Top 12 Laboratory Technician Skills to Put on Your Resume
In today’s crowded job market, a laboratory technician rises by showing sharp, relevant skills that actually matter at the bench. This guide walks through 12 core capabilities and how to sharpen them, so your resume isn’t just a list—it’s proof you can deliver reliable science under pressure.
Laboratory Technician Skills
- PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
- HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography)
- ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
- GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry)
- Spectrophotometry
- Western Blotting
- Flow Cytometry
- Microscopy (Confocal, Electron)
- Cell Culture
- Bioinformatics
- NMR Spectroscopy (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance)
- CRISPR-Cas9 Technology
1. PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
PCR amplifies a defined DNA segment through thermal cycling—denature, anneal, extend—yielding millions of copies of the target sequence. It’s a backbone method in diagnostics, genotyping, research, and forensic work.
Why It's Important
PCR enables sensitive, rapid detection and analysis of specific DNA sequences, supporting everything from pathogen identification to cloning and mutation screening. When it works cleanly, downstream decisions become faster and more confident.
How to Improve PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) Skills
Small tweaks make big differences. Focus on control and consistency:
Template quality: Start with clean, intact DNA. Remove inhibitors. Confirm concentration and purity (A260/280).
Primer design: Aim for balanced Tm, minimal secondary structure, and specificity. Check for dimers and off-targets.
Mg2+ and salt: Titrate MgCl2 and buffer strength; they steer both yield and specificity.
Annealing temperature: Run a gradient to pinpoint the sweet spot. One or two degrees can flip the result.
Hot-start enzymes: Reduce nonspecific amplification and smears.
Template input: Too much inhibits; too little won’t be seen. Titrate.
Cycling profile: Match extension time to amplicon length and polymerase speed; avoid excessive cycle numbers.
Additives for tough templates: DMSO or betaine can help GC-rich regions or secondary structures. Use sparingly.
Contamination control: Aliquot reagents, use filtered tips, separate pre- and post-PCR spaces, and include negative controls.
Verification: Confirm amplicon size and specificity via agarose gel or capillary electrophoresis.
Iterate methodically, change one variable at a time, and lock in a master protocol once it’s stable.
How to Display PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) Skills on Your Resume
2. HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography)
HPLC separates, identifies, and quantifies sample components by pushing a mobile phase through a packed column under high pressure, enabling clean resolution of complex mixtures.
Why It's Important
From impurity profiling to potency testing, HPLC delivers quantitative answers with traceable, reproducible precision—vital for pharma, environmental, food, and clinical labs.
How to Improve HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) Skills
Shave minutes, gain resolution, avoid headaches:
Mobile phase: Tune pH, organic modifier, and ionic strength. Degas and filter to prevent drift and noise.
Column stewardship: Match chemistry and particle size to the analytes. Use guards, flush after gradients, store properly.
Sample prep: Clean-up matters. Filter, dilute, or extract to protect columns and improve peak shape.
Gradient strategy: Optimize slope, hold times, and re-equilibration. Keep injection solvent strength in check.
Temperature control: Stabilize viscosity and retention; modest heating often sharpens peaks.
Flow rate: Balance speed and resolution. Respect column pressure limits.
Preventive maintenance: Replace seals, clean injectors, verify detector lamps, and routinely check for leaks.
Track system suitability metrics over time. Trends tell stories before failures do.
How to Display HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) Skills on Your Resume
3. ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
ELISA detects and quantifies proteins (antigens or antibodies) by specific binding and enzyme-mediated signal generation, commonly colorimetric or fluorescent.
Why It's Important
It’s a workhorse for diagnostics, biomarker quantification, and QC. Sensitive, scalable, and straightforward when well-optimized.
How to Improve ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) Skills
Reduce background, boost signal, and keep it reproducible:
Coating: Use high-quality capture reagents and titrate coating concentration. Overnight at 4°C often stabilizes binding.
Blocking: Choose a blocker compatible with your antibodies (BSA, casein, serum). Test a couple—small differences matter.
Incubations: Standardize time and temperature. Gentle shaking helps. Avoid plate edge effects with consistent handling.
Washing: Optimize buffer (e.g., PBS/Tween) and wash cycles to cut nonspecific binding without stripping.
Detection: Pair enzyme and substrate appropriately (e.g., HRP/TMB). Protect light-sensitive reagents. Stop reactions consistently.
Controls and standards: Run blanks, negatives, and a robust standard curve. Use 4-PL fits for wide dynamic ranges.
Equipment integrity: Calibrate pipettes, verify plate reader performance, and maintain consistent plate lot usage when possible.
Document every parameter. The best ELISAs are boringly consistent.
How to Display ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) Skills on Your Resume
4. GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry)
GC-MS couples gas chromatographic separation with mass spectrometric detection. It excels with volatile and semi-volatile analytes, enabling confident identification via spectra and retention time.
Why It's Important
It’s the gold standard for many forensic, environmental, and materials analyses. Specific, sensitive, and richly informative.
