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Job summary

The Immunisation and Diagnosis Unit (IDU) is a WHO Global Reference Laboratory for Measles and Rubella and provides additional reference and surveillance services for Mumps, Parvovirus B19, Polyomavirus JC, Varicella Zoster Virus, Human Herpes Virus 6&7 and Intrathecal antibody investigations.

The post holder will be required to participate and support the delivery of reference and surveillance activities performed in IDU and /or other areas as deemed appropriate by the IDU Unit Head via the IDU Technical Manager in accordance with UKHSA policies and procedures.

This role offers a High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) of 15% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £4,870 and a maximum payment of £6,137

Job description

Technical/Scientific Reference Services/Research and Development

• Technical validation of laboratory results
• Leading/managing a section of work in consultation with senior staff
• Analyse genotypic data with relevant software
• Contribute to the development of new protocols/procedures for test/reagents/methods (molecular, serological, cell culture)and R&D project work as required
• Evaluate test procedures/equipment relevant to the work of the unit, and produce report(s) for publishing/dissemination
• Prepare documents and draft SOPs relevant to the work performed/developed
• Perform, interpret and record test results according to given protocols
• Contribute to the laboratory's diagnostic and surveillance work carrying out molecular, serological and culture testing of samples as required
• Contribute to incident or outbreak investigations
• Contribute to the booking in, storage and management of laboratory samples
• Participate in tissue culture and virus isolation
• Assist in the maintenance of the measles and rubella WHO strain bank
• Carry out routine quality control procedures to ensure that samples are being prepared, recorded and archived to a high standard
• Maintain equipment, including routine monitoring, calibration and safety checks and maintain records of these
• Facilitate the day to day running of the laboratory by ensuring the availability of consumables, reagents and kits
• Assist in the instruction and training of other staff and visitors, and to ensure compliance with safety and quality systems
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the grade, as agreed with the line manager and the Unit Head

Quality

• Maintain a high standard of work, and to contribute to developing the service of the laboratory so that work is safe, effective and economical and follows protocol
• Contribute to internal and external quality assurance programmes
• Take every effort to suggest quality improvements

Information Technology

• Use appropriate IT systems for the recording and archiving of clinical samples, results transferring as well as technical validation of laboratory results
• Import and export data via spreadsheets, use word processing and PowerPoint presentation software

Staff Management and Training

• Assist with the organisation of, and participation in, suitable training programmes for visitors
• Ensure junior staff and trainees are competent to carry out the tasks given to them, ensuring that appropriate levels of supervision are in place
• Assist in the appointment selection of junior staff when required.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with staff.

Support Services and Equipment

• Take responsibility for the maintenance and acquisition of stock in order to ensure adequate service provision and continuity
• Oversee laboratory maintenance, engineering and similar services.

Financial management

• Ensure best use of resources

Professional Development

• Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attend internal / external training events
• Participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.

Key Working Relationships

• The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include;

Internal

• Medical, scientific and other staff throughout the unit, VRD and UKHSA as required

External

• Hospitals, laboratories, and medical institutions, others as required

This list is not exhaustive

Person specification

Essential criteria

• BSc in Biomedical Science or equivalent, such as Applied Biomedical Science, Medical Science, or Human Biology
• HCPC registration
• MSc in Biomedical Science or Clinical Science
• Experience of working in a microbiology/virology/molecular in diagnostic laboratory
• Experience with manual/automated serology and molecular techniques in diagnostic lab
• Experience in handling clinical specimens and working with infectious material al CL2
• Experience and understanding of quality management systems and health and safety regulations
• Experience in handling clinical specimens and working with infectious material al CL2
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to re-prioritise
• Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload with minimal supervision working to tight and often changing timescales
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to work individually and as part of a team
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable role criteria:

• Experience of cell and viral culture methods

Benefits

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. UKHSA's 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.

• 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 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 13 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 800 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 800words. We will not consider any words over800words.

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

If used, the pile(s) that meets ALL essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

• HCPC registration
• MSc in Biomedical Science or Clinical Science

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.

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 Colindale, London

When face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview in the form of questions.

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

Please Note - For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.

Eligibility Criteria

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

Location

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

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

When based at our scientific campus, 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.

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. Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.

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.

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

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : John Inglis
• Email : john.inglis@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 the UKHSA Complaints team via email at: 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 for further information: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk