How to hire a microbiology technician

How to hire a microbiology technician, step by step

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

What does a microbiology technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a microbiology technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or 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 microbiology 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.

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

   Type of Microbiology Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Microbiology Technician	Biological technicians help biological and medical scientists conduct laboratory tests and experiments.	$13-25
   Quality Control Chemist	A Quality Control Chemist uses chemistry lab skills to test and measure materials, usually in a manufacturing or pharmaceutical field. They analyze samples using scientific equipment, prepare study protocols, collect data, and identify and investigate abnormal test results.	$21-36
   Research Chemist	A research chemist specializes in conducting studies and experiments to develop new products. Their duties primarily focus on conducting research and assessments, gathering and analyzing chemical samples, developing ideas, conducting tests to study chemical reactions, maintaining records of all procedures, and utilizing previous studies... Show more	$25-51

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Equipment
   • Test Results
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • Environmental Monitoring
   • Media Preparation
   • FDA
   • Aseptic Technique
   • Microbiology Lab
   • QC
   • Chemistry
   • Data Entry
   • Infection Control
   • Bioburden
   • Pipettes

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Job duties begin in a general microbiology/ infectious disease laboratory focuse on cultivating and managing infectious strains of microbes.
   • Apply GMP and GLP documentation for all sample testing.
   • Prepare culture media, perform culture media QC test, and maintain appropriate inventory, perform growth promotion testing and sterility.
   • Quantify total aerobic plate count and total yeast and mold count.
   • Keep records of all tests in database and keep entries of QA checks.
   • Use of microscopes, autoclaves, carboys, manual and electric pipettes, etc.

   More microbiology technician duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, microbiology technicians' average salary in kentucky is 50% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level microbiology technicians earn 45% less than senior-level microbiology technicians.
   • Certifications. A microbiology 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 microbiology technician's salary.

   Average microbiology technician salary

   $40,084yearly

   $19.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level microbiology technician salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average microbiology technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$52,797	$25
   2	California	$47,519	$23
   3	Pennsylvania	$42,721	$21
   4	Ohio	$42,545	$20
   5	Minnesota	$41,780	$20
   6	Colorado	$40,491	$19
   7	Florida	$40,360	$19
   8	Washington	$39,771	$19
   9	Wisconsin	$39,605	$19
   10	Missouri	$37,289	$18
   11	Texas	$34,007	$16
   12	South Carolina	$33,776	$16
   13	Kansas	$32,801	$16
   14	North Carolina	$32,721	$16
   15	Arizona	$32,188	$15
   16	Tennessee	$30,365	$15
   17	Indiana	$29,130	$14

   Average microbiology technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Thomas Jefferson University	$53,127	$25.54
   2	Namsa	$48,197	$23.17	12
   3	Mérieux NutriSciences	$46,902	$22.55	16
   4	HealthTrust	$45,165	$21.71	53
   5	Reser's Fine Foods	$42,051	$20.22	2
   6	Sonic Healthcare USA	$41,414	$19.91	5
   7	Psg	$41,269	$19.84	7
   8	Bausch + Lomb	$41,241	$19.83	9
   9	San Jose State University	$40,025	$19.24
   10	SGS	$39,913	$19.19	59
   11	Randstad North America, Inc.	$39,866	$19.17
   12	Element Materials Technology	$39,790	$19.13	10
   13	BD	$39,765	$19.12	3
   14	Athenex	$39,738	$19.10
   15	Exova Inc	$39,660	$19.07
   16	Net2Source	$39,578	$19.03
   17	Niagara Bottling	$38,470	$18.50
   18	Kelly Services	$38,468	$18.49	40
   19	Ohio State University Medical Center	$38,241	$18.39	1
   20	Elevance Health	$37,937	$18.24

4. Writing a microbiology technician job description

   A good microbiology technician job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a microbiology technician job description:

   Microbiology technician job description example

   Kelly Services has provided outstanding employment opportunities to the most talented individuals in the marketplace. Today, we are proud to offer a long-term contract opportunity for a Microbiologist Technician III with our client, a leader in the Medical Device industry, located in Tampa, Florida.
   Two openings!
   
   Tuesday through Saturday
   
   Sunday through Thursday
   
   day shift
   
   Until the end of the year -likely an extension
   
   This role will be responsible for supporting:
   
   + Biological Indicator Testing for raw materials, components, finish product and validation sterilization cycles
   
   + Plate reading
   
   + Microbial Culture transfers
   
   + Growth promotion testing of media
   
   + Support other areas of the lab as needed
   
   Requirements: Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Experience in computer operation and basic word processing programs. Ability to communicate and work well with others; good oral and written skills. Excellent aseptic technique. Familiar with microbiological testing techniques concerning product testing. Prefer BS in Microbiology or other related science. 1-3 years of industrial experience.
   
   **What happens next**
   
   Once you apply, you'll proceed to the next steps if your skills and experience look like a good fit. But don't worry-even if this position doesn't work out, you're still in our network. That means all of our recruiters will have access to your profile, expanding your opportunities even more.
   
   Helping you discover **what's next** in your career is what we're all about,
   
   \#1
   
   **You should know:** Your safety matters! Vaccination against COVID-19 may be a requirement for this job in compliance with current client and governmental policies. A Kelly recruiter will confirm and share more details with you during the interview process.
   
   **Why Kelly** ** ** **Science & Clinical?**
   
   Kelly Science & Clinical is your connection to premier scientific and clinical companies looking to hire industry experts just like you. Our team creates expert talent solutions to solve the world's most critical challenges. Every day, we match science professionals with dream jobs that fit their skills, interests, and career goals-it's the way we think job searching should be. Nearly 100 percent of our science recruiters have a professional background and education in science, so we know a thing or two about the science market and how to get your expertise noticed.
   
   **About Kelly** ** **
   
   At Kelly, we're always thinking about what's next and advising job seekers on new ways of working to reach their full potential. In fact, we're a leading advocate for temporary/nontraditional workstyles, because we believe they allow flexibility and tremendous growth opportunities that enable a better way to work and live (plus, did we mention we provide a ton of benefits ?). Connecting great people with great companies is what we do best, and our employment opportunities span a wide variety of workstyles, skill levels, and industries around the world.
   
   Kelly Services is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We welcome, value, and embrace diversity at all levels and are committed to building a team that is inclusive of a variety of backgrounds, communities, perspectives, and abilities. At Kelly, we believe that the more inclusive we are, the better services we can provide. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to Kelly's Human Resource Knowledge Center.
   Kelly complies with the requirements of California's state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find microbiology technicians for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit microbiology technicians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 microbiology technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the microbiology 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.

   To prepare for the new microbiology technician first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire a microbiology technician?