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Research laboratory technician skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Rainer Glaser,

Kyle DiVito Ph.D.

Research laboratory technician example skills

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical research laboratory technician skills. We ranked the top skills for research laboratory technicians based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.8% of research laboratory technician resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a research laboratory technician needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 research laboratory technician skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how research laboratory technicians use patients:

Aided in interpreting clinical data regarding cancer prevention for nutrition intervention trials for post-chemotherapy breast cancer patients.
Performed initial assessment of all incoming patients, and reacted appropriately in emergency situations.

2. Chemistry

Chemistry is the branch of science that tells us about the composition, properties, and structure of elements and compounds. The processes these elements undergo and how they undergo change all come under the branch of chemistry.

Here's how research laboratory technicians use chemistry:

Collected and performed analyses of patient samples using procedures and techniques developed for hematology/coagulation, microbiology and chemistry.
Provided microbiology, hematology, and chemistry analysis for over 60 research programs.

3. Laboratory Equipment

Here's how research laboratory technicians use laboratory equipment:

Maintained laboratory budget, OSHA/EPA laboratory compliance, property inventory, laboratory equipment management, reagent and equipment procurement.
Conceptualized, designed, and constructed modifications to laboratory equipment and procedures to reduce accidents and increase safety.

4. Cell Culture

Here's how research laboratory technicians use cell culture:

Provided technical assistance to Principal Investigator and lab personnel -Molecular Biology, Cell Culture, non- survival animal surgery.
Performed standard laboratory procedures such as maintaining cell cultures requiring the use of sterile technique, preparing slides and media.

5. Research Data

Here's how research laboratory technicians use research data:

Analyzed biological research data by performing routine statistical analysis
Managed research database and collected / processed samples for the purpose of analyzing ecological trends in the Colorado River.

6. Research Projects

Here's how research laboratory technicians use research projects:

Planned, performed, and analyzed research projects, including preparing necessary equipment and chemicals/formulas needed to run experiments.
Operated imaging equipment to assist researchers in the development of cosmetic consumer research projects.

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7. Data Collection

Data collection means to analyze and collect all the necessary information. It helps in carrying out research and in storing important and necessary information. The most important goal of data collection is to gather the information that is rich and accurate for statistical analysis.

Here's how research laboratory technicians use data collection:

Assist Principal investigator in documents, presentations & analyze data collection using information technology and computers.
Monitored and evaluated data collection to decrease the likelihood of errors.

8. Data Analysis

Here's how research laboratory technicians use data analysis:

Applied multiple laboratory procedures, techniques and data analysis for different experiments depending on nature and checked laboratory supplies level.
Planned and executed independent work on research experiments complete with data analysis.

9. Laboratory Procedures

Here's how research laboratory technicians use laboratory procedures:

Perform laboratory procedures including dimensional inspection, cleaning, weighing, photo documentation, etc.
Developed, coordinated and executed complex laboratory procedures involving genetic engineering.

10. Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometry (FC) is a procedure used to recognize and gauge the physical and compound attributes of a populace of cells or particles. In this cycle, an example containing cells or particles is suspended in a liquid and infused into the stream cytometer instrument. Stream cytometry is a research center technique used to recognize, distinguish, and check explicit cells. This technique can likewise distinguish specific parts inside cells. This data depends on actual attributes and additionally markers called antigens on the phone surface or inside cells that are special to that phone type.

Here's how research laboratory technicians use flow cytometry:

Performed ELISPOT, Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction assays and Flow Cytometry in a busy immunology research laboratory.
Flow cytometry sample preparation, acquisition and analysis using BD LSR Fortessa, and cell sorting using BD FACSAria II.

11. Laboratory Experiments

A laboratory experiment is an experiment that is carried out in a dedicated room or set of rooms under strictly controlled conditions where precise measurements are possible. Laboratory experiments allow detailed examination of a wide range of parameters and flows and offer a cost-effective way to quantify processes and verify the bounds of validity of the theory.

Here's how research laboratory technicians use laboratory experiments:

Performed laboratory experiments utilizing standard techniques and equipment in a BSL 2/3 laboratory.
Performed laboratory experiments utilizing standard techniques and medical equipment.

12. Western Blotting

Here's how research laboratory technicians use western blotting:

Purified enzymes/proteins by HPLC and characterized and estimated them by SDS-PAGE, ELISA and Western Blotting.
Performed gene and protein expression analyses using Northern blotting and Western blotting.

13. Laboratory Techniques

Here's how research laboratory technicians use laboratory techniques:

Supervised and trained various support staff, graduate students and undergraduate students with laboratory techniques, safety and standard operating procedures.
Utilized basic laboratory techniques, assay array and protein array technology.

14. PI

PI is the execution of all research's components such as preparation, conduction, and administration.

Here's how research laboratory technicians use pi:

Monitored rodent studies for Primary Investigator (PI) on Summer Leave of Absence.
Reconciled integrity of data results and completed time-sensitive reports on analysis process for PI to meet publication deadlines.

15. Animal Handling

Here's how research laboratory technicians use animal handling:

Trained new staff in laboratory safety, animal handling, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and laboratory protocols.
Assisted Oncology Research Associate with experiments for the production of monoclonal antibodies and animal handling.

