Life Science Technicians

ANZSCO ID 311413

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
2,400
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
71%
Female Share
61%
Average age
35

Summary

Life Science Technicians identify and collects living organisms and conducts field and laboratory studies in support of Life Scientists or Environmental Scientists.

Also known as: Life Science Technical Officer.

Specialisations: Biological Technical Officer, Botanical Technical Officer, Ecological Technical Officer, Environmental Technical Officer, Fisheries Technical Officer, Forestry Technical Officer, Forestry Technician, Wood Technologist, Zoology Technical Officer.

A formal qualification in life science, laboratory technology or another related field is usually needed to work as a Life Science Technician. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.

Tasks

  • Prepares materials for experimentation, including freezing and slicing specimens and mixing chemicals.

  • Collects information and samples.

  • Conducts field and laboratory experiments, tests and analyses.

  • Presents results in graphic or written form by preparing maps charts, sketches, diagrams and reports.

  • Performs routine mathematical calculations and computations of measurement.

  • Controls the quality and quantity of laboratory supplies by testing samples and monitoring usage.

  • Checks, calibrates and maintains test equipment.

  • Participate in fabricating, installing and modifying equipment to ensure that critical standards are met.


Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Science Technicians, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 71% of people employed as Life Science Technicians work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 5 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 41 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.


Industries

Main industries

1
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
27.8%
2
Education and Training
20.9%
3
Health Care and Social Assistance
11.9%
4
Public Administration and Safety
8.6%
5
Other industries
27.9%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

23.7% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

30.0% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

19.0% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

7.7% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

12.1% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

3.5% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.0% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

3.0% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Life Science Technicians All Jobs Average
NSW 23.7 31.6
VIC 30.0 25.6
QLD 19.0 20.0
SA 7.7 7.0
WA 12.1 10.8
TAS 3.5 2.0
NT 1.0 1.0
ACT 3.0 1.9



Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
35
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
61%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Life Science Technicians is 35 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 61% of the workforce. This is 13 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Life Science Technicians All Jobs Average
15-19 1.1 5.0
20-24 12.8 9.3
25-34 34.1 22.9
35-44 20.8 22.0
45-54 17.3 21.6
55-59 7.4 9.0
60-64 4.5 6.0
65 and Over 2.1 4.2
Median Age 35 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

A formal qualification in life science, laboratory technology or another related field is usually needed to work as a Life Science Technician. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Laboratory Operations, Food Processing and Australian Meat Processing VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Life Science Technicians All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 9.5 10.1
Bachelor degree 35.1 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 24.4 11.6
Certificate III/IV 13.5 21.1
Year 12 10.1 18.1
Year 11 2.2 4.8
Year 10 and below 5.3 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Science Technicians who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 66%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 57%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 55%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 54%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 54%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 54%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 52%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 52%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 50%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 50%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 50%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 45%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 45%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 43%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 43%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 41%

    Troubleshooting

    Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.

  • 41%

    Systems evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

  • 39%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 39%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 37%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 78%

    Biology

    Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.

  • 64%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 57%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 54%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 53%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 48%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 44%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 39%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 39%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 34%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 30%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 29%

    Physics

    The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.

  • 28%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 26%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 26%

    Medicine and dentistry

    Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.

  • 25%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 23%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 22%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 15%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 12%

    Food production

    Planting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 64%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 64%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 63%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 61%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 59%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 59%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 59%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 57%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 57%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 55%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 55%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.

  • 54%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 54%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.

  • 50%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 50%

    Colour discrimination

    Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.

  • 48%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 48%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 48%

    Perceptual speed

    Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • 46%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 43%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 72%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 72%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 71%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 70%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 69%

    Making sense of information and ideas

    Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.

  • 67%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 64%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 63%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 63%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 62%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 56%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 56%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 56%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 48%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

  • 48%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 46%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 45%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 44%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 43%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 43%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 90%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 71%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 67%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 33%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 24%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 19%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 62%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 62%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 55%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 52%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 48%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 43%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 98%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 91%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 91%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 85%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 81%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 78%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 76%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 76%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 74%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 74%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 73%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 72%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

  • 69%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 66%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 66%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 66%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 64%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 63%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 63%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 60%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 19-4021.00 - Biological Technicians.


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