A Day in the Life of a Melbec Lab Technician
It’s easy to imagine simmering test-tubes and obscure calculations on the chalkboard, but what is it really like down in the Melbec laboratories?
We asked, and our busy team were more than happy to share with us what a typical day as a lab technician looks like.
Hello from the lab team!
Bright and early…
Our first tasks of the day include the preparation of media so each of our specialised labs can begin their testing. We check the equipment and make sure everything is working as it should. This is the time to also carry out our daily tasks such as checking temperatures of incubators and water-baths and making sure everything is restocked!
No day is the same…
Our tasks are varied! We might prepare glasswork or paperwork for ongoing tests, assess products that have reached a timepoint, do some dispensing, reading or counting of various samples. If we’re working in the Biocides or Virology labs, we might be subbing organisms or propagating viruses or we might be doing hand-washing trials to test the latest innovations
. We could be testing surface disinfectants or testing efficacy against something like Murine Norovirus!
No post-lunch slumps here…
This is where we’ll really dig into our QC and Preservative Efficacy testing. Some of us will be weighing out samples, mixing or pouring media. Some of us will be extracting liquids from wipes. We’ll be cleaning right the way through, making sure our environment is always hygienic and clean.
Closing time…
Before we leave for the day, we’ll put away all our plates, record batch codes for daily media, empty any waste and make sure all our work benches are spotless. There are always so many new products coming through, all with different requirements and procedures to follow. Each day brings the opportunity to expand our scientific knowledge.
Why we love the lab…
We’re not the type to sit in front of a computer; we love the varied tasks we do each day. It’s really interesting to watch how different products react and grow cultures on different medias. Working in a lab really opens your eyes to the risks that people don’t notice in everyday life and how important things like handwashing are.
No matter how qualified you are, working in a lab means you are constantly learning things and that’s what we love
the most. We love our close-knit community and the opportunity to learn together as a team. Having a career in science is very rewarding, providing opportunities to help both local businesses and larger corporate companies!
A big thank you to our lab for taking the time to share with us their day!
If you’d like to learn more about why Melbec is the best choice for your testing, please contact us at clientservices@melbecmicrobiology.co.uk.
