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UK Health Security Agency
About
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will be responsible for planning, preventing and responding to external health threats, and providing intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage. UKHSA will ensure the nation can respond quickly and at greater scale to deal with pandemics and future threats.
Senior Biomedical Scientist
Accepting applications until: 11-Aug-2024 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 11-Aug-2024 23:59
Key details
Location
- Gwefan
- Porton Down
- Tref
- Sailsbury
- Cod post
- SP4 0JG
- Major / Minor Region
- London
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Permanent
- Oriau
- Full time
- Part time
- Job share
- Flexible working
Salary
- Cyflog
- £43,742 - £50,056 per annum pro rata
- Cyfnod cyflog
- Yearly
- Gradd
- (NHS AfC: Band 7)
Specialty
- Prif leoliad
- Biomedical Scientist
The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:
- Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
- Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
- Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
- Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
- Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.
Trosolwg o'r swydd
The Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL) provide a front-line diagnostic service for the detection of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (Ebola, Lassa, CCHF, Marburg), Arboviruses, Rickettsiae, and a range of ACDP Hazard Group 3 bacteria including Bacillus anthracis and Francisella tularensis. RIPL is also the provider of the Leptospira acute diagnostic service and the Lyme disease specialist unit diagnostic service. We are UKAS ISO15189 accredited and hold approval to provide IBMS registration and Virology specialist portfolios.
The post holder will perform a wide range of diagnostic assays utilising both serological and molecular techniques. The highest standards of quality and safety are essential.
Advert
A HCPC registered Senior Biomedical Scientist (BMS). The post holder will provide expertise and capability to the diagnostic laboratory to maintain the service of the unit and support continuous improvement. As a Senior BMS the post holder will be responsible for, and lead in, an area of technical specialism providing both training and support. The post holder will also line manage staff and deputise for the lab manager as required.
Gweithio i'n sefydliad
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.
Swydd ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl
The post holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- take a leading role in the delivery of the laboratory’s national reference activities
- represent the laboratory at relevant meetings and seminars in the absence of the laboratory manager
- identify to management any potential conflicts of interest which may impinge on their ability to perform their duties effectively as defined by UKHSA Conflict of Interest Policy
- undertake a range of diagnostic assays and techniques as required, meeting the needs of RIPL service provision
- undertake microbiological analysis of environmental samples.
- troubleshoot assays and processes which cannot be resolved by junior staff
- produce and maintain reagents to support current testing strategies and for the development of new assays
- play a leading role in the identification, evaluation and adaptation of new technologies and diagnostic tests to enhance the laboratories capabilities and to ensure the project area works to a high scientific standard
- supply data to agreed timescales required by RIPL service level agreement
- undertake general laboratory duties including disposal of waste, equipment maintenance, stock control and ensuring a safe working environment
- undergo any training requirements as required for the post.
- participate in the RIPL on-call rota to provide 24/7 cover
- ensure all work in undertaken in accordance with the UKHSA’s Code of Safety Practice
- comply with UKHSA policy and procedures
- prioritise, co-ordinate and organise specialist investigations and supervise the workload of a team of staff
- maintain HCPC registration as a condition of employment
- take a leading role in quality, health and safety and training within the laboratory
- play a supporting role in the delivery of the laboratory’s Quality Management System to maintain UKAS ISO:15189 accreditation
- maintain high professional standards by continual professional development keeping up to date with advances in medical microbiology
- maintain a positive attitude to the work of the laboratory and other members of the team
- ensure health, safety and welfare are afforded priority and to demonstrate commitment to health, safety and welfare of self, staff and visitors and comply with relevant UKHSA health and safety policies at all times
- escalate risks that cannot be controlled to the Laboratory Manager.
- work to the highest scientific standards at all times
- perform any other duties required by the line manager commensurate with grade
Essential Criteria:
Please be aware that we will assessed on the below 8 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description:
- MSc or higher qualification in an appropriate medical/microbiological/biological science or equivalent experience
- educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area
- registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as Biomedical Scientist
- experience of diagnostic molecular biology testing methods including real time PCR
- recent experience in a diagnostic or reference virology laboratory
- good knowledge and experience of serological methods including ELISA and IFA
- working knowledge of LIMS
- experience of working in a regulated environment with quality systems and knowledge of UKAS
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 capabilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
- CV/ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- 1250 word Statement of Suitability
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.
