Biomedical Scientist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Continued Main Duties

• carry out routine quality control procedures to ensure that samples are being prepared, recorded and archived to a high standard.
• maintain equipment, including routine monitoring, calibration and safety checks and maintain records of these.
• facilitate the day to day running of the laboratory by ensuring the availability of consumables, reagents and kits.
• assist in the instruction and training of other staff and visitors, and to ensure compliance with safety and quality systems.
• undertake other dutiescommensurate with the grade, as agreed with the line manager and the Unit Head

Quality

• Maintain a high standard of work, and to contribute to developing the service of the laboratory so that work is safe, effective and economical and follows protocol

• Contribute to internal and external quality assurance programmes

• Take every effort to suggest quality improvements

Information Technology

• Use appropriate IT systems for the recording and archiving of clinical samples, results transferring as well as technical validation of laboratory results

• Import and export data via spreadsheets, use word processing and PowerPoint presentation software

Staff Management and Training

• Assist with the organisation of, and participation in, suitable training programmes for visitors

• Ensure junior staff and trainees are competent to carry out the tasks given to them, ensuring that appropriate levels of supervision are in place

• Assist in the appointment selection of junior staff when required.

• Develop and maintain good working relationships with staff.

Support Services and Equipment

• Take responsibility for the maintenance and acquisition of stock in order to ensure adequate service provision and continuity

• Oversee laboratory maintenance, engineering and similar services.

Financial management

• Ensure best use of resources

Other

• The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager and/or Unit Head.

• The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the division and UKHSA.

• It should be noted that the work of the division is of a confidential nature and must not be communicated to other persons except where required for authorised purposes.

Professional Development

• Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attend internal / external training events

• Participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.

Key Working Relationships

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include.

Internal

Medical, scientific and other staff throughout the unit, VRD and UKHSA as required

External

Hospitals, laboratories, and medical institutions, others as required

Role Criteria and Other Requirements

Essential role criteria:

• BSc in Biomedical Science or equivalent

• HCPC registration (Biomedical Scientist/ Clinical Scientist)

• Experience of working in a microbiology/virology/molecular in diagnostic laboratory

• Experience with manual/automated serology and molecular techniques in diagnostic lab

• Experience and understanding of quality management systems and health and safety regulations

• Experience in handling clinical specimens and working with infectious material al CL2

• Excellent time management skills with the ability to re-prioritise

• Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload with minimal supervision working to tight and often changing timescales

• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to work individually and as part of a team

• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable role criteria:

• Experience/ understanding of growth and maintenance of mammalian cell culture lines.

• Experience/ understanding of growth, amplification, and characterization of clinical virus isolates.

Selection Process Details

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed essential and desirable criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)

• Up to 1000 wordsupporting statement.

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000

The Application form and supporting statement will be marked together.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria

• Meets some essential criteria

• Meets no essential criteria

The following will be taken through to the next stage: Meets all essential criteria

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following:

• BSc in Biomedical Science or equivalent degree

• HCPC registration

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview.

Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Stage 2: Interview (competency based)

You will be invited to a face to face.If face to face interviewsare planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remoteinterview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities in relation to the essential and desirable criteria will be tested at interview

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Eligibility Criteria - Across government

This vacancy is open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules. Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Security Clearance LevelRequirement

All successful candidates must meet the basic security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is:

• Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).

For this role you will also need to meet:

• Counter Terrorism Check (CTC)

DBS Requirement:

• Basic DBS

Location

This role is being offered as office/lab based at our site in Colindale, London.

Please note that this role is not being offered as hybrid working.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. If based at one of our labs, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Essential

• Application and Supporting Statement

Essential Criteria

Essential

• Questions on experience, knowledge and skills

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

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Colindale (London)

Colindale Avenue

Colindale (London)

NW9 5EQ

Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)