Cawood is the largest independent provider of analytical laboratory testing and sampling services for the land-based industries in the UK. With 15 sites around the country specialising in different types of analysis, we are always looking for skilled and talented individuals to join our teams. This is an exciting time to join Cawood. The business is growing and there are plenty of opportunities for people who want to work hard, have fun and be part of our success. Job Description: JOB PURPOSE STATEMENT – LABORATORY TECHNICIAN These are fixed term contracts until April 2026 based at NRM Bracknell. Receiving daily soil sample deliveries Receipting samples and logging in via various methods Preparation, drying and 2mm grinding of samples Disposing of soil samples upon completion of their storage date. Ensuring daily targets are met, SOPs are followed, and records kept accurately. JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES Responsibilities Handle samples and place them into drying trays as preparation for grinding. Prepare and grind samples to required standard into batch trays ready for extraction. Sort samples into order and manually stamp with unique ID number. Attention to detail is essential to ensure no errors in sorting. Empty heavy sample bags and extraction buckets into allocated bins on site. Perform maintenance on the equipment when required. Weigh dry samples and record data onto LIMs system and calculate the Dry Matter Percentage. Understand and follow the Standard Operating Procedures provided. To work in other preparation roles within the company as the workload dictates. Maintain Cawood credibility by always portraying a positive image, keeping equipment and PPE clean. Respect company equipment and use as per guidelines. Report any damage to management as soon as possible. Work as a team and maintain morale by actively offering help and assistance wherever possible. Responsible for keeping safety at the forefront of lab work and being proactive ensuring accidents and near misses are always reported straightaway to Managers in line with our company accreditation and policy. CORE COMPETENCIES Diligence Comply with Cawood ways of working, policies, and procedures. Maintain safe, compliant, and effective working standards. Efficiency Constantly review & optimise your ways of working. Share good practice and be prepared to suggest better ways of working. Be able to work in a fast-paced environment while keeping quality of work to a high standard. Communication Understand and utilise the structural reporting lines provided. Report problems in the lab effectively and promptly. Continuous Improvement Grasp opportunities to broaden your own horizons and development. Embrace change and seek clarity when required. HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK All employees have a duty to comply with and support the company HS & E policies and procedures work in accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974), COSHH Regulations (1988) and other relevant policies and procedures ADDITIONAL NOTES This job description does not intend to cover all aspects of the jobholder’s duties but is intended to be indicative of the main areas of responsibility. The Company reserves the right to alter elements this job description in line with business needs and in close communication with the jobholder. Cawood is the UK’s leading scientific group, recognised for its technical capability and value-added service to customers. We provide laboratory analysis to the agriculture, food and environmental sectors, as well as contract research to GLP standards to support the development of agrochemicals, biocides and other chemicals. Our field services team offers measurement and monitoring for water, construction and ecology across the UK. Cawood is the largest independent provider of analytical laboratory testing and sampling services for the land-based industries in the UK. With 15 sites around the country specialising in different types of analysis, we are always looking for skilled and talented individuals to join our teams. Our values of PRIDE underpin our approach: Partnership, Responsiveness, Innovation, Decency and Expertise. You can read about our values and how they make a difference to our people and our customers here. Our people make Cawood what it is. No matter how technically advanced and sophisticated our equipment, it is our people who keep our customers satisfied. Accuracy across a high number of tests and continually looking for ways to innovate and improve are key to our future. This is an exciting time to join Cawood. The business is growing and there are plenty of opportunities for people who want to work hard, have fun and be part of our success. We spend a lot of our lives at work, so it’s important to us to make Cawood a place our people enjoy working. Cawood is a flexible employer, offering flextime, overtime and time off in lieu to help colleagues manage their work in a way that suits them as well as the business. We believe in working together to find the best outcome for all and we foster a culture of friendliness and family within our teams. Why do people enjoy working at Cawood? Here’s what our colleagues say: “The people we work with are fun and supportive, even during the more difficult days” “The flexibility that is offered, especially when you have worked in other laboratory environments” “The GOAL, the growth plans and opportunities for development in a range of skills” “The new leadership team and their ambition to invest in people” This year’s People Plan builds upon this fun, flexible and family feel to make Cawood one of the best places to work. Russell Vaughan Russell joined Cawood shortly after leaving university in our Mambo-Tox laboratory and has worked on the majority of our studies, from basic lab experiments to full-sized field studies. He has been integral to new method development over his many years with the company, and is a key contributor to our reputation for clear, accurate reporting that can go straight into a dossier. After taking time out to complete his PhD in plant molecular biology, he returned to the business in 2005 and now leads our team of study directors at Mambo-Tox. Russell enjoys working at Cawood because of our excellent team of people and our mission to support agriculture in meeting the needs of society whilst reducing its environmental impact. Sean Stevenson Sean joined Cawood as a biochemistry graduate to work in the NRM soil analysis laboratory. Over the last 19 years he has worked his way up through sales and business development roles and is now Divisional Managing Director for Cawood Agriculture. Sean is responsible for creating commercial strategies which support and accelerate our growth. Having worked at all the different levels in the company, Sean is a firm believer in making the business a place where people can thrive. At the heart of Cawood is NRM, the UK’s leading agricultural laboratory, founded in 1990. The Cawood group was formed in 2006 with the acquisition of the animal feed testing business, Sciantec. Since then, we have grown rapidly through our strong relationships with customers, our ongoing investment in people and equipment, and the acquisition of businesses that complement or expand our services. This development has allowed us to increase our range of services and extend our reach into global markets. In 2021, Cawood was acquired by US corporation Ensign-Bickford Industries (EBI), becoming a member of its Agriculture and Environmental Diagnostics Group. Watch the video below to learn more about EBI.