Registered Science Technician
Registered Science Technicians work with minimal supervision in technical roles, delivering essential scientific services and support within laboratories, schools and universities, hospitals and in many other workplaces. CASES is a Licensed Member Body of the Science Council, enabling us to award Registered Science Technician status to members who meet the criteria.
What are the benefits of gaining Registered Science Technician status?
Benefits to CASES members - Registration acknowledges your knowledge and experience, alongside any additional qualifications you hold. Professional registration recognises on-the-job experience and demonstrates your level of competence as a practising scientist. It also reflects your commitment to integrity, public interest, and responsibility to others.
Benefits to your employer – Registration is a mark of quality and competence that is sought after by employers. It commits you to standards of integrity and professionalism, as well as engagement with both personal and professional development.
Benefits to the public – Similar to other professional registrations, RSciTech provides a single badge of professionalism that the public can recognise across the scientific professions. It maintains and increases the public’s trust through professional standards, codes of conduct and mandatory re-validation.
How do CASES members apply for and renew their RSciTech?
Unlike CSci applications, RSciTech and RSci applications can be made all year round through the Science Council’s online application process, known as The Common Application Process (CAP).
To become registered as RSciTech, you must:
- Be a member of CASES at any level
- Have one year's professional experience
- Be committed to maintaining your CPD (this will need to be evidenced when renewing your RSciTech Registration annually)
- Hold a Level 3/SCQF Level 6/Equivalent qualification
The renewal process consists of completing a short form confirming your continuing professional development. CASES will email reminders one month before your renewal date.
You need to maintain current professional membership and accredited status at all times in order to maintain your RSciTech status.
To apply for, or renew your CASES Registered Science Technician status CLICK HERE.
What costs are involved?
When you first apply, there is an application fee payable at the beginning of the process to cover the costs of the support we provide to you. In addition to this, there is also your registration fee.
The initial application for RSciTech costs £28, with the same cost for annual renewal. This can be paid by either debit/credit card or by setting up a direct debit.
Science Council CPD monitoring
When you apply for RSciTech status with CASES you are agreeing to being randomly selected by the Science Council for a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) audit.
What is CPD?
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives both currently and in the future. CPD comprises updating particular areas of competence, developing personal and managerial skills and broadening your experience and expertise.
Why is CPD important?
Any true professional should keep up to date with the latest developments in their field in order to remain competitive and employable. As a registrant, you are required to keep your skills and knowledge both relevant and up to date. A failure to do so may result in loss of professional registration. Whilst this may sound daunting, see it as an opportunity to identify and work towards achieving your career objectives.
While you may have a degree (or several), you probably got them a number of years ago. They show that you have an understanding of your subject, but it is your registration that shows you have expanded your knowledge and kept up to date with pertinent developments in your field.
What do I have to do? Why should I keep a record?
Most activities within (and some outside) the workplace are relevant to your professional development and learning. It is for you to extract and use the experiences to further yourself and your profession. The Science Council defines five categories of activity and expects you to carry out activities in at least three of these areas in any one 12-month period.
However, CPD isn’t just about the type of activity you do or the number of hours you have completed. CPD is about setting yourself objectives and monitoring your progress against them. A key part of this is undertaking reflective analysis of what you have done.
The Science Council recommends that at least once a year you review the learning you have achieved throughout the year and then set professional development objectives for the coming year. You may well have an annual appraisal process as part of your job but CPD can complement this
Why is reflection important?
Reflection allows you to take responsibility for your personal growth and helps you identify the benefits of a particular activity or groups of activities. Reflection should be a normal part of your working life. Those who regularly plan, do, record and reflect on their learning tend to be better at identifying opportunities for professional and personal development. This ensures CPD becomes a valuable tool to improve practice as opposed to a box-ticking exercise for satisfying an arbitrary goal.
How long does it take?
CPD is not about how much time you spend doing something or sitting in the lecture room, it is about how much value you capture and take from what you do and the lessons you learn as a result. CPD recording should be seen as an iterative process, rather than something that is rushed together at the end of the year.
How can CASES help with CPD?
CASES offers conferences, publications, workshops and webinars, as well as opportunities to write journal articles, which can all be used as evidence of CPD.
Where can I get more information?
More information about Registered Science Technician and the Science Council's CPD requirements can be found on their website.
Appeals and Complaints
Applicants have the right to appeal if they feel aggrieved at the decision of the Accreditation Advisory Group in relation to an application for Accreditation/Chartered Scientist, CSci audit and/or Registered Scientist/Technician based on one of the following grounds for appeal:
- the Accreditation Advisory Group or awarding panel has misinterpreted or misapplied the Terms of Reference (Accreditation criteria) when considering the application;
- the Accreditation Advisory Group or awarding panel has discriminated arbitrarily against the Applicant;
- the Accreditation Advisory Group or awarding panel has made a materially incorrect finding of fact or misinterpreted the evidence before it;
- there is evidence of material maladministration on the part of an administrative officer
Please note that appeals which are not based on one of these grounds of appeal will not be accepted. Appeals may not be based on questions regarding the interpretation of evidence provided within an application by members of the Accreditation Advisory Group; nor can appeals be used to provide additional evidence to demonstrate competence in areas that fell short of the required standard in the original application.
CASES Appeals Process
1. Applicants must make written notice of an appeal within 14 days of the decision being communicated to the Applicant, outlining the grounds for appeal.
2. An independent member of the Accreditation Advisory Group (not involved in the original review of the application) will review the application and either:
a) uphold the original decision
b) accept the appeal and recommend the decision be changed
3. The Applicant is informed of the outcome of the appeal, with feedback provided by the independent reviewer explaining their decision.
4. If the Applicant remains aggrieved by the decision and has grounds to do so, they may lodge a "Final Appeal" to the CASES Board. The "Final Appeal" process is detailed within the CASES Appeals Process policy document.
