Laboratory instructors teach students how to conduct experiments in laboratories. They usually work closely with a professor or teacher, who teaches students scientific concepts in the lecture hall, while the laboratory instructor handles the hands-on aspect of students' learning. They make sure that students learn appropriate scientific methods and how to follow lab safety protocol by designing experiments, modeling how to use laboratory equipment, and supervising students as they work. Laboratory instructors also grade student lab reports. Besides working with students, laboratory instructors conduct additional administrative tasks that are needed to keep their laboratory running. They set up and maintain equipment and keep track of supply inventory.
Most laboratory instructors have an advanced degree in biology or another science, such as a master's or a doctorate. Sometimes, laboratory instructors are students themselves working towards a graduate degree who supervise younger students.
Laboratory instructors need plenty of professional experience working in a laboratory before they can teach others how to do the same. Many have previous work experience as laboratory assistants. They earn an average salary of $52,568 a year.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a Laboratory Instructor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.11 an hour? That's $54,304 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -1% and produce -1,800 job opportunities across the U.S.
There are certain skills that many Laboratory Instructors have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed Communication skills, Organizational skills and Patience.
If you're interested in becoming a Laboratory Instructor, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 65.6% of Laboratory Instructors have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 17.1% of Laboratory Instructors have master's degrees. Even though most Laboratory Instructors have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a Laboratory Instructor. When we researched the most common majors for a Laboratory Instructor, we found that they most commonly earn Bachelor's Degree degrees or Master's Degree degrees. Other degrees that we often see on Laboratory Instructor resumes include Associate Degree degrees or Doctoral Degree degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a Laboratory Instructor. In fact, many Laboratory Instructor jobs require experience in a role such as Research Assistant. Meanwhile, many Laboratory Instructors also have previous career experience in roles such as Teaching Assistant or Internship.