Job summary
A rare permanent opportunity has arisen to lead radiopharmaceutical production within a licensed NHS Radiopharmacy service during a period of growth.
We are seeking an exceptional Radiopharmacy Production Lead to lead a highly specialised, ambitious service that is entering a defining phase of growth and transformation. This is a rare opportunity to take technical leadership of a licensed Radiopharmacy service with expanding clinical reach, increasing research activity, and significant capital development.
Why UHBW Radiopharmacy?
UHBW Radiopharmacy service plays a critical role in supporting nuclear medicine, oncology, and research programmes across the Southwest and is entering a significant phase of development. You will join a collaborative and experienced team committed to patient safety, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement.
This opportunity to take responsibility for production operations within a service that is:
- Growing nuclear medicine activity
- Expanding our clinical trials portfolio
- Investing in facilities and equipment
- Implementing new radiopharmacy software systems
- Operating under an MHRA Specials licence
Main duties of the job
As Radiopharmacy Production Lead you will lead and coordinate day-to-day radiopharmaceutical production within our licensed unit. This will include:
- Leading the production team and overseeing manufacturing operations
- Ensuring compliance with GMP and MHRA regulatory standards
- Acting as a lead for radiation protection and waste management
- Acting as a lead for Radiopharmacy clinical trials
- Contributing to ongoing service development
What are we looking for:
- Experience in radiopharmacy or GMP-regulated production
- A strong understanding of quality systems and regulatory compliance
- Experience supervising or leading technical staff
- A commitment to patient safety and service improvement
We welcome applications from:
- Experienced Band 8a Production Managers seeking a new challenge or relocation
- Ambitious Band 7 professionals ready to step into a senior leadership role
- Industry-based GMP or radiopharmacy production specialists interested in moving into the NHS
We recognise that strong candidates may come from NHS radiopharmacy, aseptics or industry environments. If you meet most of the criteria and are motivated by the opportunity, we encourage you to apply or contact us for an informal discussion: Polly.Savage@uhbw.nhs.uk or Claire.Atkinson@uhbw.nhs.uk
About us
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Work will be undertaken in specialist aseptic clean room facilities which we are required to operate under strict regulatory rules. The guidelines covering the operation of these aseptic facilities mean that staff members with certain long term or recurrent medical or health conditions, such as gastrointestinal or skin conditions, can represent a risk of microbial contamination which therefore precludes access to the clean room. For candidates information, our Occupational Health team will carry out an assessment at the stage when conditional offers are made. The assessment will consider whether any candidate would not be able to work in an aseptic facility and/or whether any candidate would be able to work in an aseptic facility with any restrictions or reasonable adjustments.
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Work will be undertaken in specialist aseptic clean room facilities which we are required to operate under strict regulatory rules. The guidelines covering the operation of these aseptic facilities mean that staff members with certain long term or recurrent medical or health conditions, such as gastrointestinal or skin conditions, can represent a risk of microbial contamination which therefore precludes access to the clean room. For candidates information, our Occupational Health team will carry out an assessment at the stage when conditional offers are made. The assessment will consider whether any candidate would not be able to work in an aseptic facility and/or whether any candidate would be able to work in an aseptic facility with any restrictions or reasonable adjustments.
