Associate Scientist - Summer Internship

Looking to gain hands-on industry experience this summer? We’re seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Associate Scientist to join our R&D team for a summer placement. This will be a paid internship, based full-time on-site for 3-4 months. You’ll work directly with advanced automated liquid handling technologies, helping ensure our instruments perform with exceptional accuracy and reliability.

This placement offers a rare chance to learn from experienced scientists and engineers within our R&D department, contribute to real product testing, and gain skills that will support your future career in science or engineering.

About us:

Based in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, SPT Labtech makes products that transform the way scientists work. For decades, our expert scientists, engineers and business innovators have provided scientists with world-leading, innovative solutions for liquid handling, sample preparation, and sample management that help accelerate research and make a real difference to human health. We work collaboratively with our customers, building trusted relationships that enable us to deliver exceptional, personalised experiences designed for real-world challenges in the lab.

Want to be part of a team that’s truly making a difference?

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Performance testing of automated liquid handling instruments under defined protocols.
• Operation of automated pipetting platforms, liquid handling workstations, and associated laboratory equipment.
• Recording experimental procedures, results, and deviations accurately in laboratory notebooks or electronic systems.
• Analyse test data for precision, accuracy, reproducibility, and compliance with performance specifications.
• Collaborate with the R&D team to identify and troubleshoot basic operational issues with instruments and assist in implementing corrective actions.
• Follow all relevant safety, quality, and regulatory procedures.

Skills & Attributes

You will bring:

• A proactive attitude with the willingness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced, evolving R&D environment.
• A high level of attention to detail
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot effectively.
• Good organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple experiments in parallel.
• Clear and confident written and verbal communication.

The essentials:

• Currently in at least your 2nd year bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related).
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment.

Desired (Not required, but beneficial):

• Experience with pipetting and liquid handling in a laboratory setting
• Basic understanding of laboratory measurements, calibration, and statistical analysis.
• Experience with automated liquid handling instruments (e.g., SPT Labtech, Tecan, Hamilton, Beckman Coulter, or similar), or robotic systems that manage micro and nano liquids, or larger volumes.
• Familiarity with low volume liquid-based testing and experimentation.
• Basic programming or scripting skills for instrument control or data processing.

Our commitment to you:

You’ll be working with talented professionals in a motivated and driven team and will have the opportunity to make a real contribution to the development of cutting-edge liquid handling technology

We embrace diversity and inclusivity, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, or family status. We prioritise supporting our employees' diverse needs as we strive for excellence together.

If the above resonates with you, apply with an up-to-date CV and be a part of our journey to reshape the future of science.