{"id":11094,"date":"2026-10-22T09:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T07:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/?p=11094"},"modified":"2026-10-26T12:09:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T11:09:41","slug":"laboratory-biomedicine-engineer-job-description-employment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/en\/laboratory-biomedicine-engineer-job-description-employment\/","title":{"rendered":"Laboratory biomedicine engineer: job description, education, work, pay and employment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A laboratory biomedicine engineer (biomedical laboratory scientist) is a healthcare professional who performs tests on blood, urine, tissue and other biological samples in a medical laboratory.<\/strong> Doctors rely on these results to make diagnoses, monitor treatment and detect diseases before symptoms appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A large share of medical decisions is based on laboratory results. The laboratory biomedicine engineer makes sure each result is correct, on time and reliable. Patients rarely meet them, yet modern healthcare would not work without their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Slovenia this is a <strong>regulated healthcare profession<\/strong>. To practise, you need the appropriate higher education degree, a traineeship and the professional examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who is a laboratory biomedicine engineer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A laboratory biomedicine engineer is an expert in medical laboratory testing. They understand biological processes in the body, analytical methods and laboratory equipment, and can judge whether a test result is trustworthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They work alongside specialists in laboratory medicine and medical biochemistry, microbiologists, transfusion specialists, pathologists and other members of the healthcare team. In most laboratories an authorised specialist reviews and approves the final report, while the laboratory biomedicine engineer makes sure the test itself is performed correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does a laboratory biomedicine engineer do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The work varies with the type of laboratory. Typical tasks include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>receiving, labelling and preparing biological samples,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>taking venous and capillary blood where this is part of the post,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>haematology tests, such as full blood count and coagulation,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>biochemistry tests, such as glucose, cholesterol, enzymes and electrolytes,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>immunology and serology tests,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>microbiology: culturing and identifying microorganisms and antibiotic susceptibility testing,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>molecular tests, such as PCR,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>preparing and examining slides under the microscope,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>operating, calibrating and maintaining automated analysers,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>internal and external quality control,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>entering and checking data in the laboratory information system,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>safe handling of biological samples and chemicals,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>keeping records and sample traceability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Areas of laboratory biomedicine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laboratory biomedicine engineers often focus on one area:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>clinical biochemistry<\/strong>: the blood and urine tests most doctors order,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>haematology and coagulation<\/strong>: blood cells and blood clotting,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>transfusion medicine<\/strong>: blood groups, crossmatching and preparing blood for transfusion,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>microbiology<\/strong>: bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>immunology<\/strong>: antibodies, allergies and autoimmune diseases,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>molecular diagnostics and genetics<\/strong>: DNA and RNA testing,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>cytology and histology<\/strong>: preparing cell and tissue specimens,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>reproductive medicine<\/strong>: laboratories for assisted reproduction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where does a laboratory biomedicine engineer work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jobs are available in the public and private sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>in hospital and university medical centre laboratories,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in community health centre laboratories,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in private medical laboratories and diagnostic centres,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in the blood transfusion service,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in microbiology and public health laboratories,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in genetics and reproductive medicine laboratories,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, for example in quality control,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in research institutions and universities,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>with laboratory equipment suppliers, for example as an application specialist.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Education<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The route into the profession is the <strong>professional higher education programme in Laboratory Biomedicine<\/strong> (first Bologna cycle), offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Ljubljana. The programme lasts three years and carries 180 ECTS credits. Graduates receive the professional title <strong>diplomirani in\u017eenir \/ diplomirana in\u017eenirka laboratorijske biomedicine (VS)<\/strong>, a bachelor&#8217;s-level laboratory biomedicine engineer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The programme combines biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology and laboratory methods, with substantial practical training in medical laboratories. After the first cycle you can continue with master&#8217;s and doctoral studies, depending on the admission requirements of each programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Traineeship and professional examination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After graduating, a laboratory biomedicine engineer must complete a <strong>traineeship<\/strong> under a mentor and pass the <strong>professional examination<\/strong> before working independently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The length of the traineeship and the content of the examination are set by the regulations for healthcare workers in laboratory medicine. Because these change, always check the current requirements on the SPOT portal, with the Ministry of Health and with the Slovenian Chamber of Laboratory Medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Laboratory biomedicine engineer and laboratory technician: what is the difference?