Job summary
You will hold a variety of accountabilities in the laboratory environment. These will include, but are not limited to:
- Deliver work autonomously, within all regulations and legislative requirements.
- Handle and manage samples, in line with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and assessed competencies.
- Perform tasks, operate and troubleshoot laboratory equipment within all safety standards and according to local SOPs relevant to your area.
- Prepare solutions, reagents etc, and utilise a variety of laboratory equipment to carry out investigations.
- Rotate around the laboratory to ensure a broad range of understanding and knowledge is cultivated.
- Day-to-day supervision of MLAs and new members of the laboratory where necessary.
- Use cost effective methods in your practice and maintain levels of consumable goods and supplies in your area, and report shortages accordingly.
- Provide administrative support to all areas of the laboratory, as appropriate and dependent on experience and training.
Main duties of the job
- Assist with routine laboratory maintenance, including cleaning, equipment preparation, and waste management.
- Process and analyse specimens using manual and automated methods under supervision.
- Perform routine biomedical investigations and support preventative maintenance of laboratory instruments.
- Follow strict health and safety protocols when handling biological specimens and hazardous materials.
- Ensure proper storage and stock management of laboratory samples, reagents, and consumables.
- Support clinical trials and research projects under supervision.
- Mentor and supervise Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs) as needed.
- Record and report incidents, support quality management activities, and take part in audits.
- Carry out administrative tasks including data entry, stock monitoring, and logging operational data.
- Use LIMS accurately for logging patient data while maintaining confidentiality.
- Participate in ongoing training and educational activities to maintain competence and stay current.
About us
Your development and learning
You will have a suite of learning opportunities available through The Synnovis Way Development programme, the Scientific Learning and Development Fund and the Synnovis Academy through which you can receive funding / support for advanced qualifications.
Through our Innovation Accelerator Fund, you can apply for finance to get that new innovative scientific project off the ground, and participate with the wider scientific community through symposiums, conferences and other peer group meetings.
Synnovis is a pathology partnership between SYNLAB UK and Ireland, and the NHS, including sites, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to deliver and transform pathology services across South East London.
The partnership provides services to 1.7 million people living in South East London, as well as to hundreds of thousands of patients from outside the region who use local healthcare services.
The partnership provides diagnostics, testing and digital pathology for hospital trusts, GP services and other healthcare providers.
King's College Hospital Foundation Trust is one of the UK's leading NHS Foundation Trusts in specialist teaching. King's has various divisions including Neurosciences, Haematology, Cancer and Cardiovascular sciences, where there are unlimited opportunities to develop and perfect your career.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Perform cleaning activities, prepare laboratory equipment, perform daily checks, environmental monitoring and waste management activities, and complete all required paperwork.
- Prepare specimens and perform manual, semi-automated and fully-automated laboratory investigations within training parameters and where appropriate under supervision.
- Perform and interpret routine biomedical investigations by participating in regular daily workloads, under the supervision of an appropriate Biomedical Scientist in your area.
- Undertake preventative maintenance and troubleshooting on laboratory instruments and equipment prior to them being used for patient investigations.
- Safely handle, use and dispose of biological specimens including infectious material or hazardous chemicals according to laboratory and health and safety protocols.
- Understand hazards and risks of working in a laboratory and use adequate precautions and personal protective equipment at all times.
- Ensure all laboratory samples, consumables and equipment are appropriately stored and maintained in line with SOPs, health and safety guidelines and recording protocols.
- Use departmental resources efficiently and apply good stock management of reagents, consumables and stationery. Receipt and unpack new deliveries and advise/order when approaching minimum stock levels.
- Process samples under supervision for clinical trials and research and development projects as and when required.
- Supervise MLAs by mentoring and ensuring performance is in line with laboratory standards.
- Report and record all incidents and adverse events under the direction of the senior members of staff.
- Participate in quality management activities including inspections and audits, as required.
- Organise day-to-day tasks, identifying and prioritising urgent work to ensure that deadlines are met, and to the highest standards possible. Escalate to senior member of staff, as necessary.
- Answer the telephone, deal with calls politely and professionally, escalating requests when necessary to appropriate senior staff or departments.
- Adhere to the laboratory SOPs and work with the team to review working practice to maintain a high quality and safe service.
- Perform specimen reception duties including checking details, receiving and logging patient requests on to the LIMS.
- Process referral specimens, receive samples dispatched from other laboratories and prepare samples for despatch to other laboratories or hospitals.
- Complete data entry accurately, on time and in accordance with Information Governance (IG) procedures.
- Seek practical advice from more experienced colleagues, including alignment with requirements of accreditation bodies and local management processes.
- Use LIMS to accurately record sensitive patient information, requiring frequent, long periods of concentration, whilst maintaining patient confidentiality and following IG guidelines.
- Take part in educational activities to ensure that your practices and knowledge are relevant and current to your specific area.
- Complete any assigned laboratory administrative tasks including but not limited to: stock monitoring and ordering, logging of operational performance data, taking operational meeting minutes, recording team annual leave and updating training plans.
