How to hire a contract laboratory technician

How to hire a contract laboratory technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step contract 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 contract laboratory technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new contract laboratory technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your contract laboratory technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a contract laboratory technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   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 contract 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.

   Here's a comparison of contract laboratory technician salaries for various roles:

   Type of Contract Laboratory Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Contract Laboratory Technician	Medical laboratory technologists (commonly known as medical laboratory scientists) and medical laboratory technicians collect samples and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissue, and other substances.	$15-24
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27
   Laboratory Supervisor	The primary job of laboratory supervisors is to oversee the daily operations of laboratories. They are responsible for facilitating the collection, analysis, and interpretation of laboratory results... Show more	$22-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Equipment
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • R
   • GMP
   • Analytical Techniques
   • PH Meter
   • Sample Preparation
   • Laboratory Notebook
   • Product Quality
   • Test Results
   • DSC
   • Titration
   • FTIR
   • Lims

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize wet bench work and HPLC to analyze cathode leads for drug quantity and quality.
   • Manage patient, and corporate information with compassion and confidentiality.
   • Work with HPLC, GC-MS, AA to conduct analysis
   • Prepare gum samples in a GMP laboratory according to scientist formulations.
   • Used LIMS to generate daily work assignment and to report results.
   • Log in samples using COR LIMS and distribute samples to labs.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your contract laboratory technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A contract laboratory technician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, contract laboratory technicians' average salary in south carolina is 34% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level contract laboratory technicians earn 36% less than senior-level contract laboratory technicians.
   • Certifications. A contract laboratory technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a contract laboratory technician's salary.

   Average contract laboratory technician salary

   $40,285yearly

   $19.37 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level contract laboratory technician salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing a contract laboratory technician job description

   A contract 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. Below, you can find an example of a contract laboratory technician job description:

   Contract laboratory technician job description example

   We set science in motion to create a better world, and have done for over 100 years
   
   Through our diverse and passionate global workforce of 15,000, we support a value chain of Life Science both as a distributor and manufacturer. High quality materials and outstanding service is our priority, as we partner with over 225,000 customers in over 180 countries.
   
   Our trusted partnerships serve and include Biopharma, Healthcare, Education, Advanced Technologies and Applied Materials - working collaboratively to make a difference to the future.
   
   Avantor is present across 100 locations in 30 countries, and we continue to grow. It is a flexible world, and we compliment this where possible by offering hybrid working. Your development is our focus; an environment where you can enrich your career journey through committed learning and development.
   Build your career by helping us forge new paths to create a better world for us all.
   
   Position Overview
   Avantor Services provides laboratory solutions to leading businesses in the life science industry.
   
   We have an opportunity for a Laboratory Technician to join their lab and production operations team at AstraZeneca, on a 6month temporary contract, with the possibility of an extension.
   
   you will be helping to test theories, improve products, and bring your scientific advancements to the world as quickly as possible
   
   Key Tasks and Responsibilities
   The collection, washing, and drying of all glassware onsite, as well as the checking and disposing of any broken or damaged glass goods General housekeeping, and waste management, ensuring the workspace is kept tidy and up to standard keeping in-line with SWPs'Balance performance checks of the equipment on site, Nitrogen fills and weighing and dispensing You will be responsible for the consumable stock management of our inventory, keeping track of what consumables are being used and which ones will need to be reordered Receiving deliveries and taking them to where they need to go around the lab
   
   Experience Required
   Good IT skills required (including Microsoft Word/Excel/Outlook) Good time management skills, ability to be flexible and handle multiple responsibilities and tasks on a regular basis Clear and concise written and spoken communication skills Experience of working in a laboratory environment and Knowledge of SHE requirements in a laboratory environment is desirable but not essential
   
   Further Information:
   Our Talent Partners will clarify full details
   Bonus Private HealthcarePension Bank HolidayPaid Holiday
   
   Avantor Sciences is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The collective talents and perspectives of our associates drive the good we create in the world - and why we are focused on building a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. Ensuring every associate is empowered to grow, succeed and shape our evolving culture.
   #LI-EUR
   .
   
   We will use the personal information that you have submitted to us in order to consider your application for the relevant role.
   Your privacy is important to us. Please click here for our Privacy Policy which explains the purposes for which we will use your personal information and the ways in which we will handle and retain your information. It also explains the rights you have in relation to your information, and how to contact us with any queries or requests.
   
   3rd party non-solicitation policy
   
   By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find contract 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 contract laboratory technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level contract 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 contract laboratory technician job on Zippia to find and attract quality contract laboratory technician candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit contract laboratory technicians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 contract laboratory technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the contract 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 contract 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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