How to hire a research laboratory technician

How to hire a research laboratory technician, step by step

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

What does a research laboratory technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The research 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

   A research laboratory technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, research laboratory technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents research laboratory technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Research Laboratory Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Research Laboratory Technician	Biological technicians help biological and medical scientists conduct laboratory tests and experiments.	$14-23
   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
   Biological Science Technician	A biological science technician is responsible for supporting scientists in conducting laboratory experiments and examinations. Biological science technicians perform data analysis procedures, evaluate findings, and create data reports... Show more	$12-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Chemistry
   • Laboratory Equipment
   • Cell Culture
   • Research Data
   • Research Projects
   • Data Collection
   • Data Analysis
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • Flow Cytometry
   • Laboratory Experiments
   • Western Blotting
   • Laboratory Techniques
   • PI

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage RT-PCR screening of candidate genes.
   • Manage the development of innovative visualization and concept mapping of contest environment analysis challenges and analyst skill sets.
   • Use many scientific techniques to collect and analyze RNA, DNA, and specific proteins from lines of potato plants.
   • Preform computational molecular simulation of DNA and RNA.
   • Retain patients from previous research projects and update database using patient histories and correlating pertinent medical data.
   • Work with non human primates in an HIV testing laboratory.

   More research laboratory technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your research laboratory technician job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A research laboratory technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a research laboratory technician in Montana may be lower than in Illinois, and an entry-level research laboratory technician usually earns less than a senior-level research laboratory technician. Additionally, a research laboratory technician with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average research laboratory technician salary

   $38,308yearly

   $18.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level research laboratory technician salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average research laboratory technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Illinois	$45,782	$22
   2	California	$45,445	$22
   3	Massachusetts	$43,948	$21
   4	New York	$42,850	$21
   5	Wisconsin	$41,505	$20
   6	Washington	$40,576	$20
   7	Georgia	$37,675	$18
   8	Maryland	$37,377	$18
   9	Minnesota	$36,619	$18
   10	Arizona	$35,716	$17
   11	Colorado	$35,534	$17
   12	Michigan	$35,512	$17
   13	Ohio	$35,435	$17
   14	Pennsylvania	$35,087	$17
   15	Nebraska	$34,542	$17
   16	Virginia	$33,785	$16
   17	Louisiana	$32,597	$16
   18	Texas	$32,153	$15
   19	Missouri	$31,071	$15
   20	South Carolina	$30,888	$15

   Average research laboratory technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Accenture	$53,711	$25.82	170
   2	University of Southern California	$48,229	$23.19	70
   3	California Institute of Technology	$46,095	$22.16	7
   4	Jacobs Engineering Group	$45,389	$21.82
   5	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$44,353	$21.32
   6	Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc	$43,727	$21.02	1
   7	HHMI	$43,686	$21.00	26
   8	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	$43,471	$20.90	11
   9	Mayo Clinic	$43,389	$20.86	278
   10	University of Colorado Boulder	$43,170	$20.75	19
   11	Children's Hospital Colorado	$42,861	$20.61	12
   12	ADM	$42,583	$20.47	45
   13	Cornell University	$42,294	$20.33	32
   14	Medical University of South Carolina	$42,229	$20.30	20
   15	Xerox	$42,209	$20.29
   16	Hormel Foods	$42,139	$20.26	3
   17	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	$41,826	$20.11	67
   18	Intel	$41,781	$20.09
   19	Brigham and Women's Hospital	$41,736	$20.07	122
   20	Form Energy	$41,682	$20.04

4. Writing a research laboratory technician job description

   A good research laboratory 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 research laboratory technician job description:

   Research laboratory technician job description example

   The research technician position in Dr. Pere Puigserver's Lab will assist scientists in performing scientific research of varying complexity. Duties include working with laboratory mice and conducting basic molecular biology and cell biology techniques. Basic procedures include but are not limited to: pipetting; cell and tissue culture, handling of small laboratory animals, etc. There will be continuous learning opportunities and the position will be a good stepping stone for those interested in biomedical research.
   
   Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.
   
   Assisting postdocs and students with cell based assays, which will involve maintenance of cell lines, isolation of primary cells from mouse tissue, and flow cytometry.
   
   Assisting with biochemical techniques such as protein purification and quantification, enzyme assays and metabolite measurements.
   
   Assisting with molecular biology techniques such as plasmid purification and bacterial transformation.
   
   Maintenance of Puigserver Lab animal (laboratory mouse) colony, including weaning, tail biopsies, DNA preparation and genotyping by PCR.
   Maintenance of Puigserver lab animal protocols. Placing orders for the purchase of lab consumables. At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are equally committed to diversifying our faculty and staff. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply. Bachelor of Science or Arts Degree (by Spring 2022) with scientific specialty is required. Must be willing to work with laboratory mice. Previous experience working in a medical or scientific research setting is preferred. Must be self-motivated and an independent worker with excellent communication skills (written and verbal). At least two years of commitment is required.
   Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other groups as protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with research laboratory technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 research laboratory technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the research 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new research laboratory technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 research laboratory technician?