How to Improve GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) Skills
Keep it clean, tuned, and methodical:
Preventive care: Inspect for leaks, maintain septa and liners, trim columns, clean ion source when needed.
Column choice: Match stationary phase and film thickness to analyte chemistry and volatility. Guard columns save headaches.
Gas and temperatures: Use high-purity carrier gas. Optimize flow, temperature ramps, and injector settings for crisp peaks.
Sample prep: Remove particulates; consider derivatization for thermally labile or polar compounds.
Tuning and calibration: Auto-tune judiciously; verify mass accuracy and sensitivity with standards.
Method validation: Establish linearity, LOD/LOQ, precision, accuracy, and matrix effects before routine use.
Data handling: Use consistent libraries and criteria for ID. Review extracted ions, not just TICs.
Track instrument performance over time so drift never surprises you.
How to Display GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) Skills on Your Resume
5. Spectrophotometry
Spectrophotometry measures how much light a substance absorbs at specific wavelengths, turning absorbance into concentration or purity data.
Why It's Important
It’s fast, economical, and widely applicable—enzyme kinetics, nucleic acid quant, colorimetric assays, you name it. Precision here supports everything else.
How to Improve Spectrophotometry Skills
Less noise, more signal:
Calibration: Verify wavelength accuracy and stray light. Use certified standards when available.
Sample prep: Homogeneous, bubble-free solutions. Match blanks to matrix. Mind path length.
Cuvettes: Clean, unscratched, and oriented consistently. Use appropriate material for UV/Vis ranges.
Instrument upkeep: Clean optics, replace lamps as scheduled, and log performance checks.
Software and methods: Validate methods, apply baseline correction where appropriate, and document settings.
Environment: Stabilize temperature and minimize vibration; close lids to cut ambient light bleed.
Repeatability thrives on routine. Build one and stick to it.
How to Display Spectrophotometry Skills on Your Resume
6. Western Blotting
Western blotting separates proteins by SDS-PAGE, transfers them to a membrane, and detects targets using specific antibodies and chemiluminescent or fluorescent readouts.
Why It's Important
It verifies protein presence, size, and relative abundance. It’s also a checkpoint for antibody specificity and sample integrity.
How to Improve Western Blotting Skills
Clear bands, low background, reproducible runs:
Sample integrity: Use protease/phosphatase inhibitors where needed. Quantify protein accurately.
Gel selection: Pick percentage or gradient gels to match target size. Run at consistent voltage for even separation.
Transfer: Optimize time, membrane type (PVDF or nitrocellulose), and buffer. Confirm transfer with reversible stains.
Blocking and antibodies: Match blocker to antibody system; titrate primary and secondary to reduce noise.
Washing: Thorough, timed washes with TBST or PBST curb background.
Detection: Choose a detection chemistry that fits your abundance range and imaging system. Avoid overexposure.
Troubleshooting: High background? Reduce antibody or improve blocking. Weak signal? Increase protein load or optimize transfer.
Keep a blot diary—conditions, exposures, and outcomes—so wins are repeatable.
How to Display Western Blotting Skills on Your Resume
7. Flow Cytometry
Flow cytometry characterizes cells or particles in a stream using light scatter and fluorescence, enabling rapid, multiparametric analysis and cell sorting.
Why It's Important
It dissects complex mixtures quickly—phenotyping, functional assays, viability checks, and purification all at scale.
How to Improve Flow Cytometry Skills
Clarity comes from clean prep and smart controls:
Sample quality: Use appropriate cell concentrations, remove clumps with strainers, and keep viability high.
Panel design: Choose fluorophores with minimal spectral overlap and matched brightness to antigen density.
Controls: Include single-stained controls, FMO controls, and viability dyes for reliable gating and compensation.
Instrument QC: Run beads daily, monitor PMT voltages, and maintain stable settings across runs.
Compensation: Calculate using appropriate controls; avoid manual “eyeballing.”
Data analysis: Build consistent gating strategies. Report with statistics and clear hierarchy.
Document voltages and gates. Reproducibility starts at setup.
How to Display Flow Cytometry Skills on Your Resume
8. Microscopy (Confocal, Electron)
Confocal microscopy uses lasers and pinholes to capture crisp optical sections, excellent for 3D imaging in thick specimens. Electron microscopy trades photons for electrons, unlocking nanoscale structure with staggering resolution.
Why It's Important
These techniques reveal cellular architecture, localization, and ultrastructure that light microscopy can’t touch—vital for accurate interpretation and discovery.
How to Improve Microscopy (Confocal, Electron) Skills
Better prep, smarter settings, sharper images:
Sample preparation: For confocal, optimize labeling and mounting to boost signal-to-noise. For EM, nail fixation, dehydration, embedding, and sectioning to prevent artifacts.
Acquisition settings: Match laser lines, pinhole size, detector gain, and offset to fluorophores for confocal. For EM, tune accelerating voltage, aperture, and working distance to the specimen.
Minimize photobleaching: Use antifade reagents, reduce dwell time, and consider averaging trade-offs.
