Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB)

Designation of occupation

Biological laboratory technician
Recognized by ordinance of March 22, 2000 (BGBl. I p. 257)

Duration of traineeship

3,5 years

The venues for training are the company and part-time vocational school (Berufsschule)

Field of activity

Biological laboratory technicians work as members of a team in close co-operation with scientists in the research and development laboratories of the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, in universities and colleges as well as institutes and other research establishments.

In particular, they carry out experiments in the areas of basic research and pharmacological research and development but also in other areas such as, for example, diagnostics or plant protection. They plan work processes in the laboratories, log the work and evaluate the results. They must observe the rules and regulations governing work safety, health protection, environmental protection and quality assurance in particular.

Biological laboratory technicians have a broad-ranging basic knowlwdge in biology and the natural sciences. Depending on the company's focusses, they have also acquired specialist knowledge and abilities in the third stage of their training. Biological laboratory technicians can work in a team and on projects in many different areas.

Occupational skills

Biological laboratory technicians

• plan experiments together with scientists and carry them out, observing the rules of work safety as well as health and environmental protection;
• excercise great responsibility in observing the regulations governing the protection of animals;
• use quality management methods in their work;
• carry out investigations of animals, plants, micro-organisms and cell structures;
• have acquired great manual skill und are able to carry out demanding preparations;
• develop models for the testing of active substances together with scientists;
• test specific active substances on organisms;
• carry out biological and biochemical investigations at the molecular level as well as genetic engineering experiments;
• apply biotechnological techniques;
• observe and log experimental processes;
• use complex electronic measuring devices in carrying out experiments;
• acquire and process experimental data using EDP systems;
• evaluate measurement and experimental data, in particular using electronic data processing systems, and document and interpret them.

Last modified on: July 30, 2007