Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Specialist Biomedical Scientist

The closing date is 02 July 2025

Job summary

The Microbiology Department is based at the John Radcliffe Hospital and is part of the South Four Pathology Partnership Network. The department provide services to the Oxford University Hospitals NHSFT, ICS BOB Primary Care, Oxford Health NHS, South 4 Pathology Partnership, other NHS providers, private care, UKHSA, Oxford University and research trials.

The department undertakes bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, serology, and molecular microbiology. Combining manual and automated methodology, as well as highly specialised tasks that require a high level of concentration, knowledge, experience, and skills.

The laboratory holds UKAS accreditation (ISO 15189:2022) and is accredited with the IBMS for pre and post HCPC registration training.

The laboratory is a 24/7 service and successful applicants will participate in all shifts required to deliver service and patient care pathways. The shifts include working core day, evenings, night, weekend & bank holiday sessions. The post is full time, average working hours over the shift pattern 37.5 hours.

The department is equipped with numerous automated platforms, including (list not exhaustive) BD BACTEC FX, BD MGIT, BD MAX, BD COR, BD Kiestra, BD Phoenix, BD Auto-preps, Bruker MALDI-TOF, Menarini SediMAX, Abbott Architect i2000SR / Alinity i, DiaSorin Liaison XL, Abbott Alinity m, ELITe InGenius, ELITe BeGenius, BioFire TORCH and Cepheid GeneXpert.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will act as a Specialist HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist in relevant sections of the microbiology department (bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, serology, and molecular microbiology). You will undertake manual and automated processes, interpretation, and report generation to aid clinicians in patient care pathways. You will demonstrate a high standard of quality in your work, as well as maintaining up to date knowledge of current working practices within diagnostic microbiology. In addition, you will supervise sections and have additional managerial responsibilities to ensure the department runs and works effectively.

The successful applicant will support teaching and development of all staff groups, as well as participate in all aspects of quality management to assist UKAS accreditation. You will need to demonstrate the ability to lead and supervise teams and the daily responsibilities associated with staffing, workflow, innovation, change management.

Applicants must be HCPC registered, experienced Specialist Biomedical Scientist.

Successful candidates must be highly motivated with excellent organizational skills to support, maintain and improve service, as well as good supervisory and communication skills, presentation skills, team working, leadership skills and demonstrable OUH values of behaviour / conduct.

About us

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more here www.ouh.nhs.uk

The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel.

Details

Date posted

19 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

321-CSS-7192142-B7

Job locations

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Headington, Oxford

OX3 9DU


Job description

Job responsibilities

Detailed job description and main responsibilities - please refer to job description for a full overview.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Detailed job description and main responsibilities - please refer to job description for a full overview.

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC Registered
  • IBMS Certificate of Competence / CPSM Logbook
  • IBMS Specialist Diploma in Microbiology / Virology
  • FIBMS / MSc in Medical Microbiology / Virology or equivalent
  • Evidence of CPD

Experience & Knowledge

Essential

  • Broad experience in most areas of clinical, diagnostic NHS microbiology
  • Evidence of practical analytical and technical skills associated with highly complex laboratory work.
  • Experience of molecular techniques as used in a clinical microbiology department
  • Knowledge of managing and implementing change.
  • Knowledge and understanding of IT aspects of complex analytical equipment and Laboratory Information Systems
  • Experience of training of others, internal and external to the organisation, both in a formal and informal setting

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills (no grammatical errors in application)
  • Excellent inter-personal and time management skills
  • Ability to make decisions and solve problems under pressure
  • Project planning, implementation and monitoring skills
  • Timely accurate working with ability to prioritise and manage staff and resources for day to day service delivery

Other

Essential

  • Prepared to work with biological materials and a variety of sample types
  • Flexible approach to hours of work, including night working, extended day working, weekends and Bank Holidays
Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC Registered
  • IBMS Certificate of Competence / CPSM Logbook
  • IBMS Specialist Diploma in Microbiology / Virology
  • FIBMS / MSc in Medical Microbiology / Virology or equivalent
  • Evidence of CPD

Experience & Knowledge

Essential

  • Broad experience in most areas of clinical, diagnostic NHS microbiology
  • Evidence of practical analytical and technical skills associated with highly complex laboratory work.
  • Experience of molecular techniques as used in a clinical microbiology department
  • Knowledge of managing and implementing change.
  • Knowledge and understanding of IT aspects of complex analytical equipment and Laboratory Information Systems
  • Experience of training of others, internal and external to the organisation, both in a formal and informal setting

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills (no grammatical errors in application)
  • Excellent inter-personal and time management skills
  • Ability to make decisions and solve problems under pressure
  • Project planning, implementation and monitoring skills
  • Timely accurate working with ability to prioritise and manage staff and resources for day to day service delivery

Other

Essential

  • Prepared to work with biological materials and a variety of sample types
  • Flexible approach to hours of work, including night working, extended day working, weekends and Bank Holidays

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Headington, Oxford

OX3 9DU


Employer's website

https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Headington, Oxford

OX3 9DU


Employer's website

https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Microbiology Laboratory Manager

Sarah Oakley

sarah.oakley@ouh.nhs.uk

01865220858

Details

Date posted

19 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

321-CSS-7192142-B7

Job locations

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Headington, Oxford

OX3 9DU


Supporting documents

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