Lab Technician
Also known as: Laboratory Assistant · Lab Assistant
Runs routine tests and keeps lab equipment ready in college, research or industrial labs.
What you’d do
Runs routine tests and keeps lab equipment ready in colleges, research institutes and industrial labs. Lab technicians prepare samples, solutions and apparatus, maintain and calibrate instruments, manage stock and assist scientists, faculty or students. The work follows set procedures and safety rules.
- Sets up experiments and instruments
- Prepares samples and solutions
- Records readings and results
- Maintains and calibrates equipment
How you get in
Freshers apply to lab assistant or technician posts advertised by colleges, universities, research institutes and private labs. Government institutions recruit through published notifications and written or skill tests. Practical lab experience from the degree, and comfort with instruments and record-keeping, carry the most weight.
Salary in India
Fresher salary over the years
middle of the 0–1 yr range, ₹ lakh a year
Fewer than two years of fresher data so far — the trend shows once there are two.
Skills you’ll use
From our guide · a curated list is coming
- Preparing samples, reagents and apparatus
- Operating and maintaining lab instruments
- Following SOPs and safety rules
- Inventory and record-keeping
- Assisting with experiments and practicals
About this field · for freshers
Job openings by year
Is demand growing?
Not added yet.
Competition3
How many graduates enter each year?
B.Sc (all subjects) graduates in 2023-24 at institutions that reported to AISHE — everyone finishing that degree, not only those entering this role.
Who hires
IT firms, banks, government, startups?
Not added yet.
Where the jobs are
Which cities?
Not added yet.
Women in the field3
Is it diverse?
Share of women among B.Sc (all subjects) graduates in 2023-24 — the entry degree, not people already working in this role.
At a glance
- Work is steady and procedure-driven; the scope depends heavily on the lab.
- Next steps: senior technician, lab in-charge, or a research assistant role after an M.Sc.
- Clinical or medical lab work needs specific MLT qualifications, separate from a general B.Sc.
Stay safe
No legitimate employer ever asks you to pay to get a job.