Job Description
Laboratory Scientist Materials Degree Apprenticeship (Level 6) - BBA
Department: Science Apprenticeship - Materials L6
Employment Type: Apprentice
Location: Watford
Compensation: £20,000 - £25,000 / year
Location: BBA Test, BRE Innovation Park, Bucknall Lane, Watford, WD25 9BA
Expected Start Date: ASAP
Working for BBA
The British Board of Agrément (BBA) drives industry safety by providing services that help clients create accountability and mitigate risk. Since 1966, the BBA has built its position as an independent certification body in the Construction and Civil Engineering industries.
We have a rich heritage of expertise and skill, as well as rigorous and robust processes and procedures which equip us with an acute focus on construction innovation of the future. Through extensive product and system research, testing and certification, auditing, and inspection, the BBA helps to instil confidence throughout the construction and manufacturing supply chain in both the UK and Global marketplaces.
🔗 About BBA
The Package
- Starting salary: £20,000 - £25,000 (dependent on age and experience)
- Monday - Friday, 37.5 hours per week
- Flexible working hours (start times are 7am – 9.30am)
- On-site
- 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays (increases to 30 days after 5 years)
- Company pension (BBA 6%/Employee 5%) with salary exchange
- Life Assurance (4x annual salary)
- Health cash plan
- Electric car scheme with salary exchange
Key Responsibilities
BBA is pleased to be able to offer you the opportunity to both earn a salary and study towards a nationally recognised qualification through our Level 6 Laboratory Scientist (Materials) Apprenticeship.
Within this role, you will be assisting in laboratory testing of construction products and systems, and will progressively take on and carry out such work with developing skills, knowledge and capabilities. You will learn how to plan, co-ordinate and carry out tests without supervision.
- Assist with and progressively carry out tests and report results in accordance with specified procedures
- Work with the Team Manager and colleagues to clarify assigned tests and program work to meet requested report dates
- Assist with equipment calibration, maintenance and development as necessary
- Advise and highlight progress and problems to Team Manager to indicate potential failures of a product
- Provide information on which test time estimates can be based
- Assist and develop knowledge of calibration duties relevant to tests
- Assist Test Technicians in the set-up, installation, operation, maintenance and dismantling of test equipment and facilities.
- Prepare samples for test, as required by testing staff
- Assist with keeping the laboratory, buildings and yard areas clean and tidy (requires operation of handling equipment such as cranes - training provided)
- Assist the Test Support Supervisor in the execution of his duties and to deputise for him in his absence.
- General labour, for example, demolishing test walls.
About You
You’re naturally curious about materials and how they perform in real-world conditions. You’re interested in understanding why materials behave the way they do — whether that’s how they respond to stress, temperature, or environmental factors, or why they sometimes fail or degrade over time.
You enjoy hands-on work and are comfortable carrying out physical testing, preparing samples, and working with equipment to assess properties like strength, durability, or corrosion. You take a methodical approach, following technical standards and procedures carefully, and pay close attention to detail to ensure your results are accurate and reliable.
You think analytically and enjoy interpreting data, linking your findings back to real-world performance and engineering outcomes. You’re confident working with measurements, calculations, and reports, and can communicate your results clearly to others. Motivated to build expertise, you’re interested in developing your skills in materials testing and analysis, contributing to safer, more reliable products and structures.
Apprenticeship Eligibility
To apply for this apprenticeship, you must:
✔️ Be 16 or over
✔️ Not be in full-time education
✔️ Have lived in the UK for at least 3 years
✔️ Have the right to work in the UK
As this is a Level 6 Materials Degree apprenticeship, you’ll also need:
- An A-Level in Physics/Engineering (Grade C or above)
OR
- A level 3 qualification such as a T-Level or BTEC Extended Diploma in a Science related subject
It would also be beneficial for your application if you had relevant work experience in a related field.
Apprenticeships are designed to provide new knowledge, skills and behaviours, so applicants should not already hold a degree or higher qualification in a closely related subject, or have significant experience in the same field.
If you’re unsure whether you meet the criteria, we’d still love to hear from you - get in touch and we can advise you further.
So how does the apprenticeship work?
Start your career as a laboratory scientist and gain hands-on experience working with materials in a real laboratory or technical environment while working towards a recognised degree.
As part of this Laboratory Scientist Degree Apprenticeship in Materials, you’ll develop the skills to test and analyse materials, investigate performance and failure, and contribute to product development, manufacturing, and innovation.
This programme gives you the best of both worlds - you’ll combine academic study with practical, on-the-job experience, building the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours needed to succeed in the materials science and engineering sector.
👉 Learn more about the programme here.
Over the course of the programme, you’ll combine your day-to-day role with structured training delivered by expert tutors at Tiro, in partnership with Middlesex University. Our blended learning approach includes a mix of online sessions, in-person teaching, and hands-on support, alongside guidance from a dedicated mentor in the workplace.
In the final stage of the programme, you’ll focus on preparing for your End Point Assessment, ensuring you’re ready to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and behaviours in a real-world context.
What your training will look like: You’ll follow a structured programme combining live sessions, online learning, and hands-on workplace training to build your skills step by step.
What could your future look like?
This apprenticeship will help you build the skills and experience needed to progress as a laboratory scientist within the materials and manufacturing sector.
Through practical experience and academic study, you’ll develop the confidence to carry out materials testing, analyse performance, and investigate failures. You’ll contribute to improving products and processes while ensuring high standards of quality, safety, and scientific integrity. This programme can also support professional recognition, such as becoming a Registered Scientist (RSci) or Chartered Scientist (CSci).
You’ll gain experience that’s highly valued across a wide range of technical and industrial environments, opening up opportunities to specialise and progress within materials science, manufacturing, and engineering roles.
If you choose to continue your development, this programme provides a strong foundation for further academic study or progression into senior technical, scientific, and leadership roles.
