Senior Healthcare Laboratory Scientist

The purpose of this role is to provide technical expertise and support to strengthen laboratory capability and capacity across the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) Health Security Programme, contributing to improved public health outcomes. Working closely with the Consultant Microbiologist and the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Lead, the post holder will support activities to strengthen laboratory services, workforce capability, quality systems and resilience across the Territories. The role is supervised by the Consultant Microbiologist, with overall oversight provided by the Head of Programme and Senior Leadership Team.

The role focuses on developing safe, high-quality and resilient laboratory services in geographically isolated territories. This includes supporting quality and accreditation standards, workforce development, public health and clinical services, and helping laboratories address challenges such as workforce shortages, supply chain constraints, equipment maintenance, sample transport delays and emergency preparedness.

The post holder will require strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build partnerships, work independently and collaboratively, and deliver at pace. Based in the UK, the role requires international travel several times a year.

The post holder will work with regional partners, Ministries of Health and other stakeholders to support quality assurance systems aligned with WHO guidance and national regulations, develop sustainable quality management systems, and advise on laboratory workflow, service organisation and demand management.

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

This post will be undertaken as part of the infectious disease strengthening element of the UKOTs Health Security Programme within the Health Protection Operations Directorate. The post will also involve collaboration with the Science Group as required. Working with colleagues across the UKOTs, the post holder will provide technical leadership and support to strengthen laboratory governance, quality systems, workforce capability and resilience across a geographically dispersed laboratory network.

The main duties and responsibilities include:

• Working closely with the Consultant Microbiologist allocated to the UKOTs Health Security Programme, the post holder will provide technical input and support to public health institute/Ministry of Health laboratories in UKOTs to strengthen and build capacity in microbiological and virological diagnosis, laboratory strategy, service development, public health surveillance and outbreak preparedness, including providing specialist advice to senior healthcare and government stakeholders
• The post holder will work with UKOT colleagues to develop their capacity in laboratory governance, quality management systems, accreditation and quality assurance processes; laboratory workflow design, development of External Quality Assurance (EQA) schemes; standardised operating procedure (SOP) production, review, and management; biosafety training and planning; laboratory information and data management, including their utility for public health use; and laboratory staff training and development.
• Help support the UKOT laboratory teams in developing and implementing governance arrangements, harmonised workflows, SOP and referral pathways to promote consistency and equitable access to laboratory services across partner networks.
• Help develop the safety management, clinical governance and incident reporting systems, including the investigation of incidents, complaints, non-conformances and near misses to support patient safety and regulatory compliance
• Champion the maintenance of internal quality controls within a robust quality management system and an EQA system compatible with and progressing towards, WHO guidance, ISO 15189 and good and in-country regulations, supporting audits and corrective actions to improve laboratory performance
• Advise on and contribute to the development and delivery of training programmes for local staff, workforce development initiative, professional exchanges and recruitment and retention activities, ensuring integration with and compliance with local arrangements.
• Ensure confidentiality and conformity with the requirements of best practice in data protection.
• Contribute to safety inspections, H&S policy reviews risk investigations and laboratory infrastructure and equipment assurance activities where appropriate.
• The post holder may also assist in reviews of current laboratory practice, including network laboratory activities, service performance, quality indicators, equipment standardization and opportunities for service development
• To report on progress regularly to the UKOTs Health Security Programme Senior Leadership.
• Support laboratory preparedness and response for outbreaks and public health emergencies, working with partner organisations, reference laboratories and public health agencies to strengthen surveillance and testing capacity.
• Support the development of laboratory referral networks and systems for the safe and compliant transport of specimens between partner laboratories and reference centres, including adherence to relevant transport regulations

Other duties as agreed by negotiation between the post holder line manager and UKOTs Health Security Programme Senior Leadership Team

Incident Response Activity

From time to time, the role holder may be required to support UKHSA’s incident response activity by contributing their appropriate expertise within an Incident Cell; during such periods, supported by the line manager, this work will take priority over normal day-to-day responsibilities, commensurate with their grade, skills and experience.

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)

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

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 a :

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1,000 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.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1,500 but your supporting statement must be no more than 1,000 words. We will not consider any words over 1,000 words.

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 CV. 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.

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) ‘Meets all essential criteria’ and will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting

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

• Extensive knowledge and experience working in clinical diagnostic microbiology laboratories or equivalent experience from diagnostic support/development laboratories
• In depth working knowledge and competency in molecular diagnostic techniques (qPCR etc.), bacteriology, and serological methods (e.g. ELISA) and knowledge of Laboratory Health and Safety arrangements including high containment (BSL3 minimum)

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a (single ) remote interview

If 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 .

Reserve List

If more than the required number of suitable candidates pass the interview criteria, you may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months subject to your agreement. You may be contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list. The panel will assess if candidates meet the requirement of the role first, using a specific benchmark system. If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

Eligibility Criteria - External

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

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our core HQ in London (Canary Wharf)

We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, averaged over a month) working at our office. Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport links and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

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

Security Clearance Level Requirement - Basic DBS & BPSS

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:

• Baseline Personnel Security Standard

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