How to hire a biology laboratory technician

How to hire a biology laboratory technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step biology laboratory technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a biology laboratory technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new biology laboratory technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a biology laboratory technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The biology laboratory technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect biology laboratory technician also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents biology laboratory technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Biology Laboratory Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Biology Laboratory Technician	Biological technicians help biological and medical scientists conduct laboratory tests and experiments.	$13-24
   Research And Development Technician	A research and development technician specializes in performing mathematical and laboratory operations to support projects concerning products and development. Usually functioning as an assistant to a more experienced researcher, a research and development technician's responsibilities revolve around conducting analysis, building models and prototypes, producing reports, and performing various experiments... Show more	$26-60
   Science Technician	A science technician is responsible for supporting research studies and product development processes by utilizing a scientific method approach and theories. Science technicians assist in conducting laboratory investigations, ensuring the adequacy of laboratory inventory, and inspecting the efficiency and performance of laboratory tools and equipment to prevent examination delays and potential hazards... Show more	$12-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Equipment
   • Molecular Biology
   • Chemistry
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • Biology Lab
   • Cell Culture
   • Animal Handling
   • DNA
   • RNA
   • Data Analysis
   • Laboratory Techniques
   • Anatomy
   • Physiology
   • Autoclaves

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead experiments to assess survivor behavior differences in zebrafish contaminate with dietary mercury.
   • Prepare media and reagents necessary for microbiological and electrophoresis analysis.
   • Carry out highly complex pharmaceutical and biotechnology studies while maintaining strong relationships with clients and upholding federal regulations for FDA approval.
   • Design and implement vegetation survey using GPS and GIS; collect and analyze data for reports.
   • Record the amount of plant cover, GPS coordinates and environmental conditions in a journal for different sampling plots.
   • Lead experiments to assess survivor behavior differences in zebrafish contaminate with dietary mercury.

   More biology laboratory technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your biology laboratory technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A biology laboratory technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, biology laboratory technicians' average salary in kentucky is 48% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level biology laboratory technicians 42% less than senior-level biology laboratory technicians.
   • Certifications. A biology laboratory technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a biology laboratory technician's salary.

   Average biology laboratory technician salary

   $38,514yearly

   $18.52 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level biology laboratory technician salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average biology laboratory technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$52,210	$25
   2	Massachusetts	$43,758	$21
   3	Maryland	$43,552	$21
   4	New York	$41,924	$20
   5	Oregon	$39,438	$19
   6	Illinois	$38,904	$19
   7	Pennsylvania	$37,544	$18
   8	Washington	$37,394	$18
   9	Missouri	$35,697	$17
   10	Virginia	$35,678	$17
   11	Nebraska	$34,868	$17
   12	Utah	$34,529	$17
   13	West Virginia	$33,560	$16
   14	Ohio	$31,684	$15
   15	Nevada	$30,852	$15
   16	Tennessee	$28,625	$14
   17	Indiana	$27,763	$13

   Average biology laboratory technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California	$49,015	$23.56	55
   2	The University of Chicago	$46,481	$22.35	50
   3	Carnegie Mellon University	$45,531	$21.89	16
   4	Edwards Lifesciences	$42,897	$20.62	1
   5	San Diego College of Continuing Education	$41,826	$20.11	1
   6	University of Rochester	$39,037	$18.77	39
   7	Bridgewater State University	$38,125	$18.33	4
   8	Food Safety Net Services	$38,086	$18.31
   9	CTG	$37,872	$18.21	1
   10	Temple University	$37,787	$18.17	2
   11	Nashville State Community College	$37,730	$18.14
   12	Kelly Services	$37,707	$18.13	53
   13	Crowdstaffing	$37,616	$18.08	2
   14	University of Nevada, Reno	$37,571	$18.06	3
   15	Aerotek	$36,401	$17.50	4
   16	Staffing Resources	$35,807	$17.21
   17	University of Virginia	$34,242	$16.46	38
   18	Adelphi University	$33,342	$16.03
   19	West Virginia University	$33,280	$16.00	4
   20	Randolph College	$32,592	$15.67

4. Writing a biology laboratory technician job description

   A biology laboratory technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a biology laboratory technician job description:

   Biology laboratory technician job description example

   Medpace Overview

   Medpace is a full-service clinical contract research organization (CRO). We provide Phase I-IV clinical development services to the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Our mission is to accelerate the global development of safe and effective medical therapeutics through its scientific and disciplined approach. We leverage local regulatory and therapeutic expertise across all major areas including oncology, cardiology, metabolic disease, endocrinology, central nervous system, anti-viral and anti-infective. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, employing more than 5,000 people across 40+ countries.

   Why Medpace?

   When you join Medpace, you become part of a team dedicated to supporting the development of ground-breaking drugs and devices. Our employees provide hope for those living with debilitating diseases. We invite you to be a part of something that is impacting millions of people around the globe while enjoying a competitive total compensation and benefits package and internal growth opportunities.

   Organic Growth: Medpace is continuing to grow in all areas globally and has built an expansive research campus at its headquarters in Cincinnati, OH. In 2020, Medpace opened a new seven story building that is approximately 250,000 SQFT. In total, the headquarter's campus includes five buildings and approximately 600,000 SQFT. The company also has expanding office locations in Dallas, TX and Denver, CO.

   Perks ( vary by location and position ):

   • On-site fitness center(s)
   • Campus walking paths
   • Company-sponsored social and wellness events
   • Official Sponsor of FC Cincinnati
   • On-site Market Place
   • Free and covered parking
   • Discounts for local businesses
   • On campus restaurants and banks coming soon

   Awards:

   • Medpace historically named a Top Cincinnati Workplace by the Cincinnati Enquirer
   • Recognized by Forbes as one of America's Best Mid-size Companies in 2021
   • Medpace ranks amongst top CROs for site ratings across all 10 important attributes including CRA training, preparation & organization, accessibility of staff, open communication, and ensuring timely drug availability
   • Continually recognized with CRO Leadership Awards from Life Science Leader magazine based on expertise, quality, capabilities, reliability, and compatibility
   • Ranked in the top 10 on the 2021 LinkedIn Top Companies list in Cincinnati

   What to Expect Next:

   A member of our recruitment team will review your qualifications and, if interested, you will be contacted for an interview.

   EO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vets

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find biology laboratory technicians for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any biology laboratory technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level biology laboratory technicians with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your biology laboratory technician job on Zippia to find and recruit biology laboratory technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting biology laboratory technicians requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new biology laboratory technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the biology laboratory technician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new biology laboratory technician. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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