NHS Blood and Transplant
Senior Healthcare Technical Officer (SHTO)
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Senior Healthcare Technical Officer
Job Summary
As a Senior Healthcare Technical Officer, you’ll play a vital role in delivering high‑quality diagnostic and reference laboratory services that help keep patients safe. You’ll prepare samples, run automated and manual tests, maintain equipment and ensure everything meets the highest standards of accuracy and compliance. You’ll also support, guide and supervise less experienced colleagues—sharing your knowledge, helping them learn new skills and keeping the workflow running smoothly. No two days will be the same: you’ll investigate issues, manage stock, respond to temperature and equipment alerts, and work with clinical teams to resolve queries. It’s an opportunity to contribute to life‑saving work, learn as part of a skilled team and progress in a role where your attention to detail and technical expertise make a real difference.
Main duties of the job
Responsibilities
In this role you will be working in Red Cell Immunohaematology (RCI) supporting testing in the laboratories. Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:
- Performing a range of clinical technical and scientific activities in a defined area e.g. reference/diagnostic services, donation testing or research and development.
- Providing and receiving information necessary for the safe handling and testing of donor and patient samples and reagents.
- Communicating technical information with a range of contacts, both internal and external to the organisation.
- Identifying, and reporting to line manager, any non-conforming results, errors, unusual incidents or events encountered during laboratory procedures.
- Contributing to reducing errors and process deviations and amending discrepancies when appropriate.
- Recognising when issues/events need to be referred to line manager.
- Providing support, training and supervision of less experienced staff in own area of work
You will be required to participate in a shift working rota which may include evening, weekend or public holiday workings.
About You
Experience and Knowledge
- Experience of using computers and basic IT programs.
- Experience of supervising others.
- Experience of working with information technology using Microsoft Office packages (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams and PowerPoint).
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Qualifications And Training
- BTEC or HNC (Level 4) in a science subject, or similar qualifications relevant to Red Cell Immunohaematology (RCI).
- OR NHSBT Foundation degree.
- OR Equivalent knowledge & experience of a wide range of blood processing, testing and/or issuing procedures and techniques demanding intermediate level theoretical knowledge acquired through formal training.
- Demonstrates commitment to own continued professional development (CPD).
About Us
It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.
Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do.
By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work – and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.
You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
What We Offer
- Flexible working options – we promote flexible working where the role allows. We’re happy to discuss what flexibility might look like for you.
- Generous annual leave - 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
- Inclusive pension scheme - the NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns). Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/information-about-nhs-pensions
- Supportive learning culture - we’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role.
- Health and wellbeing support – we offer confidential services including occupational health, employee assistance programme, and wellbeing resources. Our support is available to all colleagues and we endeavour to provide tailored workplace adjustments where possible.
Get help with your application
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As a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applications from disabled candidates. We will talk with you to explore any adjustments that may help you during the recruitment process.
You can find more information about accessibility, our culture, and how we support applicants on the NHSBT Careers website:
- Read about our application process
- Learn more about our culture at NHSBT
To learn more, please see the job description and person specification. These can be accessed via the link below, or by clicking ‘Apply’ if you are viewing this advert on another site.
Next steps
This vacancy will close at 23:59 on 3rd August 2026 however this vacancy may close sooner than the advertised deadline if we receive a high volume of applications.
The assessment process for this role will include: a single interview. Interviews are anticipated to be held on 13th August 2026 – subject to confirmation.
For informal enquiries please contact:
- Name: Claire Crowther
- Job Title: Biomedical Scientist
- Contact Details: Email – Claire.Crowther@nhsbt.nhs.uk
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