The CV and Statement of Suitability will be marked separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.
Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Please do not exceed 1250 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.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.
There maybe a presentation, details of which will be provided to you nearer the time.
If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Location Information
This role is based at Porton Down, Salisbury. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.
Eligibility Criteria
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 Basic Personnel Security Standard.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ
Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.
This is a Non-Reserved post under the Civil Service Nationality Rules. To be eligible for employment in the UK Civil Service applicants must meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs) which operate independently of and additionally to the Immigration Rules. Applicants must also meet necessary security and vetting requirements, along with any other relevant pre-employment checks.
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
For more information on job nationality requirements and the right to work in the UK, see the Civil Service Nationality rules (opens in a new window) and the UK Visas and Immigration rules (opens in a new window)
For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
The Civil Service pay structure and progression is different from NHS Agenda for Change (AfC), most local authority pay grades and other systems that have annual pay increments. For further details, please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.
For AfC or Medical/Dental posts, you must have the correct professional registration to be appointed. The pay will follow the AfC or Medical & Dental terms & conditions. You may be asked to provide evidence of previous service whilst we are conducting pre-employment checks to determine your starting salary.
For Temporary Appointments, if you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy.
Given the nature of the work of the UKHSA, as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, you may be required in an emergency, if deemed a necessity, to redeploy to another role at short notice. You may also be required to work at any other location, within reasonable travelling distance of your permanent home address, in line with the provisions set out in your contract of employment.
Late Applications will unfortunately not be considered.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. 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 (attached as a supporting document).
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: [email protected] 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 here.
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.
Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.
UKHSA is required to check employment and/or education history covering three consecutive years. Please ensure you give details of at least two different referees, even if you were employed in one company for three years or more.
If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.
Any move to UKHSA 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
Benefits of working at UKHSA include:
- Generous annual leave:
-26 days for the first 5 years of continuous service
-28 days after 5 years of continuous service
-32 days after 10 years of continuous service
-Plus public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday - Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
- Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
- Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
- We also promote flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours). UKHSA views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including working from home, compressed hours and job sharing.
- We also offer a generous maternity/ paternity and adoption leave package.
Hybrid Working
UKHSA operates 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 usually spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted hours (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (approximately 3 days a week pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home.
Disability Confident Scheme
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria at sift to ensure these candidates are invited to interview. If you wish to be included in this scheme please tick the box on your application form.
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 take into account 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/
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Person specification
Qualifications
Meini prawf hanfodol
- MSc or higher qualification in an appropriate medical / microbiological/biological science or equivalent experience
- Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area
- Registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as Biomedical Scientist
Knowledge and Experience
Meini prawf hanfodol
- Experience of diagnostic molecular biology testing methods including real time PCR
- Recent experience in a diagnostic or reference virology laboratory
- Good knowledge and experience of serological methods including ELISA and IFA
- Working knowledge of LIMS
- Experience of working in a regulated environment with quality systems and knowledge of UKAS
Documents
- Job description - Senior Biomedical Scientist (PDF, 536.3KB)
- Civil Service Recruitment Principles (PDF, 2.6MB)
- Civil Service Nationality Rules (PDF, 195.3KB)
- Application Form Guidance Notes (PDF, 77.3KB)
- Information Sheet - Starting salaries and benefits (PDF, 129.4KB)
- Information Sheet - Selection Process (PDF, 110.1KB)
- Working at UKHSA and your benefits (PDF, 219.2KB)
Further details / informal visits contact
- Enw
- Carlie James
- Teitl y swydd
- Recruitment Support
- Cyfeiriad ebost
- [email protected]
- Gwybodaeth i gefnogi eich cais
For recruitment queries please email [email protected].
For role specific queries please email [email protected].
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