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both professions appear in job adverts, but they are not the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>Laboratory technician<\/th><th>Laboratory biomedicine engineer<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>&#8212;<\/td><td>&#8212;<\/td><td>&#8212;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Education<\/td><td>upper secondary vocational school<\/td><td>professional higher education<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Length<\/td><td>four years, vocational matura<\/td><td>three years, 180 ECTS<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Role in the laboratory<\/td><td>sample preparation and parts of testing under supervision<\/td><td>independent work on more complex tests, quality control, evaluating results<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Traineeship and professional exam<\/td><td>yes<\/td><td>yes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Which tasks each profile may perform is set by regulations and by the job classification of each laboratory. The portal has a separate job category for each: <a href=\"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/en\/poklic\/laboratory-biomedicine-engineer\/\">laboratory biomedicine engineer<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/en\/poklic\/laboratory-technician\/\">laboratory technician<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What makes a good laboratory biomedicine engineer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>precision and consistency, because one mixed-up sample can mean a wrong diagnosis,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>concentration during repetitive work,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>interest in biology, chemistry and medicine,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>confidence with equipment and computer systems,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>quick decisions, for example with urgent tests,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>responsibility towards patients they may never meet,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>willingness to keep learning as methods develop quickly,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>teamwork.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pay<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pay depends on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>education and title,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>work experience,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the post and the complexity of the tests,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>shift, night, weekend or on-call work,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>working in the public or private sector,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the employer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With public employers, pay is linked to the public sector pay system and to the post the engineer is assigned to. In private laboratories and industry, terms depend on the employer and the employment contract. There is therefore no single salary. Employers on our portal often state an indicative pay range in their adverts, so comparing adverts is a good way to get a realistic picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advantages of the profession<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>working with advanced equipment and modern methods,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a direct influence on the diagnosis and treatment of patients,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>many areas to choose from,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>opportunities in healthcare, industry and research,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>clear rules and well-defined procedures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenges of the profession<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>shifts and on-call duty in hospital laboratories,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>high responsibility with urgent tests,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>work with potentially infectious samples,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>often repetitive tasks,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>constant adjustment to new equipment and methods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Laboratory biomedicine engineers from abroad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you obtained your qualification in another country, you need to have it recognised before working in Slovenia. Qualifications are assessed individually, so an aptitude test or adaptation period may be required. Knowledge of Slovenian is also important for work in healthcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does a laboratory biomedicine engineer do?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They perform tests on biological samples in a medical laboratory, look after the quality of results and work with laboratory equipment. Doctors base diagnoses on these results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What do you need to study?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The professional higher education programme in Laboratory Biomedicine (first cycle), which lasts three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is it the same as a laboratory technician?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. A laboratory technician has upper secondary education, while a laboratory biomedicine engineer has a higher education degree and usually more complex tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is a traineeship and professional exam required?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. A traineeship and the professional examination follow graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do laboratory biomedicine engineers take blood?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In some posts, yes. Blood sampling is often part of the work in community health centre laboratories and private laboratories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where can they work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In hospitals, community health centres, private laboratories, the transfusion service, public health laboratories, industry and research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Laboratory biomedicine engineer: a short summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A laboratory biomedicine engineer performs the laboratory tests on which a large part of medical decisions is based. What matters for the profession:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the professional higher education programme in Laboratory Biomedicine,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a traineeship and the professional examination,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>precision and responsibility,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>knowledge of biology, chemistry and laboratory methods,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>continuous professional development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The profession suits people who are interested in medicine but are drawn more to samples, methods and modern equipment than to direct work with patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/en\/poklic\/laboratory-biomedicine-engineer\/\"><strong>LABORATORY BIOMEDICINE ENGINEER JOBS<\/strong> (see current vacancies)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/en\/poklic\/laboratory-and-diagnostics\/\"><strong>LABORATORY AND DIAGNOSTICS<\/strong> (all adverts in this area)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/en\/packages\/\"><strong>HIRING FOR YOUR LABORATORY?<\/strong> (see the packages for posting a job advert)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/en\/boost-promotion-of-job-ads\/\">What is a BOOST advert? Read more &#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/en\/professions\/\">All healthcare and pharmacy professions in one place<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you found an error in this description, or does it need updating? Please send corrections to: podpora@zdravstvena.info<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources and useful links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>SPOT: official information on the conditions for practising regulated healthcare professions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana: the Laboratory Biomedicine study programme.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Slovenian Chamber of Laboratory Medicine: the professional body for laboratory medicine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ministry of Health: traineeships and professional examinations for healthcare workers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What does a laboratory biomedicine engineer do? The Laboratory Biomedicine degree, traineeship, professional exam, areas of work, how it differs from a laboratory technician, and jobs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11096,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1357,1347],"tags":[2176,899,2179,2182,2185],"class_list":["post-11094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-professions","category-jobs-in-healthcare","tag-biomedical-laboratory-scientist-en","tag-healthcare-professions","tag-laboratory-biomedicine-engineer-en","tag-laboratory-jobs-en","tag-medical-laboratory-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11094"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11094\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11097,"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11094\/revisions\/11097"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11094"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zdravstvena.info\/zaposlitev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}