MSL60109 Advanced Diploma of Laboratory Operations 

This qualification covers the skills and knowledge required to apply specialist technical skills or to supervise laboratory operations within a work area or project team.

Job roles/employment outcomes

The Advanced Diploma of Laboratory Operations offers training in the coordination of day-to-day laboratory operations. Employment outcomes targeted by this qualification include laboratory supervisors, laboratory technical officers and similar personnel.

Laboratory supervisors are generally responsible for the planning, allocation of tasks, coordination, quality assurance, recording and reporting of laboratory outputs within their section. This requires significant judgement about work sequences, choice of appropriate technology and procedures to ensure that products and services meet customer expectations and are provided safely and efficiently in keeping with enterprise business plan.

Laboratory technical officers apply specialist technical skills in addition to the full range of laboratory skills to specific projects with minimal supervision. Laboratory technical officers are required to apply considerable technical insight, well developed analytical skills and possess the ability to apply in-depth specialist technical knowledge to determine methods of approach from a range of possible alternatives.

Under broad direction from scientists/medical staff/engineers the laboratory technical officer/supervisor accepts responsibility for the day-to-day operation of his/her work/functional area.

They are often responsible for the effective implementation of operational policies and the technical training of personnel in their work area. They also contribute significantly to the development of these policies through the application of specialised technical knowledge.

The work of laboratory supervisors involves frequent peak periods, multiple and competing demands and frequent interruptions. Immediate decisions are often required. They must be adaptable to deal with the demands brought about by any of a number of causes. For example:

• A range of demanding clients, suppliers or contractors
• Changes in technology
• Regularly changing priorities.

In the course of their normal work, they:

• Plan, allocate and monitor resources for their work area and are responsible for their work group's outputs
• Apply the full range of laboratory skills to individual projects and services associated with the work area
• Explain instructions and procedures to others
• Make significant contributions to the development of technical and operational policy and procedures within a function or work area
• Liaise with outside organisations, customers, suppliers and contractors on technical matters
• Provide technical information to internal and external customers
• Often provide workplace training and assessment
• Implement, maintain and promote OHS, quality and other compliance requirements and conduct audits
• Work under the general direction of laboratory or quality managers, or scientific/medical personnel. 

An example of the work of a laboratory supervisor is given below.

• A laboratory supervisor in a large water and sewerage utility company has been a senior technical officer for more than five years. The officer supervises technical personnel in the environmental testing section, monitors the quality of their work, oversees their training and ensures that regulatory and NATA requirements are met. The officer assists with the planning of the section's work program and advises management and customers about test schedules, results and methodology.

The senior laboratory technical officer applies specialised technical skills to specific projects with minimal supervision, in addition to exercising the full range of laboratory skills. They undertake a range of complex technical tasks. For example:

• Conduct complex and specialised tests for a specific project
• Define and solve complex problems by investigating, developing and testing alternatives in response to vague or ill-defined information which is not readily accessible and requires selective analysis
• Exercise considerable analytical and judgemental skills to determine appropriate methods and procedures from a range of alternatives
• Modify methods to cope with non-routine tests and analyses where unusual samples could be involved and/or where the instrumental controls require optimisation
• Develop or adapt methods and procedures.

Application

This qualification is typically used to develop existing workers to coordinate day-to-day laboratory operations.

Training programs for this qualification are suitable to be undertaken as part of a formal training contract with an employer under an Australian Traineeship or Apprenticeship arrangement.

Pathways into the qualification

To enter the Advanced Diploma of Laboratory Operations, entrants must have completed a Diploma of Laboratory Technology or be able to demonstrate equivalent competency. It is also recommended that entrants have had an appropriate period of employment at an occupational level commensurate with the Diploma of Laboratory Technology prior to entry to this Advanced Diploma qualification.

Pathways from the qualification

Career paths for senior technicians, technical specialists and laboratory supervisors are becoming increasingly constrained unless technicians undertake university study. With this in mind, particular attention has been given to stating the critical aspects of competency and essential knowledge required for each unit of competency in sufficient detail to maximise articulation and credit transfer arrangements between the vocational education and training (VET) and higher education sectors.