Healthcare Scientist Team Manager (Virology and Molecular)

Job summary

United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Service for Microbiology (UK NEQAS for Microbiology) is hosted within UKHSA.

UK NEQAS for Microbiology provides external quality Assessment (EQA) services to participants worldwide. Registered scheme participants receive regular distributions of specimens of known but undisclosed content which, if examined by the participants using routine procedures, provide a valuable tool for the management of quality within the laboratory. See our website for further information: www.ukneqasmicro.org.uk

As a Healthcare Scientist Team Manager (Virology and Molecular) at SEO level, you will provide leadership within the UK NEQAS for Microbiology laboratories, ensuring the effective delivery of high-quality External Quality Assessment (EQA) services.

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

You will be responsible for managing the end-to-end process of EQA specimen preparation and quality control, ensuring all activities are conducted to defined schedules and standards. The role includes overseeing procedures for data analysis and report production, as well as ensuring timely and professional responses to customer queries and feedback.

You will play a key role in the training and development of laboratory staff, maintaining high levels of competence in your team and supporting continuous service improvement. This is a leadership role requiring excellent scientific, operational, and people management skills to uphold the standards and reputation of the UK NEQAS service.

Your main duties will include:

• Responsible for ensuring the organisation, preparation and quality control of simulated specimens for distribution under UK NEQAS including the management of resources.
• Be responsible for maintaining a high standard of work in each section, ensuring compliance with UKAS accreditation and delivering the best laboratory practices that are safe, economical and effective.
• Oversee data processing operations involved in the analysis of UK NEQAS participants' results and take responsibility for the preparation of reports.
• Responsible for sourcing and obtaining clinical material for the EQA schemes.
• Develop and prepare new specimen types as required.
• Apply knowledge of clinical virology and molecular techniques in the design, quality control and stability testing of the specimens.
• Undertaking deputy roles where required.
• Commitment to personal development and maintaining up-to-date scientific knowledge in virology, microbiology, and molecular diagnostics.
• Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan.
• To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.
• Participate in recruitment and selection of appropriate staff in conjunction within UK NEQAS for Microbiology.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with staff.
• Conduct individual performance reviews and facilitating the induction, education, training and professional development of staff.
• Recommend/facilitate selected training and professional development of appropriate staff and visitors when required.

In collaboration with the Laboratory Safety Officer and Laboratory Manager, to take delegated responsibility in accordance with UKHSA policies and procedures for the following:

• Be committed to health and safety and to co-operate on matters of health and safety to enable the PHE to comply with its health and safety responsibilities.
• Ensure attendance on safety training courses as required in the UKHSA Health and Safety Training Policy and other safety policies as appropriate.
• Agree to implement safety objectives.
• Ensure that a Laboratory/Office Safety Code is implemented.
• Be responsible for health, safety and welfare of self, staff and visitors in your own area, ensuring that health and safety are afforded priority over other issues by:
  • ensuring risk assessments are carried out on all new and existing work and ensuring that control measures are implemented and complied with.
  • co-operating with and implementing corrective actions as a result of safety inspections/audits.
  • notifying safety incidents/accidents via the appropriate line management structure.

Your attention is drawn to the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 which requires you to take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and others who may be affected by your acts and omissions at work; and co-operate with UKHSA on any matters of health and safety.

In collaboration with the Quality Team:

• Maintain a high standard of work, and contribute to developing the service of the laboratory so that service delivery is safe, effective and economical and follows best practice.
• Contribute to internal and external quality assurance programmes.
• Ensure compliance with accreditation and certification standards.
• Contribute to internal and external audit programmes and corrective actions.
• Take every effort to suggest quality improvements.

Estates & Facilities

• Liaise effectively with relevant teams and staff to ensure coordination and resolution of Estates and Facilities matters as required.

Information & Knowledge

• Assist in the development of information technology systems and databases as part of project/quality responsibilities.
• Analyse, provide and present statistical information related to project and quality activities.

Development & Innovation

• Assist with the development and introduction of new specimen types and schemes.

Procurement & Commissioning

• Prepare options appraisals and business cases for projects.
• Ordering stock items of value of up to £5000.
• Assist with the departmental business risk.

Financial Management

• Identify opportunities to reduce costs or improve efficiency without compromising service quality.

Services & Project Management

• Be responsible for the selection and implementation of equipment.
• Oversee the validation of newly introduced laboratory equipment.

People Management

• Ensuring adequate training of technical and ancillary staff on new developments involved with.

This is not an exhaustive list.

Person specification

Essential role criteria

• MSc in Medical Microbiology/ Virology or equivalent level qualification
• Substantial experience in virology and/ or microbiology (clinical or research)
• Knowledge and substantial experience of molecular techniques
• Experience in data analysis, competence in word processing, spread sheet software, database skills, use of presentation software
• Experience of Quality Management systems
• Experience and understanding of laboratory safety and procedures
• Excellent people skills covering management, training development of people, planning and allocating and delegating activities, recruitment and selection and reviewing performance
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable role criteria

• Knowledge of Bioinformatics
• Experience in whole genome sequencing (WGS) and/ or Sanger sequencing
• HCPC registration

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,310, UK Health Security Agency contributes £13,416 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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%

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 and will assess your behaviours, strengths, experience and technical skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed essential criteria, and this will be in the form of:

• an application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• a 1200 word supporting statement

This should outline how 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 1200 words. We will not consider any words over 1200 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:

• MSc in Medical Microbiology/Virology or equivalent level qualification

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to face to face interview in Colindale. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours, strengths, experience and technical skills will be tested at interview.

You will be required to prepare a 10 minutes PowerPoint presentation where you would need to demonstrate your knowledge about virology and which may involve competency assessment. The exact title will be provided prior to interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Leadership (Lead behaviour)
• Making effective decisions
• Managing a quality service
• Working together

Interviews will be held week commencing 4th May 2026. Please note, these dates are subject to change.

Location

This role is being offered as based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale. Please note that hybrid working is not available for this role.

Eligibility Criteria

External

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

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 Counter Terrorism Check clearance.

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 / years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Salary guides

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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.

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

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 : Jon Payne
• Email : jonathan.payne@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk