Depending on your chosen area, you may:

• test for diseases like Legionnaires' disease and food poisoning
• screen and test for infectious diseases like rubella or hepatitis
• analyse blood for disease and monitor organ function
• support the blood transfusion and transplant service through blood grouping and matching
• screen for blood abnormalities and diseases, like anaemia and leukaemia
• process and analyse tissue samples from operations and autopsies
• use specialist procedures like cell culture to detect cancer
• routinely test fluid and tissue samples like cervical smear tests
• update paperwork or computerised systems with data and test results

You may need to wear protective clothing.

You could work at a university, at a research facility or in a laboratory.

With experience, you could move into research, training and education, product development and commerce.

In the NHS, you could work as a team leader, specialist, manager or professional manager with further training and qualifications.