UK Health Security Agency
Senior Biomedical Scientist – Application Specialist
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Job Summary
Porton Down, Salisbury
As a category 1 responder, UKHSA has a critical responsibility to scale laboratory diagnostic capacity within the first 6 weeks of an emerging threat with epidemic or pandemic potential. We are looking for HCPC registered Senior Biomedical Scientists to lead validation and implementation of a new standby semi-automated and high throughput PCR testing facility at our Porton Down scientific campus.
Main Duties of the Job
- Lead evaluation, validation and implementation of diagnostic assays and high throughput testing workflows to enable delivery of a new ISO 15189 accredited testing facility.
- Provide senior technical expertise and supervision on platform and assay performance and troubleshooting, including delivery of training, non-conformance investigation, root cause analysis, and implementation of technical improvements and solutions.
- Perform a range of diagnostic assays and techniques as required to meet the needs of testing provision within UKHSA. This will include diagnostic testing and sub-contracted testing for research activities.
- Prioritise, co-ordinate, and supervise the workload staff, including line management responsibilities, to maintain standards and ensure the delivery of a critical diagnostic capability.
- Undertake general laboratory duties such as the disposal of waste, equipment maintenance, stock control and ensuring a safe working environment.
- Ensure all work is undertaken in accordance with safety and ISO15189 quality requirements and complete any training requirements as required for this post.
- Participate in out of hours rota to provide increased testing capacity when required.
Working for Your Organisation
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 https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Job Description
Successful applicants will join a new team, Amplify, within the Diagnostic and Pathogen Characterisation Division and work alongside colleagues in the Rare and Imported Pathogen Laboratory and Diagnostic Development and Implementation team. You will be responsible for developing a new testing facility to meet ISO 15189 accreditation standards ensuring validation, maintenance and implementation of responsive, adaptable high throughput molecular testing workflows.
As a Senior Biomedical Scientist and Application Specialist you will work with the Facility Manager and other senior team members to establish new testing workflows, protocols and procedures, designing and troubleshooting processes and assays from the ground up and overseeing technical performance.
The Post Holder will be expected to be flexible to the demands of the project area, have excellent communication skills and use their technical experience to ensure the service is delivered on time and remains ready to respond. This will include changing patterns of work to include out of hours shifts when incident or outbreak response mode is activated and research and training delivery in support of wider organisational priorities.
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The Main Responsibilities Will Include:
- Lead in the adaptation, evaluation and validation of technologies compatible with high throughput testing to enhance the facility’s capabilities and to ensure the project area works to a high scientific standard.
- Lead in the design, implementation and troubleshooting of testing workflows and protocols from sample receipt to result authorisation.
- Provide technical expertise and oversight on the scientific methods employed, including laboratory automation and assay performance.
- Oversee the evaluation, validation and implementation of diagnostic assays as required to meet the needs of the testing service.
- Deliver training to internal and external scientists in support of wider pandemic preparedness activities.
- Perform a range of diagnostic assays and techniques as required to meet the needs of testing provision within UKHSA. This will include diagnostic testing with result validation and sub-contracted testing for research activities.
- Participate in out of hour testing rotas to ensure provision of sufficient testing capacity in line with business needs.
- Line manage junior team members, and ensure effective prioritisation, co-ordination and supervision of work.
- Deputise as appropriate for senior staff and act as head BMS in the absence of the facility manager.
- Supply data to agreed timescales and as required by project contracts and service level agreements.
- Undertake general laboratory duties including disposal of waste, equipment maintenance, stock control and ensuring a safe working environment.
- Maintain HCPC registration as a condition of employment.
- Fulfil all training requirements as required for the post, including subsequent maintenance of required competencies.
- Maintain high professional standards by continual professional development keeping up to date with advances in medical microbiology.
- Ensure all work in undertaken in accordance with the UKHSA’s Code of Safety Practice and to work within ISO15189 quality standards.
- Ensure health, safety and welfare are afforded priority and demonstrate a commitment to health, safety and welfare of self, staff and visitors and comply with relevant UKHSA health and safety policies at all times.
- Notify accidents, near misses, dangerous situations and shortcomings in health and safety via the appropriate management structure.
- Escalate risks that cannot be controlled to the Facility Manager.
- Fully engage with the performance process, including objective setting and preparing for performance conversations, as described on the UKHSA intranet.
- Fulfil the requirements of UKHSA Values and Behaviours and the Civil Service Code.
- Comply with all UKHSA policy and procedures.
- Perform any other duties required by the line manager commensurate with grade.
This is not an exhaustive list.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
- BSc Degree (or equivalent qualification) in an appropriate medical/microbiology/biological science discipline
- MSc or higher qualification in an appropriate medical/microbiology/biological science or relevant experience as a specialist biomedical scientist.
- Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Biomedical Scientist.
- Technical knowledge and extensive experience in leading implementation and troubleshooting of molecular laboratory techniques, including RT-PCR, in the diagnostic environment.
- Proven experience working in a diagnostic or reference virology laboratory.
- Experience in leading and managing teams and/or projects ensuring delivery of organisational and departmental goals, with the ability to organise own workload and of those staff often working to tight deadlines.
- Resilience and ability to work at pace to ensure delivery of a highly responsive diagnostic service with an out of hours testing capability.
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Desirable criteria
- Knowledge and experience of handling high hazard pathogens, including Hazard Group 3, SAPO and CTSA agents.
- Previous experience leading technical support for a high throughput PCR testing facility.
- Programming experience and knowledge of data integration and workflows, particularly with laboratory equipment.
Alongside your salary of £49,387, UK Health Security Agency contributes £14,307 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
This role is offered under Agenda for Change (AFC) Terms and Conditions. If you are already on AFC T&Cs or accept the role on a fixed-term contract, you will be enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme or keep your current AFC Pension. If you take the role on a loan or temporary promotion, you will retain your existing substantive T&Cs. If the role is available under either AFC or Civil Service T&Cs depending on your registration, your pension scheme will align accordingly.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your behaviours, experience and technical skills.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of:
- an application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- a 1000 word supporting statement.
This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.
Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 words. We will not consider any words over 1000 words.
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
Only those meeting all essential criteria will be taken through to shortlisting.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
- Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Biomedical Scientist.
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications
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