Specialist Laboratory Attendant

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

Agriculture is Ireland’s oldest and largest industry and in recent years has been transformed into a driver of our national economy and a world leader in the production of high-quality foods using sustainable and environmentally sensitive farming methods. While agriculture retains its roots in local communities, it has developed a global network where we provide safe and high-quality food to consumers in at least 175 countries around the world. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is at the forefront of these exciting developments as it implements its mission to ‘to lead, enable and regulate the sector in a way that optimises its contribution to social, economic, and environmental sustainability, ensuring food safety, public health and animal health and welfare’.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) has an embedded laboratory service comprising a central laboratory complex at Backweston, a network of regional laboratories in 5 locations (Cork, Limerick, Athlone, Kilkenny, and Sligo) and a research farm facility. DAFM laboratories have an overall staff compliment of approximately 300 persons engaged in work relating to animal health, food safety and plant and environmental sciences. The laboratories are currently undergoing a significant transformation underpinned by the vision statement, “Scientific Excellence – Safeguarding and Enhancing Public, Animal and Plant Health and our Environment”.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The role of the Laboratory Attendant (Specialist DAFM) includes the provision of general support services within the laboratories across a wide range of functions. The sample list of duties associated with the role below is not exhaustive and is intended to outline the general duties appropriate to this grade, which a jobholder may be required to perform. The duties and responsibilities attaching to the role may vary from time to time, without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibilities entailed. The job holder may therefore be required to perform duties appropriate to the role, other than those detailed below, as requested by their line manager.

In addition to general duties, the role involves specialised work such as receiving and, in some cases, preparing certain samples, the handling and disposal of carcases in the post-mortem rooms and carrying out duties within the high-level bio-containment laboratory. See below under ‘Training’ for an indication of some of the specialist duties associated with the role.

Please note that the above list is made available as a guide only and is not intended to represent a comprehensive list of duties associated with the role.

LOCATION

The Department seeks to employ a Specialist Laboratory Attendant. The post will be located at the Regional Veterinary Laboratory Limerick.

Following an assessment process, candidates who achieve the qualifying standard will be placed on an Order of Merit from which one appointment will be made. The post will be offered to the candidate ranked first and, if refused, to the remaining candidates in sequence until the post is filled. While it is anticipated that only one appointment will be made as a result of this competition, the Order of Merit will remain in place for a period of up to two years from the date of the first appointment, or until exhausted, and may be used to fill further vacancies in other DAFM Laboratories , if any, that may arise during that period.

Principal Tasks of Laboratory Attendant (Specialist DAFM)

General duties

• Maintaining a good standard of post-mortem room cleanliness and tidiness; maintaining cleaning & sharpening knives, instruments, and post-mortem equipment; restocking consumables;
• Ensuring traceability and assisting colleagues with carrying out tasks such as sample log-in to LIMs (Laboratory Information Management System) or other recording systems, preliminary processing, labelling, distribution, and transport of samples (including formalin-fixed samples) within and external to the laboratory, sorting, logging, and delivering post, including posted samples as appropriate to the role;
• Ensuring the maintenance of safe and bio secure working areas and practices by cleaning and disinfection and the management of carcass waste, general and clinical waste, and liquid effluent. This includes the operation of autoclave systems and/or fumigation systems to dispose of waste or to facilitate transfer of materials in and out of containment, and maintenance of records of these systems where required;
• Ensuring availability and use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Carrying out activities in compliance with regulations including Health and Safety, transport of laboratory materials (ADR, IATA, HAZCHEM standards) where required;
• Responsibility for the glassware washing and sterilization regime within the laboratory and supporting a laundry service via collection and return of laundry within the laboratory;
• Opening and closing facilities where required/appropriate. Key-holder allowance may be payable in this respect, where the full range of duties is performed;
• Assist in the preparation of media and reagents as appropriate to the role;
• Operation of laboratory equipment and machinery as appropriate to the role;
• General laboratory housekeeping, filing, managing logistics, and monitoring of equipment;
• Technical photography in support of laboratory activities including retention and cataloguing of images locally * Assisting with on- or off-campus collection, handling, transportation and delivery of carcasses or samples (a driving allowance may be payable for these duties where required, as appropriate);
• Monitoring and upkeep of stores, stocks and equipment including exotic disease investigation kits;
• Attend and assist in field investigations where required;
• Assisting in containment laboratory programmed and reactive maintenance activities as required;
• Assisting in operations within containment laboratories including cleaning, disinfection, laundry, stocks, and observation of all biosecurity protocols;
• Other laboratory supports and activities as appropriate to the role;
• Assisting pathologists in conducting post-mortem examinations, receiving, storing, weighing, measuring, and preparing animal carcasses for post-mortem examination including dissection, organ removal and sampling of carcasses under supervision of pathologist;
• Meeting farmers and other animal owners and assisting with off-loading of animal carcases and handling of live animals;
• Liaison with OPW/site facilities and external contractors to facilitate site and equipment maintenance;
• Operation of teleporter (where required – location specific) – an allowance may be payable if this duty is performed;
• Operation of post-mortem equipment and machinery as appropriate to the role;
• Ensuring availability, maintenance, and use of appropriate PPE. This may include providing laundry services within the PM Room;
• General cleaning/tidying of laboratory buildings and surrounding yards;
• Other reasonable duties appropriate to the grade, as requested by their line managers;

