Skill Profile
Laboratory Techniques
"The observable action of carrying out scientific experimental procedures — including sample preparation, instrumentation operation, data collection, and result recording — according to validated protocols and good laboratory practice standards, in order to generate reliable, reproducible, and accurate experimental data."
YOUR SKILLS
Problems This Skill Solves
- Research hypotheses that cannot be tested without reliable experimental methods — mastery of appropriate laboratory techniques enables scientists to generate valid data that answers research questions with sufficient precision and confidence
- Batch-to-batch variability in pharmaceutical or food manufacturing — rigorous application of analytical laboratory techniques (HPLC, spectroscopy, dissolution testing) verifies that each production batch meets specification before release
- Contamination or analytical error that invalidates experimental results — adherence to good laboratory practice (GLP), proper sample handling, and instrument calibration procedures prevents the generation of false data that leads to incorrect scientific conclusions
- Forensic evidence integrity — chain of custody procedures, validated analytical methods, and documented protocols ensure that forensic laboratory findings are defensible in court and have not been compromised by contamination or procedural error
Tools Used
Roles That Use This Skill
1 total · 1 industryThis skill is concentrated in one industry.
Biomedical Science / NHS Pathology / Biotech
"Laboratory technique quality is mainly about precision — perform each step consistently, and results will be reproducible."
Precision is necessary for reproducibility but not for accuracy. Systematic errors — contamination, calibration drift, reagent degradation, environmental factors — can produce highly precise results that are consistently wrong. Practitioners who follow protocols without understanding the purpose of each step are less likely to recognise when a systematic error is affecting their results.
Research & Outlook
Laboratory science is being transformed by automation and miniaturisation — liquid handling robots, automated sample preparation systems, and lab-on-a-chip technologies are increasing throughput and reproducibility while reducing the manual pipetting and sample handling that has traditionally been the bottleneck. Artificial intelligence is being applied to image analysis (microscopy, pathology), spectral interpretation, and experimental design (Bayesian optimisation for method development), augmenting scientists' analytical capabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the deployment of high-throughput diagnostic and research laboratory platforms (automated PCR, LIMS-integrated sample tracking) that are now being applied to broader research and clinical testing workflows. Open science practices — sharing protocols on protocols.io, pre-registering experiments, depositing raw data in public repositories — are changing laboratory culture towards greater transparency and reproducibility, rewarding rigorous documentation as well as technical execution.
See This Skill In Action
Watch a professional demonstrate Laboratory Techniques in a real working environment — what it looks like, how it's applied, and why it matters.
Science / Research
Laboratory Techniques
Also Known As
Growth Path
Performs routine laboratory procedures under supervision following written SOPs: solution preparation, pipetting, centrifugation, basic instrumentation operation, and laboratory safety procedures. Maintains a laboratory notebook and records results accurately. Recognises when results are unexpected and seeks guidance.
Operates and maintains a range of laboratory instruments independently, troubleshoots common instrument and assay failures, and performs basic method validation (accuracy, precision, linearity, range). Designs and executes straightforward experiments, analyses data using appropriate statistical methods, and interprets results in the context of the research question.
Develops and validates new analytical methods to regulatory standards (ICH Q2, FDA/EMA guidelines). Troubleshoots complex or novel experimental failures. Establishes laboratory quality management systems, trains junior scientists in technique and GLP, and provides expert interpretation of complex or anomalous datasets. Contributes methodological sections to peer-reviewed publications and regulatory submissions.
How to Practise
- 1.Gain hands-on laboratory experience through a university degree practical programme, industrial placement, or volunteering in a research laboratory — there is no substitute for time spent physically performing techniques under supervision.
- 2.Study the theoretical principles behind each technique you use — understanding why a technique works (the chemistry of HPLC stationary phases, the physics of NMR relaxation, the biology of PCR primer annealing) enables better troubleshooting when results are unexpected.
- 3.Practise good laboratory documentation: write protocols before you start, record observations in real time in a laboratory notebook, note deviations from protocol and their potential impact, and archive raw data systematically. These habits are as important as technical skill.
- 4.Seek out troubleshooting experience — ask to investigate a failing assay, a contaminated sample, or an instrument performing outside calibration limits. Diagnostic problem-solving in the laboratory develops skills that routine successful experiments do not.
How to Prove
- ·Degree in a relevant scientific discipline (chemistry, biology, biochemistry, pharmacology) with significant practical laboratory component — the primary credential demonstrating foundational laboratory competence
- ·Laboratory-specific certifications: HPLC method development, cell culture competency, biosafety training, radiation protection supervisor (RPS) certification where relevant
- ·Portfolio of experimental work: laboratory notebooks, reports, or publications demonstrating consistent application of validated methods and rigorous data quality practices
- ·Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) training certificate for regulated laboratory environments (pharmaceutical, contract research, environmental testing)