SLT, MLT – Lab Technologist in Nigeria. What they Do and Salary
The laboratory system in Nigeria, like every other system has a well-defined hierarchy. There may be some changes pertaining to designation (professional titles) but in the university laboratory system, you have your Head of Department and then under them you have the post docs (professors). Professors are intelligential who have their PhDs and are doing something right after. The line splits into two sections after the professors to the faculty and Lab sections. The faculty section consists of senior lecturers, junior lecturers, research fellows and graduate assistants. The laboratory section contains the senior technologists, technologists and laboratory assistants. Every staff from the two sections reports back to the principal (Head of Department). SLT, MLT – Lab Technologist in Nigeria. What they Do and Salary
JOB OF THE LAB TECH
In Nigeria, a laboratory technologist interface between the faculties and students of the school and report back to the chief technologist who extends the message to the HOD. They work very closely with graduate assistants and junior lecturers as they are just about the same level professionally. In the medical line, it is alike with the lab tech interfacing between the doctors and nurses. Lab techs are generally recently graduated people. But of course, you do have other lab technicians that are also having that as their career.
In the laboratory system, the lab technologists are engaged with a lot of the day-to-day tasks. The lab assistants assist them but of course, they are the brain power behind getting the job done. SLT, MLT – Lab Technologist in Nigeria. What they Do and Salary
A lab tech spends most of his time within the lab doing wet work – such as enzymes, DNA, RNA, etcetera using a pipette. The leading laboratory tech is curious and voracious for knowledge. He reads about or notices a problem in his field and jumps at it. He can be very engaged assisting students, but when he’s not, he is onto something else. He prepares solutions, clone DNA, make RNA, analyze his findings using different instruments. The lab tech does frequent back and forth until he gets a hold of something. He is to present the data from his findings in such a way that people can understand it. SLT, MLT – Lab Technologist in Nigeria. What they Do and Salary
A competent lab tech should understand basic software and skills that are related to his field. He must be able to make figures and graphs that are appealing to the eye and easy to communicate. Sadly, most lab techs lack this ability.
The lab tech is an effective communicator. He communicates his idea on paper and in conferences. He is also a patient listener. He learns from people’s designs and incorporates their ideas into his work.
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SALARY
In Nigeria, a fresh graduate is hired to the designation of a lab tech 2. He/she earns 60,000 – 70,000 naira monthly. Like every designation, a lab tech gets annual raise but in small increments. In academia, there is a ceiling that could be tough to reach without additional degrees such as masters or PhDs nevertheless, active lab techs get promotions every once in a while. Lab techs in Industry labs or government positions earn a little bit more than those in academia. Maybe upwards of 100 – 150 thousand a year.
Working in a lab can be incredibly fun and also frustrating. The expectation of getting a solution to a problem can be thrilling, but can also be met with a lot of difficulties and failures along the way.
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