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The person we are looking for will meet the following essential requirements by 30th April 2026.

Desirable Requirements

• At least one year’s experience in a relevant workplace e.g., butchering, abattoir, or food processing operation
• Advanced/specialist driving skills e.g., trailer licence, forklift/teleporter licence
• Experience of working in a team
• Experience in dealing with customers and understanding of Irish farm systems, terminology and seasonal patterns
• Background/knowledge of farming activities

Training

There are several different work areas where Laboratory Attendants (Specialist DAFM) will be expected to perform their roles, and each requires a particular skill set. A Laboratory Attendant (Specialist DAFM) will be required to undertake the training necessary for the specialist role they work in, some of which is set out below. Availing of such specialist training and certification (e.g., HAZCHEM, photography, butchering techniques), including maintenance of certification where this is applicable, will be a key requirement for the role.

It will be necessary for a Laboratory Attendant (Specialist DAFM) to undertake training as the demands of the job require and they may be re-assigned to other duties appropriate to their grade to meet business needs, subject to being provided with the appropriate training (where required). A willingness to undertake ongoing training and learning, both formal and informal, is thus essential to this role.

Some of the required training will be provided in-house, while training involving certification may be provided by external service providers. Naturally, possessing training/skills in any of the areas outlined below would be desirable at recruitment.

• Butchering skills tailored to suit PM room operations;
• ·Biosecurity – understanding how to manage the risk of transfer of infection, cross-contamination etc.;
• *Health & Safety – potential dangers from zoonotic agents to the employee (in accordance with ISO 18001);
• Hazchem training, as required under EU regulations and Health and Safety legislation/regulations;
• ADR regulations relating to transportation of dangerous goods (chemicals etc.);
• ·Teleporter driving (some sites);
• ·Safe Pass training (where appropriate);
• Category BE driving licence to tow a large trailer (subject to Driver’s Allowance etc.);
• IT Training including the use of LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) to manage samples and associated data;
• Technical photography including image capture and cataloguing

Competencies

Applicants should have all the attributes required of a Laboratory Attendant (Specialist DAFM) and they must demonstrate, by reference to specific examples from their career to-date, that they possess or have the capacity to acquire the qualities, skills and knowledge required for the role of Laboratory Attendant (Specialist DAFM) as identified in the following competency framework.

• Specialist Knowledge, Experience and Expertise
• Self-Development and Training
• Drive, Commitment and Delivery of Results
• Interpersonal Skills and Teamwork

APPLICATION PROCESS

How to Apply

Only Online Applications can be made and should be submitted via the Apply Now button below.

All sections of the form must be fully completed online and in full.

Closing Date

Your application must be submitted online no later than 12 noon on Thursday 30th April 2026.

All queries relating to this recruitment campaign should be directed to dafm@cpl.ie with the subject heading Specialist Lab Attendant