Senior Biomedical Scientist – Team Leader

Job summary

UKHSA provides strategic leadership and vision for protecting and improving the nation’s health. Its ambition is to lead nationally, and enable locally, a transformation in the health expectations of all people in England, regardless of where they live and the circumstance of their birth. It will achieve this through the application of research, knowledge and skills. UKHSA is an executive agency of the Department of Health. It is a distinct delivery organisation with operational autonomy to advise and support government, local authorities and the NHS in a professionally independent manner.

The Microbiology laboratory at Cambridge is the East of England Region for UKHSA currently providing services to Addenbrooke’s, Royal Papworth, and the E&N Herts Hospitals, the surrounding district and other NHS Laboratories. It has active research and epidemiological interests. Set on the outskirts of the university city of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital is one of the top hospitals in the UK and a thriving NHS Foundation Trust. Addenbrooke’s is closely associated with leading educational providers including the University of Cambridge and is a major centre for biomedical research and education.

This role attracts NHS AfC Terms & Conditions.

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

Staff managed

• Biomedical Scientists and support staff team within the laboratory.

Technical and scientific

• Advises staff regarding technical difficulties.
• Participates in implementing and suggesting changes to work practices and procedures.
• Selection of appropriate test profiles for samples received according to agreed protocols.
• Analysis of cultures, determination of antibiotic susceptibility and biomedical identification of micro-organisms
• Performance of immunological and other assays to investigate microbial infection and management of therapeutic agents.
• Screen and interpret test results (including those from regional specialties within the hospitals served) and communicate findings to senior colleagues and medical microbiology staff.
• Technical validation of reports for clinical authorisation
• Under strict protocols authorisation of reports for release to other departments, wards, general practitioners and other customers.
• Participate in provision of out of hours on-call service (lone working).
• Participate in Senior BMS rotation through all sections of the department.
• Contribute to preparation of documents and SOPs
• Contribute to incident and outbreak investigations
• Participate in and support relevant R&D activities of the laboratory and UKHSA, including epidemiological characterisation of organisms by alternative technologies.
• Provide technical advice to internal and external laboratory users
• Perform any other duties required by the line manager commensurate with the grade

Health & Safety

In collaboration with the Laboratory Safety Team:

• Ensure that all tasks are carried out to the required safety standards
• Report all accidents and incidents or near misses, dangerous situations or shortcomings in health and safety training instructions
• Maintain competence to work to containment level 3 standards
• Participate in risk assessment

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

Quality/Clinical Governance

In collaboration with Laboratory Quality manager:

• Participate in quality management audits.
• Maintain a high standard of work and comply with departmental quality policy
• Contribute to internal and external quality assurance programmes
• Ensure compliance with UKAS and other accreditation and certification standards
• Contribute to internal and external audit programmes and corrective actions
• Participate in review of Standard Operating Procedures take every effort to suggest quality improvements

Information Technology

• Record test results on live computer systems in accordance with agreed standard operating procedures
• Use databases and software packages.

Staff management and training

• On a day-to-day basis manages and allocates work to BMS, Healthcare Science Support workers and other junior grade staff within a section of the laboratory to comply with agreed laboratory turn around times.
• With other team leaders plans day-to-day of the work of the laboratory.
• Plans the day-to-day training activities of staff within the section.
• Responsible for internal communication to staff within the section
• Participate in training and supervision of trainee BMS and Healthcare Science Support staff.
• Participate in skills development of other BMS.
• Participate in training of junior medical staff in microbiological techniques.

Support services & Equipment

• Participate in management of stock levels within the laboratory
• Monitor and maintain laboratory equipment.

Strategy, Policy and Service development

• Actively participate as a member of the Senior BMS Committee
• Work with others to improve working practices.

General employment responsibilities

• Ensure confidentiality and conformance to Data Protection Act in collaboration with designated Caldecott Guardian, Data Protection Officer and Security of information Officer.
• Actively participate and maintain a continuing professional development programme
• Develop professional/management expertise by undertaking further appropriate training as required.

Working Environment:

• This job will involve frequent exposure to unpleasant bodily fluids including sputum, faeces, blood etc. and to Micro-organisms likely to cause disease.
• To work within the UKHSA and Laboratory policies, codes of practice and professional guidelines.

Main duties of the job

Supervises bench work of a team within the laboratory in processing of microbiological specimens and related tasks including isolation, identification, interpretation and reporting of results in accordance with agreed polices and standard operating procedures. As a member of the management team, take a specialised lead role within the department.

Communication and key working relationships

Internal

• Supervises BMS, Trainee, Support workers and other junior grade staff within a team.
• Liaise with more senior grade BMS and medical staff concerning microbiological investigations and other tasks to be performed, Including explanation of results to ward and other clinical staff.
• Liaise with Quality Manager and Training Officer for quality and training issues.

External

• Liaise with external bodies including NHS staff and commercial companies.

This list is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• FIBMS (fellow of the institute of Biomedical Science) or equivalent
• State HCPC Registration
• Maintains professional competence in biomedical sciences
• Understands quality assurance principles and procedures
• Knows and understands laboratory safety requirements and procedures
• Relevant experience of working in a microbiology laboratory
• Aptitude for managing people and assessing performance Ability to analyse data and present it in a meaningful way
• Able to convey ideas and opinions clearly, concisely, orally and in writing
• Ability to prioritise work in a timely manner

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

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 will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Competency-based

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 9 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1000 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.

The Application form and supporting statement will be marked together.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

1. Meets all essential criteria
2. Meets some essential criteria
3. Meets no essential criteria

If longlisting is used, the pile meeting all essential criteria will be proceed to shortlisting.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following essential criteria:

• State HCPC Registration

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 at our Cambridge lab. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

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

Interview dates are yet to be confirmed.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Selection Process

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Location

This role is being offered as office/lab based at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ.

Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

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.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-terrorist Check. If based at one of our labs, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. 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. In exceptional circumstances 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.

Eligibility Criteria

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

Salary Information

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.

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

NHS Pension

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.

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 : Nigel Poole
• Email : Nigel.Poole@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