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What skills help Research Laboratory Technicians find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on research laboratory technician resumes?

Dr. Rainer Glaser

Professor and Chair, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Chemistry competence is key, of course. As a close second, chemists need to demonstrate effective team player competence. Communication skills are essential, in conversation and in writing. Effective collaboration requires highly developed skills to work with team members, peers, and leadership.

What soft skills should all research laboratory technicians possess?

Kyle DiVito Ph.D.

Associate Director of Biotechnology, Assistant Professor, Georgetown University School of Medicine

I cannot state the importance of communication enough. I believe the soft skills that we think of today, such as public speaking and professional writing, are all housed under the umbrella of superior communication skills. If an applicant is a great writer, it will come across in the resume. If an applicant is better at speaking than writing, ask a friend, colleague, or, even better, their College/University alumni association to proofread their resume to make it to the in-person interview where they can showcase their public speaking talents. The other soft skill that I feel is often overlooked is problem-solving and critical thinking. Suppose an employee is always thinking about the next step. In that case, whether it be how to solve a problem or how to anticipate the client's request, this sheds the employee and ultimately the company in a great light and will surely pay dividends for the employee. The advantage of the trained biotechnologist is that they are inherently better at this than most other individuals. Biotechnologists are trained to be problem solvers!

What hard/technical skills are most important for research laboratory technicians?

Kyle DiVito Ph.D.

Associate Director of Biotechnology, Assistant Professor, Georgetown University School of Medicine

From my perspective, the technical skills that are frequently noticed are individuals with training in specific techniques such as gene editing (think CRISPR), vaccine development, tissue engineering, fermentation/bioprocessing skills, and broad knowledge of immunology. While these are a list of varied topics, the biotechnology sector itself is broad and varied, and therefore students or employees seeking to enter the discipline should consider taking courses in these areas or seeking professional advancement in one of the many opportunities that are available within this sector.

What research laboratory technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Gerald Bergtrom Ph.D.

Professor of Biological Sciences (Emeritus) & Teaching & Learning Consultant, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The answers here depend on why the gap year is needed. If the need is to have an income, this would need to be balanced against other desirable needs and wishes.
- Thinking about a whole gap year, the student should make a long-term commitment to skills improvement and fill in gaps in a resume or job application.
-If the new graduate can afford it, spend some time traveling, to be exposed to different cultures and languages. If the student lives in an area with a growing LatinX population, learning some Spanish would be useful.
-If it looks like the gap year will not include activities related to the job they hope to get at the end of the year, then take at least one STEM course in their area of interest so as not to lose their edge. This could be an online course (for example, a MOOC). Do it for credit if necessary, to prove (to themselves and others) that they still love and want to succeed in science.

What type of skills will young research laboratory technicians need?

Dr. Noelle Cutter

Associate Professor, Molloy College

Skills for upcoming graduates...I am a big believer in graduates having a firm foundation in liberal arts and sciences. Employers are looking for employees who can advance in the profession, not just entry-level work. That will be the future of the workforce. The liberal arts and sciences provide a solid foundation for long term employment and career success. It is an approach to college learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change.

This approach emphasizes broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g., science, culture, and society) as well as in-depth achievement in a specific field of interest. In terms of skills, they are lifelong learning skills that are non-subject specific. These skills include the capacity to think critically, communicate clearly (both written and oral), and solve complex problems. I mean, think about the current pandemic....understanding and communicating the science of the virus is absolutely critical. The need for rigorous, critical, engaged thinking to understand the challenge and be informed citizens. It is absolutely critical.

What technical skills for a research laboratory technician stand out to employers?

Sya Kedzior Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Towson University

The ability to understand technical or complex scientific processes and communicate that information with the public is one of the most attractive skills for an entry-level worker to possess. Many employers may not have staff skilled in the latest GIS technologies or social media trends. While the ability to use last year's software or network via Instagram might not seem particularly novel to recent graduates, these are skills less likely to be found in the workforce of even 10 years ago. Geographers are particularly well prepared for today's workforce because they've often had coursework across the "hard" and social sciences, along with training in technical skills (usually GIS or quantitative analysis) and written and oral communication skills. Another skill in high demand today is data collection and analysis. I often talk with potential employers who want to hire people who can develop and administer a public survey, and then analyze and write up the results. That requires understanding human behavior, public communication, and different forms of data analysis. But, these are skills that can be developed in perhaps only a few classes as part of a major or minor in Geography and other cognate fields.

Do you want to know more?

List of research laboratory technician skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a research laboratory technician resume and required skills for a research laboratory technician to have include:

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
Animal Handling
CRISPR

Lab Equipment
Tissue Culture
Research Experiments
Informed Consent
Extraction
Molecular Biology Techniques
Genotyping
Experimental Data
Elisa
Harvest
Cell Lines
Data Entry
Laboratory Instruments
HIV
RT-PCR
PowerPoint

Clinical Trials
Equipment Maintenance
Rna Extraction
Stem Cells
Experimental Results
Protein Purification
Research Studies
R
Electrophoresis
Sectioning
Chromatography
Statistical Analysis
QC
Experimental Procedures
Biological Samples
Tissue Samples

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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