OSCA 311536: School Laboratory Technician
Provides the knowledge, skills and support necessary for practical science activities to be run in schools, and ensures the safety of staff and students in science laboratories, with a focus on chemical and laboratory management. This record sits in Science Technicians. Related ANZSIC industry links are included for faster classification cross-checking. Skill level 2 is attached to this occupation record.
Should you use OSCA or ANZSCO?
OSCA 2024 is the current Australian occupation classification for storing, organising and reporting occupation information. Use this OSCA record for current Australian statistical and analytical classification work.
Some migration and administrative programs still specify ANZSCO 2022. Check the exact system named by the agency or form rather than replacing the code automatically.
Official ANZSCO correspondence
Role overview
Provides the knowledge, skills and support necessary for practical science activities to be run in schools, and ensures the safety of staff and students in science laboratories, with a focus on chemical and laboratory management.
Use this page to confirm the official title, the parent unit group, the task list and the related ANZSIC industry context before using the occupation in classification, reporting or migration-adjacent workflows.
Occupation facts
- Skill level
- 2
- Major group
- 3 Technicians and Trades Workers
- Sub-major group
- 31 Building, Engineering, ICT and Scientific Technicians
- Minor group
- 311 Agricultural, Health and Science Technicians
- Unit group
- 3115 Science Technicians
Tasks
- Prepares, distributes and sets up samples and/or demonstrations, equipment and associated scientific materials for practical teaching laboratory use
- Assists science teaching staff with demonstrations, instruction of students on the use of equipment during science experiments, and the application of safety measures
- Maintains scientific teaching resources, classrooms, storerooms, preparation rooms and laboratories in a clean, safe, orderly and secure manner
- Operates laboratory equipment and performs routine operator maintenance and instrument calibrations as required, in compliance with manufacturer specifications
- Maintains a safe laboratory waste storage and disposal system in accordance with departmental guidelines
- Works within a budget to ensure that laboratories have the correct equipment to carry out practicals
- Performs record keeping and stocktaking of equipment and materials within the science department
- Ensures personal protective equipment is in working order, communicates safety concerns to teachers, and writes standard operating procedures for equipment and processes to ensure student and staff safety
Skill level guidance
Skill level helps place the occupation inside the ABS hierarchy. Use it as a classification cue, then check the actual task list and occupational context before making a decision for HR, visa or reporting work.
How to use this occupation page
Start with the official OSCA title and task list. Then confirm the parent unit group and compare the related occupations on this page if the job title is broad, overlapping or used differently across employers.
The ANZSIC links are there to help when the same occupation appears across several industries and you need the business-side classification as well.
Related occupations
Industry context
Alternative titles
- School Laboratory Manager
Compare before choosing
Compare OSCA 311536 with related occupations
Compare roles in the same OSCA unit group by their official definition, skill level, tasks and recognised alternative titles.
| Comparison point | Current code311536 School Laboratory Technician | 311531 Chemical Technician | 311532 Earth Science Technician |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official role definition | Provides the knowledge, skills and support necessary for practical science activities to be run in schools, and ensures the safety of staff and students in science laboratories, with a focus on chemical and laboratory management. | Performs laboratory tests on organic and inorganic chemicals, analyses test data, and carries out technical functions in support of Chemists or Chemical Engineers in a wide variety of areas, such as fuels, agricultural products, food, pharmaceuticals, paints, metals, plastics, textiles, detergents, paper, fertilisers and cosmetics. | Collects and tests earth and water samples, records observations, and analyses data in support of Geologists, Geophysicists and other earth scientists. |
| Skill level | Skill Level 2 | Skill Level 2 | Skill Level 2 |
| Key tasks |
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| Alternative titles |
| Not stated | Not stated |
Comparison uses occupation definitions, skill levels, tasks and title variants from the ABS OSCA data files.
Compliance risk score
4 of 4 factors passing
In this section
Frequently asked questions
What does OSCA 311536 do?
School Laboratory Technician is the current ABS occupation record used to describe a specific occupation. It sits in the OSCA hierarchy and carries skill-level context plus related titles and tasks.
How should I read the skill level?
The skill level tells you the educational or training depth that the ABS associates with the occupation. It is a classification signal, not a salary band or a qualification checklist on its own.
Why is industry context shown on an occupation page?
Industry context helps when the title is common or ambiguous. It shows where the occupation is typically employed so you can compare it with the right ANZSIC family.
Source and trust
- Official source
- ABS OSCA 2024 release and correspondence tables
- Last reviewed
- 2026-04-17
This site is an independent reference resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the ABS, ATO or any Australian Government agency.
Please verify critical classification decisions with the official authority before using them for tax, payroll, licensing, immigration or compliance work.