Biology Production Technician
A Biology Production Technician will typically work within a pharmaceutical company as part of a biological production team that specialises in primary biological or secondary biological production and manufacturing operations, usually based within a “clean-room” biology environment that conforms to GMP standards (or ISO, in the case of medical device manufacture).
Biology Production Technicians work on biological products that conform to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) guidelines which ensure that the biological products are of highest possible quality and will pose no biological risk to consumers or the general public. GMP guidelines list general biology production principles that must be adhered to by Biology Production Technicians during the biological production and manufacturing process. One example is hygiene; biological pharmaceutical manufacturers must maintain a clean manufacturing and production area and must avoid cross-contamination between drugs and biological samples to ensure the safety and effectiveness of their biological products. All production and manufacturing processes to be followed by Biology Production Technicians must be clearly defined, controlled and documented.
GMP also extends to the logistics and distribution functions, where it often blurs with GDP (Good Distribution Practice) to ensure that the distribution of products minimises any safety risks and that clear procedures are in place to investigate biological product complaints and to handle recalls.
A Biology Production Technician will often be involved in production planning, organising and scheduling, as well as using a range of biology equipment that needs to be maintained, cleaned and validated regularly in order to maximise biological production efficiency and avoid biological contamination.
Similar roles/job titles to Biology Production Technician include Manufacturing Technician, GMP Operative, GMP Production Technician, Production Technician, Aqueous GMP Production Technician, Filling Technician and Packaging Technician. Closely related to Biological Production Technicians are people who work in Warehouse/Stores roles, with people often gaining experience across Manufacturing, Packaging and Warehouse environments.
Skills and Experience required to become a Biology Production Technician
Typical skills and experience required will depend on the specific job, but might include:-
- Good standard of English and Maths
- Biology / Microbiology / Biotechnology / Biological Science education
- Previous experience as a biological production technician in a biology production environment
- Previous experience in a GMP/ISO regulated setting
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Computer literate
- Flexible, proactive approach
- Initiative and self-motivation
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to work to targets and deadlines
Salary Levels
An entry-level Biology Production Technician may earn £15k - £18k depending on the company and location, and hourly-paid temp roles are commonplace in this sector. Manufacturing, Packaging, Production and Warehouse Operations roles can often be on a shift basis, in which case typical shift allowances are 10-15% for alternating “double day” shifts, and 22-35% for shift patterns that include night shifts. Once you have more experience, basic salaries for Advanced Production Technicians or Senior ProductionTechnicians will increase to £20k - £22k, with further progression beyond this for people who get involved in production planning, team leadership, training, stock control, and conducting quality investigations in support of a QA (Quality Assurance) function.