- Undertake periodic laboratory training and competence assessment. Maintain knowledge and skills as identified by line manager.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Perform cleaning activities, prepare laboratory equipment, perform daily checks, environmental monitoring and waste management activities, and complete all required paperwork.
- Prepare specimens and perform manual, semi-automated and fully-automated laboratory investigations within training parameters and where appropriate under supervision.
- Perform and interpret routine biomedical investigations by participating in regular daily workloads, under the supervision of an appropriate Biomedical Scientist in your area.
- Undertake preventative maintenance and troubleshooting on laboratory instruments and equipment prior to them being used for patient investigations.
- Safely handle, use and dispose of biological specimens including infectious material or hazardous chemicals according to laboratory and health and safety protocols.
- Understand hazards and risks of working in a laboratory and use adequate precautions and personal protective equipment at all times.
- Ensure all laboratory samples, consumables and equipment are appropriately stored and maintained in line with SOPs, health and safety guidelines and recording protocols.
- Use departmental resources efficiently and apply good stock management of reagents, consumables and stationery. Receipt and unpack new deliveries and advise/order when approaching minimum stock levels.
- Process samples under supervision for clinical trials and research and development projects as and when required.
- Supervise MLAs by mentoring and ensuring performance is in line with laboratory standards.
- Report and record all incidents and adverse events under the direction of the senior members of staff.
- Participate in quality management activities including inspections and audits, as required.
- Organise day-to-day tasks, identifying and prioritising urgent work to ensure that deadlines are met, and to the highest standards possible. Escalate to senior member of staff, as necessary.
- Answer the telephone, deal with calls politely and professionally, escalating requests when necessary to appropriate senior staff or departments.
- Adhere to the laboratory SOPs and work with the team to review working practice to maintain a high quality and safe service.
- Perform specimen reception duties including checking details, receiving and logging patient requests on to the LIMS.
- Process referral specimens, receive samples dispatched from other laboratories and prepare samples for despatch to other laboratories or hospitals.
- Complete data entry accurately, on time and in accordance with Information Governance (IG) procedures.
- Seek practical advice from more experienced colleagues, including alignment with requirements of accreditation bodies and local management processes.
- Use LIMS to accurately record sensitive patient information, requiring frequent, long periods of concentration, whilst maintaining patient confidentiality and following IG guidelines.
- Take part in educational activities to ensure that your practices and knowledge are relevant and current to your specific area.
- Complete any assigned laboratory administrative tasks including but not limited to: stock monitoring and ordering, logging of operational performance data, taking operational meeting minutes, recording team annual leave and updating training plans.
- Undertake periodic laboratory training and competence assessment. Maintain knowledge and skills as identified by line manager.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good all-round education to GCSE standard including English and Maths at grade 4/C or equivalent or L2 Healthcare Science apprenticeship
- A Level / BTEC in Science or L3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship or L4 Healthcare Science Apprenticeship or equivalence experience
Experience
Essential
- Supervising, training or inducting junior members of the laboratory
- Working in a pathology laboratory environment
- Handling of biological specimens
- Using standard laboratory equipment
- Working as part of a team
- Working in a busy environment
- Experience of working with computer applications such as Microsoft Office / Google docs, data entry
- Working with Laboratory Information Systems
- Experience of working accurately with an attention to detail
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Numerate and literate
- Organised and methodical
- Ability to work to deadlines
- Ability to accurately follow written procedures
- Ability to perform technical laboratory processes and procedures, use precision
- Equipment and troubleshoot
- Competent at problem solving and prioritising
- Ability to communicate with other professionals at all levels
- Ability to maintain focus and concentration for extended periods of time
- Ability to lift, move and manipulate stock specimens etc
- Willingness and ability to learn complex operating procedures and follow guidelines
- Basic knowledge of quality management
- Basic knowledge of laboratory health and safety regulation
- Sound knowledge of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good all-round education to GCSE standard including English and Maths at grade 4/C or equivalent or L2 Healthcare Science apprenticeship
- A Level / BTEC in Science or L3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship or L4 Healthcare Science Apprenticeship or equivalence experience
Experience
Essential
- Supervising, training or inducting junior members of the laboratory
- Working in a pathology laboratory environment
- Handling of biological specimens
- Using standard laboratory equipment
- Working as part of a team
- Working in a busy environment
- Experience of working with computer applications such as Microsoft Office / Google docs, data entry
- Working with Laboratory Information Systems
- Experience of working accurately with an attention to detail
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Numerate and literate
- Organised and methodical
- Ability to work to deadlines
- Ability to accurately follow written procedures
- Ability to perform technical laboratory processes and procedures, use precision
- Equipment and troubleshoot
- Competent at problem solving and prioritising
- Ability to communicate with other professionals at all levels
- Ability to maintain focus and concentration for extended periods of time
- Ability to lift, move and manipulate stock specimens etc
- Willingness and ability to learn complex operating procedures and follow guidelines
- Basic knowledge of quality management
- Basic knowledge of laboratory health and safety regulation
- Sound knowledge of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
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.
