting and handling large bags of potatoes for testing and sampling of potato material.
• Working within a quality assurance laboratory system. Maintain test records.
  
• Provide support for the following: receipt, preparation, processing and statutory testing in compliance with standard operating procedures and following Scottish Government procedures and standards.
• Work within a quality assurance management system compliant with UKAS requirements accredited tests (ISO 17025).

Role Criteria

• No mandatory qualifications. Previous experience in a laboratory environment is desirable.
• You will report directly to the Bacteriology Manager and work alongside bacteriologists and plant pathologists within the branch.
• 
  This post is full time on site in the laboratory. The work of the Laboratory Assistant is performed predominantly in the laboratory and glasshouse, this can also include field work subject to survey results. The work can be physical in its nature.

This role has been deemed Inside IR35 by the client. Applicants must hold, or be happy to apply for, a valid Basic Disclosure Scotland. Please click the link to apply.