Advanced Biomedical Scientist - Microbiology

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Leeds; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000

Job description

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dynamic, well-motivated, forward thinking individual to take up the post of Advanced Biomedical Scientist for the serology and molecular laboratory with the microbiology department for Leeds Teaching Hospitals. The post is currently based at Leeds General Infirmary, relocating to St James University Hospital when microbiology services transfer to our £30m newly designed and purpose-built pathology laboratory in 2023. You will be fundamental in helping to develop a collaborative microbiology service working closely with other trusts in West Yorkshire to help deliver the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYATT) partnership. The pathology Managed Service Contract (MSC) is currently being renewed, you will be key to planning, development, training and implementation of any changes that arise because of the new MSC. Alongside significant service development and improvement, you will be key to supporting our UKHSA services. You will have significant experience of working in a molecular microbiology department with both commercially available and laboratory developed tests. As part of your role you will be developing new molecular tests to aid in the diagnosis of emerging or re-emerging pathogens. You will be pivotal in the response to seasonal outbreaks and assisting in the day to day management of the additional work that this brings to the laboratory.

Main duties of the job

On a daily-basis you will supervise sections of the serology and molecular laboratory. You will be responsible for performing a wide range of duties such as, staff supervision, staff training, maintaining quality management systems and monitoring workflow. You will be fundamental in the delivery of a 24/7 service.

You will be HCPC registered with a Biomedical Science degree or equivalent, hold an MSc (or level 7 equivalent) with Microbiology as a specialism and hold an IBMS specialist portfolio in microbiology/virology if your MSc was obtained after 2006.

You will have significant experience in the discipline of Microbiology, with specialist knowledge working within a diagnostic molecular laboratory. You will work as a part of a senior BMS team to ensure the delivery of the serology and molecular services, along with implementing continuous service improvement.

In this role you will work with regular, ce marked molecular assays for the detection of pathogens. Alongside this you will use your experience in developing and optimising laboratory developed molecular tests to implement new laboratory tests, to aid in the diagnosis of infection. You will oversee and assist with evolving UKHSA requirements, such as rapid implementation and development of a new testing requirement for an emerging or re-emerging pathogen, for contact tracing, seasonal monitoring or for outbreak management.

About Us

The laboratory processes over 1 million samples per annum, providing an extensive repertoire of familiar and specialist tests for the diagnosis and monitoring of viral and bacterial infections. The department currently uses several technologies to assist with delivering the service such as, Diasorin Liaison XL, DS2, Centaur, Panther Fusion, MDx, ABi 7500 and Symphony alongside manual based Microbiology. The service is accredited to UKAS ISO 15189 with a robust Quality Management system in place, Microbiology is recognised by the IBMS as a training laboratory. The team are dynamic and versatile, staff are multi-skilled and strive to improve the service that they deliver. The team goes above and beyond and will always give support to each other. We provide a full 24/7 laboratory service supported by a shift system incorporating core, late, weekend and night shifts. The post is full time 37.5hrs.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Job Description

Job responsibilities

1. To undertake highly specialist clinical technical investigations for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease.
2. To co-ordinate, validate and authorize the day to day technical activities of a section of the laboratory.
3. To contribute towards the training of technical, scientific and medical staff.
4. To communicate highly complex and / or sensitive information to colleagues and other healthcare staff.
5. To participate in people governance procedures such as staff recruitment and appraisal.
6. To contribute to the general management requirements of the department.

As an advanced biomedical scientist you will be the lead specialist in a section of the laboratory and as such will normally lead a group of biomedical scientists and support staff, the size of the group depending on the workload of the section. At other times you will be required to work alone and independently, for example when working on-call or when performing highly specialized tasks. You will be a highly competent member of the department having the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to perform a wide range of specialist clinical technical investigations that contribute towards the provision of an accurate and timely service for patients. You will be responsible for the planning and organization of your section, the validation and authorization of the results and will be expected to apply professional judgements and specialist skills to technically highly complex and sometimes difficult situations. You will be required to communicate highly complex information, often related to patient management and care, to colleagues, healthcare staff and other organizations. Your contribution towards team development will require your active participation in people governance procedures consistent with Trust policies. Subject to consultation you may be required to undertake additional tasks in support of the general management of the department.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• Relevant Masters degree (or equivalent) - date obtained
• HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist - date obtained
• IBMS Higher Specialist diploma in microbiology or virology - date obtained

Desirable

• Working towards the required Masters degree or equivalent qualifications
• Supervisory Management Qualification

Skills & behaviours Essential

• Line Manager experience, managing people of all grades
• Experience of working with software and hardware to enable the implementation of a laboratory developed test
• Experience of using windows based products such as Word and Excel

Experience Essential

• Extensive experience working within a hospital laboratory setting
• Extensive experience working with molecular techniques to detect a wide variety of viral and bacterial pathogens.
• Extensive experience developing and implementing laboratory developed tests

Desirable

• Experience working with molecular techniques to detect a wide variety of virus and bacterial pathogens.
• Experience of working with laboratory developed tests

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.

Employer details

Employer name
Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address
St. James's University Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF

Employer's website
https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/