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Degree in Pharmacy or BTEC in Pharmaceutical Sciences / NVQ Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Sciences or equivalent (must be a UK recognised pharmacy technician qualification) or appropriate science degree and post-graduate GMP manufacturing experience in MHRA licensed facility
- MSc/ Postgraduate Diploma in Radiopharmacy or Pharmaceutical Technology & Quality Assurance/STP training
- Statutory professional registration as a Pharmacist/Technician or with HCPC as a Clinical Scientist or relevant experience
Desirable
- Radiation Protection Supervisor and Radiation Waste Supervisor training
- Membership of an appropriate professional body (Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine)
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience and skill in staff management or supervision
- Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge and application of GMP, Pharmaceutical Quality Systems and current standards in aseptic preparation services
- Demonstrable track record of achieving objectives set by senior management
- Significant and recent supervisory experience and skill in radiopharmacy/aseptic preparation services and eligibility to be named on MHRA license (Production)
- Able to provide and support the training and development of Radiopharmacy staff
Desirable
- Experience in introducing new services in clinical setting
- Specialist knowledge and ability to participate in manufacturing of radiopharmaceutical preparations and radiation protection relevant to the operation of a radiopharmacy
- Experience of stock management and stock control
Aptitudes
Essential
- Close attention to detail
- Self motivated and enthusiastic
- Professional approach
- Flexible and adaptable to the needs of the service
- Able to work on own initiative, work unsupervised and be innovative and develop the role
- Confident at making informed decision
- Resilient in a fast-paced environment
- Produce and approve complex reports/policies/procedures/clinical trial documents
- Clear understanding of current NHS issues and a knowledge of the nuclear medicine development agenda
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to present ideas and information confidently in a clear and concise manner in individual and group settings, both within the Radiopharmacy team and with service users
- Good interpersonal skills, including the ability to foster good working relationships both within the team and with multi-disciplinary service users; and to communicate sensitively but resolutely in difficult or controversial situations
- Effective organisational and time management skills, including ability to prioritise, plan and organise own workload and that of the team to accommodate both the needs of service users and of the radiopharmacy team
- Able to work under pressure in a busy and demanding environment
- Service improvement skills including the ability to collaborate with others to identify changes required, and to lead on implementing changes in own area of practice within agreed deadlines
- Computer literate, including ability to manage specialist software systems at an administrative level
- Able to work early (6:00-14:00) and late shift (till 5PM) for prolonged period if requested to do so and to be flexible to meet the needs of the role
- Physically able to participate in the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals on full time basis
Desirable
- Mathematical ability to enable radiation decay and dose calculation
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Degree in Pharmacy or BTEC in Pharmaceutical Sciences / NVQ Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Sciences or equivalent (must be a UK recognised pharmacy technician qualification) or appropriate science degree and post-graduate GMP manufacturing experience in MHRA licensed facility
- MSc/ Postgraduate Diploma in Radiopharmacy or Pharmaceutical Technology & Quality Assurance/STP training
- Statutory professional registration as a Pharmacist/Technician or with HCPC as a Clinical Scientist or relevant experience
Desirable
- Radiation Protection Supervisor and Radiation Waste Supervisor training
- Membership of an appropriate professional body (Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine)
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience and skill in staff management or supervision
- Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge and application of GMP, Pharmaceutical Quality Systems and current standards in aseptic preparation services
- Demonstrable track record of achieving objectives set by senior management
- Significant and recent supervisory experience and skill in radiopharmacy/aseptic preparation services and eligibility to be named on MHRA license (Production)
- Able to provide and support the training and development of Radiopharmacy staff
Desirable
- Experience in introducing new services in clinical setting
- Specialist knowledge and ability to participate in manufacturing of radiopharmaceutical preparations and radiation protection relevant to the operation of a radiopharmacy
- Experience of stock management and stock control
Aptitudes
Essential
- Close attention to detail
- Self motivated and enthusiastic
- Professional approach
- Flexible and adaptable to the needs of the service
- Able to work on own initiative, work unsupervised and be innovative and develop the role
- Confident at making informed decision
- Resilient in a fast-paced environment
- Produce and approve complex reports/policies/procedures/clinical trial documents
- Clear understanding of current NHS issues and a knowledge of the nuclear medicine development agenda
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to present ideas and information confidently in a clear and concise manner in individual and group settings, both within the Radiopharmacy team and with service users
- Good interpersonal skills, including the ability to foster good working relationships both within the team and with multi-disciplinary service users; and to communicate sensitively but resolutely in difficult or controversial situations
- Effective organisational and time management skills, including ability to prioritise, plan and organise own workload and that of the team to accommodate both the needs of service users and of the radiopharmacy team
- Able to work under pressure in a busy and demanding environment
- Service improvement skills including the ability to collaborate with others to identify changes required, and to lead on implementing changes in own area of practice within agreed deadlines
- Computer literate, including ability to manage specialist software systems at an administrative level
- Able to work early (6:00-14:00) and late shift (till 5PM) for prolonged period if requested to do so and to be flexible to meet the needs of the role
- Physically able to participate in the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals on full time basis
Desirable
- Mathematical ability to enable radiation decay and dose calculation
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.
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.
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
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
Address
Bristol Royal Infirmary
Upper Maudlin Street
Bristol
BS2 8HW
Employer's website
https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
