What do science technicians do?
In the UK, GSK employs relatively few “technicians”. Discovering new drugs is a very “high tech” process and the science that we do is expensive. We need to do multiple experiments a day and many of these are very repetitive. We therefore use robotics extensively and these systems are more effective and more efficient than using human technicians. We do not have technicians making up standard solutions – we buy them ready made. We do not have technicians running spectra or doing routine analyses – we use robotics or occasionally contract the work out. It is actually cheaper for a big business like GSK to buy ready made services than to employ a “technician”. Occasionally a department may take on a young scientist without a degree but the aim is for them to develop their skills rapidly, probably study for a part time degree and progress in their scientific career.