Calibration and alignment: Regularly check stage, objective, and beam alignment. Keep optics clean and vibration low.
Image processing: Apply deconvolution or denoising carefully; avoid overprocessing that creates artifacts.
Keep metadata. Tomorrow’s you will thank yesterday’s discipline.
How to Display Microscopy (Confocal, Electron) Skills on Your Resume
9. Cell Culture
Cell culture maintains and expands cells under controlled conditions—temperature, CO2, humidity, sterility—supporting research, testing, and production.
Why It's Important
Healthy cells mean trustworthy results. Drug screens, genetic manipulation, viral work, regenerative studies—everything depends on clean technique.
How to Improve Cell Culture Skills
Contamination is the enemy. Consistency is the shield:
Aseptic technique: Work in certified hoods, sanitize surfaces, flame or change tips often, and separate quarantine space for new lines.
Environmental control: Maintain incubators (typically 37°C, 5% CO2), monitor humidity, and log conditions.
Monitoring: Daily checks for morphology, confluence, pH (media color), and contamination. Mycoplasma test regularly.
Passaging: Use gentle detachment, avoid over-trypsinization, and track passage numbers to prevent drift.
Media and supplements: Use cell line–appropriate formulations; pre-warm media; replace on a schedule tied to growth and metabolism.
Reagent quality: Use sterile, endotoxin-free reagents. Label and date everything.
Records: Keep a log for cell source, passage, split ratios, media, incidents, and results.
If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen. Build traceability into the workflow.
How to Display Cell Culture Skills on Your Resume
10. Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics applies computation to biological data—sequencing, expression, structures—so patterns emerge and decisions get evidence behind them.
Why It's Important
Modern labs generate oceans of data. Turning raw reads into meaning requires scripting, statistics, and tool fluency.
How to Improve Bioinformatics Skills
Build muscle through practice and projects:
Foundations: Learn command line, version control, and core Python/R. Write clean, annotated code.
Key tools: Get hands-on with alignment, variant calling, annotation, and differential expression workflows.
Data management: Understand file formats (FASTQ, BAM/CRAM, VCF, GFF), metadata, and reproducible pipelines.
Statistics: Solid grasp of normalization, multiple testing, and model selection prevents bad conclusions.
Projects: Reanalyze public datasets, replicate published pipelines, and document results in notebooks.
Stay current: Read widely, compare tools on benchmark sets, and refactor old scripts as you learn.
Focus on reproducibility. Automated pipelines beat manual one-offs every time.
How to Display Bioinformatics Skills on Your Resume
11. NMR Spectroscopy (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance)
NMR reveals molecular structure and dynamics by observing nuclei in a magnetic field, offering connectivity and conformational insights without destroying the sample.
Why It's Important
It confirms identity, purity, stereochemistry, and interactions—fundamental for synthesis, QC, and structural biology.
How to Improve NMR Spectroscopy (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) Skills
Resolution and sensitivity hinge on preparation and parameters:
Sample preparation: Use deuterated solvents, remove particulates, and ensure appropriate concentration (often ~10–30 mM for small molecules).
Shimming and locking: Take time to optimize field homogeneity; good shims rescue weak signals.
Acquisition settings: Tune pulse width, relaxation delay, and number of scans to your nuclei and goals.
Temperature control: Stabilize if exchange or viscosity affects lineshape.
Probe selection: Match probe to sample volume and nucleus; cryoprobes boost sensitivity when available.
Advanced experiments: Use 2D (COSY, HSQC, HMBC) and diffusion methods to resolve overlaps and confirm connectivity.
Maintenance: Keep the instrument calibrated; monitor gradients, RF performance, and magnet health.
Quality spectra start with clean samples and end with thoughtful analysis.
How to Display NMR Spectroscopy (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) Skills on Your Resume
12. CRISPR-Cas9 Technology
CRISPR-Cas9 edits genomes by guiding a nuclease to a target DNA sequence, creating a cut that cells repair—introducing insertions, deletions, or precise changes with templates or editor systems.
Why It's Important
It enables targeted gene knockouts, knock-ins, and corrections across organisms and cell types, accelerating discovery and therapeutic development.
How to Improve CRISPR-Cas9 Technology Skills
Improve efficiency and specificity, reduce off-targets:
Guide RNA design: Select guides with high on-target scores and minimal predicted off-targets; verify with multiple guides when possible.
High-fidelity enzymes: Use variants engineered for reduced off-target activity when specificity is critical.
RNP delivery: Deliver Cas9 as ribonucleoproteins for transient exposure and cleaner edits.
Chemical tweaks: Stabilize gRNAs with modifications to improve editing windows in sensitive cells.
Base and prime editors: Use base editors for single-nucleotide changes and prime editors for versatile edits without double-strand breaks.
Donor design: For HDR, optimize homology arms and synchronize cell cycle when feasible.
Validation: Quantify edits with amplicon sequencing; screen for off-targets at predicted loci.
Pilot small, measure often, and scale only after the edit profile looks clean.
How to Display CRISPR-Cas9 Technology Skills on Your Resume
