SercoLaboratory Technician - Planetary Materials & Geochemistry
Serco is hiring a Laboratory Technician - Planetary Materials & Geochemistry. Level rates it ; you can apply on Serco.
Level's read on this job
- Little AI ●○○○ is how Level rates this role: aI is not part of the work.
- The posting mentions Sem Eds, Xrd and Xrf among its tools and skills.
- Level classes it as a mid-level role.
- Serco has 320 other open roles on Level.
AI in this role
Prepare and analyse geological and planetary materials while operating specialist laboratory equipment.
Join Serco, a trusted space services partner with more than 55 years of experience supporting ESA, NASA and other international space organisations across the full mission lifecycle.
Are you a hands-on laboratory professional with experience in geology, geochemistry, analytical chemistry or materials science? Join our team at ESA-ECSAT in Harwell, UK, and help support planetary science and space exploration. You will prepare and analyse geological materials, operate specialist instruments, manage samples and support researchers using ESA’s Sample Analogue Curation Facility.
What you will do:
- Prepare and characterise geological, mineral, soil and regolith samples.
- Operate, calibrate and complete routine checks on analytical and sample-preparation equipment.
- Record, quality-check and report analytical results clearly.
- Maintain sample traceability, storage, inventory and laboratory records.
- Keep procedures, calibration logs and maintenance schedules up to date.
- Resolve routine equipment issues and coordinate specialist support when needed.
- Support facility users, instrument bookings and safe laboratory operations.
- Manage consumables, suppliers and improvements to laboratory workflows.
What you will bring:
- A relevant qualification or equivalent training and laboratory experience in geology, geochemistry, analytical chemistry, materials science or a related field.
- Hands-on experience preparing and characterising geological or comparable materials.
- Experience operating, calibrating and maintaining analytical laboratory equipment.
- Ability to follow safety procedures, maintain accurate records and produce clear technical reports.
- An organised, detail-focused approach and confidence working in an international team.
- Professional written and spoken English.
- Eligibility to work in the UK.
It would be an advantage if you also have:
- Experience with SEM/EDS, XRD, XRF, FTIR or Raman spectroscopy.
- Familiarity with ImageJ, MATLAB, Origin or similar software.
- Experience with planetary science, analogue samples or materials characterisation.
- Experience supporting laboratory users or managing sample traceability and inventory.
Role information:
This full-time role is based mainly on-site at ESA-ECSAT in Harwell. You will use laboratory PPE, handle samples and chemicals safely, and meet site security requirements. Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK. Contract, salary, working pattern and relocation details will be shared during recruitment.
DE&I:
At Serco, every voice matters. We welcome different perspectives, value individual contributions and work together to support our people, customers and communities.
What we offer:
- Competitive salary and company benefits.
- Relocation support, subject to individual circumstances.
- Public transport reimbursement.
- Access to ECSAT sports and recreation facilities.
- Company pension contribution and team events.
Ready to contribute to the future of planetary exploration? Apply to join Serco at ESA-ECSAT.
How we rate this
Laboratory Technician - Planetary Materials & Geochemistry at Serco rates 0 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Little AI. AI is not part of the work.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where geochemistry was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where analytical chemistry was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where materials science was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where laboratory operations was part of your work. What did you do?
- Walk me through how you've used Sem Eds in your day-to-day work.
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Geochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Materials Science, Laboratory Operations, and Sem Eds. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
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