Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) & Laboratories Inspector - £57,028 - £68,422 p.a. + benefits

Job summary

We are currently looking for a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) & Laboratories Inspector to join our Standards & Compliance Team within the Health Quality and Access group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role is a homebased role but will require occasional travel to 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU/South Mimms, Hertfordshire. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

Who are we?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The objective of the Healthcare Quality and Access portfolio is to drive quality and critically appraise benefits and risks to inform robust decisions on healthcare access, including accelerated pathways. It will do this by bringing together a fusion of our capabilities across both medicines and medical devices to enable licensing and market access, as well as ensuring compliance with regulations and standards.

The Standards & Compliance function will enable innovation and healthcare access across the global product lifecycle by risk proportionate standards development and compliance through the British Pharmacopoeia and MHRA Laboratory, the two Compliance Teams (Including the United Kingdom Good Laboratory Practice Monitoring Authority), the Inspection Action Group and Devices Audit and Compliance.

Job description

You will work as part of the GLP & Laboratories Inspection team to reduce risk and improve the quality of medicinal products for patients, and protect the public and environment by performing inspections at a wide range of sites in the UK and overseas, to assess the compliance of organisations with their legal obligations.

MHRA Inspectors are uniquely placed to use their knowledge and skills across a across a range of technical areas, making a real impact on protecting the safety of patients by conducting inspections to assess the compliance of organisations with their legal obligations. The inspector role also supports the enabling function of the MHRA, supporting innovation via innovative licensing pathways or regulatory advice in a variety of forms and includes planning, conducting, reporting inspections and assessing the adequacy of responses from the inspected organisation.

Key responsibilities and results areas:

Service delivery

• To organise, conduct and report inspections in line with the agreed annual plan for routine and triggered inspections in relation to the below, dependent on technical area:
• To conduct laboratory inspections across a number of regulatory areas depending on the technical speciality of the successful applicant, which could include laboratory inspections at a wide range of sites in the UK and potentially overseas to assess the compliance of facilities involved in Good Laboratory Practice, Good Clinical Practice sample analysis and Good Manufacturing Practice quality control testing of pharmaceuticals.
• To review compliance reports and use inspection outputs to identify a risk rating for sites in accordance with the Agency’s Risk Based Inspection programme.
• To work with other Regulatory Agencies and participate in joint inspections in accordance as required.
• To work closely across inspection teams, agency departments and external regulators to ensure inspection activities are communicated effectively.
• To provide advice to stakeholders including participation in regulatory advice meetings and pathways, MHRA symposia and external meetings and presentations demonstrating good knowledge of national and international systems.
• Contribute to the development of inspection strategies by using technical knowledge and experience.

Service improvement

• To participate in departmental and agency initiatives to improve agency services and processes.

Quality and Assurance

• To support the continued development of the Inspectorate quality system by maintaining current knowledge and expertise in relevant scientific, professional and administrative matters.

General

• To undertake extensive travel within the UK as well as some overseas travel to perform inspections. The extent of overseas travel is dependent on the technical area but is on average a maximum of 4-6 trips per year.
• To work unsupervised for long periods of time, but also to work within a team environment using good planning and organisational skills to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Good verbal and numerical reasoning skills to allow the analysis and interpretation of written and numerical data.
• Significant experience in a relevant regulated laboratory discipline. This could include experience working within a GLP test facility, GCP sample analysis laboratory, GMP quality control laboratory, or a similar regulated environment.

Qualifications

Degree in a relevant science, medical or engineering degree (e.g. pharmacy, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, biology, medicine, engineering).

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Degree in a relevant science, medical or engineering degree (e.g. pharmacy, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, biology, medicine, engineering).
• IT literate including skills in Microsoft Office.
• Proven ability to write well-focused penetrating reports fully independently, to resolve critical issues and make effective presentations.
• Proven ability to work unsupervised for long periods of time, but also able to work within a team environment demonstrating good planning and organisational skills to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities.
• Proven ability to analyse and identify issues, make sound decisions, take appropriate actions tactfully and effectively, influence key stakeholders and take responsibility for results.

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Degree in a relevant science, medical or engineering degree (e.g. pharmacy, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, biology, medicine, engineering).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,028, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £16,521 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).

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave on entry, rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): One month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of six months full pay and six months half pay after five years’ service.
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP's Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join Motoring , Boundless by CSMA
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

Things you need to know

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 (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here.

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank.
• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.
• An anonymised CV outlining your job history and previous skills/experience that demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria.
• 500 word personal statement demonstrating significant experience in a relevant regulated laboratory discipline. This could include experience working within a GLP test facility, GCP sample analysis laboratory, GMP quality control laboratory, or a similar regulated environment.
• Online verbal and numerical reasoning tests.
• Technical and Scenario Interview which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.
• Assessment centre designed to test Experience, Technical and Ability criteria.

In the instance that we receive a high number of applications, we will hold an initial sift based on the lead criteria's of:

• Degree in a relevant science, medical or engineering degree (e.g. pharmacy, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, biology, medicine, engineering).
• Significant experience in a relevant regulated laboratory discipline. This could include experience working within a GLP test facility, GCP sample analysis laboratory, GMP quality control laboratory, or a similar regulated environment.

Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency-based answers provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description.

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Closing date: 12th October 2026

Shortlisting date: from 13th October 2026

Interview date: from 26th -28th October 2026

Assessment Centre: 26th November 2026

If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:

• Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
• Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
• Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
• Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Any move to the MHRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here.

Individuals appointed on level transfer will retain their existing salary and are responsible for ensuring they fully understand the financial implications of any potential move and the impact (if any) on their terms. If an individual is in any doubt, they should seek clarification before accepting a job offer.

Staff joining on promotion will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary, or the pay band minimum, whichever is the greater.

The individual will not retain any allowances paid by the former department/Agency, unless there are special circumstances, such as a reserved right to those allowances on transfer.

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk.

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : The Resourcing Team
• Email : michael.mcguinness@mhra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Careers@mhra.gov.uk

Further information

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the Resourcing team at Careers@mhra.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk - info@csc.gov.uk - Civil Service Commission Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 2HQ

Attachments

GLP Labs Inspector_Final-Sept26 NS Opens in new window (pdf, 223kB)