How to hire an environmental laboratory technician

How to hire an environmental laboratory technician, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The environmental 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an environmental laboratory technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an environmental laboratory technician that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of environmental laboratory technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Environmental Laboratory Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Environmental Laboratory Technician	Environmental science and protection technicians monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution and contamination, including those affecting public health. In addition, they work to ensure that environmental violations are prevented.	$13-26
   Microbiologist	Microbiologists are responsible for studying the microscopic organisms causing infections and environmental damage, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Their work focuses on the identification and growth of these microbes to better understand their characteristics that may help in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious and bacterial diseases... Show more	$18-36
   Staff Scientist	The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.	$30-65

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Equipment
   • Water Samples
   • Sops
   • Environmental Samples
   • Test Equipment
   • Environmental Lab
   • Process Control
   • Sample Preparation
   • Environmental Monitoring
   • Water Quality
   • Analytical Results
   • Waste Water
   • Sample Collection
   • NPDES

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage daily RCRA inspections and mechanical, electrical, and electronic equipment preventive/corrective maintenance procedures.
   • Support short and long term projects meeting establish deadlines such as the upcoming revisions to the USP heavy metals testing.
   • Initiate and maintain paperwork in accordance with FDA guidelines and perform investigations for any deviant results.
   • Perform internal audits of laboratories in accordance with current standard operating procedure of good laboratory practices and FDA regulations.
   • Assist HAZWOPER technicians with logistical support for operations on project operations including research of facilities and vendors need for project completion.
   • Monitor temperature and pressure of production distillation towers

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, environmental laboratory technicians' average salary in florida is 34% less than in virginia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level environmental laboratory technicians 48% less than senior-level environmental laboratory technicians.
   • Certifications. An environmental 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 an environmental laboratory technician's salary.

   Average environmental laboratory technician salary

   $40,682yearly

   $19.56 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level environmental laboratory technician salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing an environmental laboratory technician job description

   A job description for an environmental laboratory technician role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an environmental laboratory technician job description:

   Environmental laboratory technician job description example

   Lab Technician 1

   Make an impact. Build a career.

   At Pace®, we’re committed to continuously moving science forward; to innovate and advance sustainable practices that improve the health and safety of our communities and lives. Ask any of us, and you’ll hear the same thing repeated again and again: we work here because what we do positively impacts the world.
   

   If you’re curious, driven and inspired by the idea of doing important work with real-world impact, there’s no better place to build your career.
   
   

   Find your place at Pace®

   Join us as a Lab Technician I, where you’ll put your love of science to work in the sample preparation department of our environmental testing laboratory. You’ll receive all the training you need to successfully take on your new role and grow an exciting laboratory sciences career at Pace®.

   What you’ll do

   • Support all laboratory sample-related activities, including preservation, preparation, processing and maintenance
   • Maintain and update appropriate documentation and databases
   • Participate in training on fundamental lab support policies, programs, and practices
   • Work 3rd shift; Monday - Friday 10:00 pm - 7:00 with training on first shift
     
     

   What you’ll bring

   • High school diploma or equivalent
   • Ability to perform work in a lab or office setting, remain standing for long periods while conducting tests, work around strong smells, and wear personal protective equipment while handling samples (e.g., lab coat, safety glasses and gloves; all PPE provided by Pace®).
   • Experience in a laboratory or environmental testing setting is preferred, but not required
     

   What we promise

   • Comprehensive benefit program, including medical, vision and dental insurance, 401(k) matching and tuition reimbursement
   • Opportunities to build a rewarding career
   • An inclusive culture that stands for integrity, innovation and growth

   About PaceⓇ
   
   PaceⓇ Science and Technology company makes the world a safer, healthier place. We partner with clients to provide the service, science, and laboratory data needed to make critical decisions that benefit us all. Through a nationwide laboratory network, PaceⓇ advances the science of businesses, industries, consulting firms, government agencies, and others. More at PACELABS.com.

   PaceⓇ Analytical Services is a division of PaceⓇ Science and Technology, providing local testing and analytical services backed by a large, national laboratory network.

   PaceⓇ Life Sciences is a division of PaceⓇ Science and Technology, providing full-service CDMO/CRO capabilities and professional services for in-house labs through a nationwide network of service centers, manufacturing sites and FDA-registered laboratories.

   
   

   
   3rd shift Mon-Fri 2200-0700 with an hour lunch.
   
   Training would be done on 1st shift Mon- Friday 0900-1800 with an hour lunch
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find environmental 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 environmental laboratory technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level environmental 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 environmental laboratory technician job on Zippia to find and recruit environmental laboratory technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting environmental 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 environmental laboratory technician

   Once you've decided on a perfect environmental laboratory technician candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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