Specialist Biomedical Scientist

UK Health Security Agency; Leeds; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

Job summary

UKHSA provides microbiology services through a network of regional laboratories and central reference laboratories. UKHSA commissions its diagnostic Microbiology service for the Yorkshire & Humber region from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT).

The post holder will work as part of the UKHSA employed team based in the Leeds Regional Laboratory at the Centre for Laboratory Medicine at St James University Hospital, providing microbiology support for the laboratory-based CDRN surveillance activities. The Leeds Regional Laboratory is the national laboratory for the Clostridium difficile Ribotyping Network (CDRN) in England. UKHSA is currently implementing a plan to introduce new technologies and services, such as Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to the Clostridium difficile services it currently provides. This role will support the Lead Scientist in the CDRN unit in delivering this plan.

The post holder will be required to support the emergency response capability of the Leeds Laboratory should this be required and also to work with colleagues to provide a laboratory liaison service to the Yorkshire & Humber Health Protection teams.

Main duties of the job

1. To work as part of the laboratory team, providing a high-quality Clostridium difficile ribotyping service to provide patients and clinicians with the highest level of diagnosis, treatment and surveillance.
2. To assist the Lead Scientist in the development and transition to a whole genome sequencing (WGS) service for CDRN.
3. To provide expert technical support for the specialist work undertaken within the laboratory in accordance with UKHSA and laboratory policies and procedures.
4. The post holder would be expected to assist in any UKHSA coordinated response or activity of a national/international nature, e.g., a Bioterrorism incident or a major disease outbreak.
5. To participate in Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities and assist the department in maintaining ISO 15189 accreditation from UKAS (UK Accreditation Service).
6. To participate in the provision of out-of-hours services should these be required.
7. To provide support for any PH initiatives undertaken in Leeds UKHSA.
8. Responsible for organising and controlling own workload ensuring deadlines are observed and duties performed efficiently.
9. Provide cover as directed by Line Manager for other members of the team in their absence and assist with their workloads as necessary.
10. Act independently on day-to-day issues and to use own judgement within the autonomy and limitations of the post.

About us

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Please visit our careers site for more information here.

Job description

Job responsibilities

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

Stage 1 Sift:

Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

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.

Stage 2: Interview (competency based)

You will be invited to a single face-to-face interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.

A test scenario will also be given to assess your technical skills; details will be provided during the 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

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location

This role is being offered as lab working based at Leeds, Centre for Laboratory Medicine, St James University Hospital. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level in an appropriate medical/microbiological/biological science or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in a specialist area e.g., molecular biology.
• IBMS Specialist Diploma in Medical Microbiology.
• Registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as Biomedical Scientist.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Experience in diagnostic bacteriology and bacterial culture techniques.
• Experience of diagnostic molecular biology testing, molecular methods including real-time PCR and sequencing.
• Experience of working in a regulated environment with quality systems and knowledge of UKAS/ISO.
• Experience of evaluating new techniques/equipment.
• Experience of using computerised data systems.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.