We have ambitious plans for the future and are currently looking for the best talent to join us. We need people who can think differently about how to solve problems. We are currently looking for Trainee Laboratory Technicians to join our team in Bromley. We pride ourselves on our in-house development of our employees; many of our current team joined as trainees and have progressed to fully qualified Technicians.

About this role

As a Laboratory Trainee with Pennington Choices, you will support the business in delivering services to clients, gain skills and experience, and follow a structured programme of training, including formal qualification that will lead to you being competent to identify asbestos materials.

• You will need to be pro-active, have excellent eyesight and be of calm and patient nature.
• You will need to be IT literate and have experience of using MS Word and Excel.
• Experience / knowledge of working with stereomicroscopes/polarised light microscope is desirable, as would previous experience within a lab environment.
• You will be required to have good communication skills both written and verbal and be able to work well with colleagues across all areas of the business.
• Client satisfaction is incredibly important to us - so must be to you too. You will need to communicate daily with on-site members via telephone and email.
• Due to the rural location of our Warrington office, you must be a driver and have access to your own vehicle (our office is not serviced by public transport).

Training

As a Trainee Laboratory Technician, you will undertake a structured programme of learning and instruction from our qualified team of technicians.
During your training, you will be supported in working towards attaining your BOHS accredited P401 certificate in Asbestos Fibre Counting. Once qualified you will continue your development role with ongoing internal audits and feedback on your work.
After completion of your training period and becoming fully authorised you will work within one of our United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited laboratories. As a Pennington Choices Lab Technician, you will have the skills and tools to provide excellent and highly efficient Asbestos identification and analysis and will be required to deliver accurate and timely survey reports per our client’s contractual requirements.

Benefits

Pennington Choices has been recognised by Best Companies as being a very good employer each year since 2018. We offer a working environment that is stimulating, where our people are given the tools they need to help shape their careers. With approachable and supportive line management and a proven track record of promoting from within, we encourage our people to be the best they can be, and we provide them with training, variety and support to help them grow.

We also provide colleagues with:

• Competitive salary and transparent salary bands
• Commitment to super flexible and remote hybrid working where applicable
• 37.5-hour working week
• 26 days annual leave plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Additional leave for length of service up to 31 days each year
• Opportunity to buy additional annual leave or sell surplus leave
• Enhanced employer pension contributions of 4% when you contribute 6%
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Regular Learning and Development opportunities
• Regular company social events including an annual summer BBQ
• Cycle to work scheme, offering savings of at least 32%* on a new bike and cycle safety accessories
• Access to an online platform providing employee discounts on hundreds of high street brands
• Life insurance/Death in service offering 2 x salary cover from day one of employment
• Access to private healthcare
• Paid sick leave allowance each year
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Referral programme offering up to £2,000 per person you refer
• Wellness programmes including annual flu jab
• Welcome goodie bag

About us

Pennington Choices is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such we recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job classifications without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristics protected by law.
Pennington Choices provides property surveying and consultancy services to organisations nationwide. We have a wealth of experience working with more than 800 public and private sector organisations across social housing, NHS, education, and rail since 2000.

At the heart of what makes Pennington Choices special is our people. We live by our values of being fun, resilient, brave and treating each other with respect. We also know there’s more to life than work, which is why we will encourage you to stay active, nurture your mental health, and create a fulfilling work/life balance.
Our head office is a converted barn in the picturesque Cheshire countryside, located just 3 minutes from M56 Jct10, and we have regional offices in Bromley, Kent and Sheffield. We are a close-knit organisation with people at our very core, and we strive for excellence in everything we do. As winners of Employer of the Year at both the Warrington Business Awards and the South London Business Awards, we've been recognised by Best Companies as a very good employer each year since 2018.
If successful, you will be joining us at a very exciting time. The business has already been through a period of substantial growth, concluding its current 5-year business plan in April 2024 which will achieve a turnover of £17.5m. A further 5-year plan through to 2029 is being developed with a projected growth to £40m.