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Synnovis
About
Corporate Profile
Synnovis is a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose. In partnership with our service partners, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals, King’s College Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital, we aim to set the standard for the future of pathology.
Contact
SYNLABOpen Monday to Friday
9am to 5pm
Telephone
01629 702342
Medical Laboratory Assistant
Accepting applications until: 02-Nov-2026 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 02-Nov-2026 23:59
Key details
Location
- Site
- Kings College Hospital
- Address
- Denmark Hill
- Town
- London
- Postcode
- SE5 9RS
- Major / Minor Region
- London
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Fixed term: until 31st August 2027
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Salary
- Grade
- Synnovis Pay Band 3
Specialty
- Main area
- Specimen Reception
The place to work in pathology
We are looking for top talent to join the UK’s leading and fastest growing pathology company – a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose.
Working in partnership with our service partners, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals, King’s College Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital we aim to set the standard for the future of pathology.
Job overview
Applications are invited for this fixed term, full time role as Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) in the specimen reception section for the South East Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service (SE-HMDS) at King’s College Hospital.
The reception is integral to the SE-HMDS, acting as a central sample receipt point for the four key laboratories that make up the SE-HMDS plus the clinically lead morphology service. The most important part of the role will be sample handling and electronic logging of the samples received. The SE-HMDS reception also contribute to the preparation, maintenance, operation and quality assurance of laboratory equipment.
Training and development is a key focus at Synnovis and this is an excellent opportunity to enhance skills and knowledge in a specialist department environment. There is also a keen interest in Research & Development within the departments that is supported by various funds and collaborators as we endeavour to provide a leading and fit-for-purpose service to our patients. There is culture of continuous quality improvement that applies to both staff and departmental development.
This is a great opportunity to work amongst a team of dedicated and patient focused individuals and enhance administrative, communication and data/sample handling skills.
Advert
The successful candidate will be a team player and will be working closely with the laboratories, scientific and clinical staff. They must have excellent attention to detail and be able to accurately and efficiently transfer data on to electronic systems. Effective communication skills with all levels of staff, internal and external users is essential. There is a variety of laboratory information management systems (LIMS) in use within the laboratories, candidates must have good IT skills, and prior experience of various forms of LIMS is beneficial. The role largely involves accurate transfer of clinical information and specimen prioritisation with the requirement for good medical/scientific literacy skills. Working knowledge of the Health & Safety requirements of handling biological materials is desirable and experience in the preparation of blood and bone marrow slides would be of additional benefit.
The SE-HMDS is a regional centre for diagnostic services, providing UKAS accredited Immunophenotyping, Morphology, Cytogenetic, Molecular Diagnostic and Histopathology services covering most of Southeast England. There has been a steady rise in referrals to the SE-HMDS, from clinicians who require increasingly sophisticated and accurate haematological investigations, for diagnosis and disease monitoring. As a member of the SE-HMDS reception, you are the essential first and last points of contact for patient specimens and results, with service quality, a key focus throughout.
Working for our organisation
As an essential part of the SE-HMDS, the reception team also have access to a number of developmental activities including clinical presentations, webinars and integrated departmental training sessions for haematological malignancies. Here you can learn more about the various departments, investigations and the patients that we serve.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The SE-HMDS reception area acts as a central location for receipt of samples, performing pre and post analytical procedures and other support for the five areas that make up SE-HMDS: Immunophenotyping, Morphology, Cytogenetics, Laboratory Molecular Haemato-Oncology and Histopathology.
The post holder will work as a member of the support staff to assist SE-HMDS in the appropriate handling, receipt and distribution of specimens. The main responsibility of the post holder will be to perform the electronic receipt, data management and quality assurance of specimens, as well as preparation, maintenance, operation and quality assurance of laboratory slide staining equipment. Concentration, attention to detail and accurate transcription of data are essential skills to these processes and form the greater part of the working day. Good IT and typing skills are required to perform this role and training will be provided for the use of the various and bespoke LIMS.
The post holder will offer a helpful and professional service to all visitors and enquiries from a broad spectrum of service users under the direction of qualified laboratory staff and where appropriate will assist in the collection and compilation of data for management purposes.
It will be essential that the post hold can follow written and verbal instructions as directed by the supervisor, senior scientists, operational and quality leads or head or section. Prioritisation and time management skills are required for time sensitive tests and urgency of clinical investigations within a busy environment. Once competence in tasks is achieved members of the team are also required to assist in the training of others whilst maintaining and promoting safe working practises.
The post holder must be able to effectively and appropriately communicate within the reception team, the wider SE-HMDS and organisation as well as external service users whilst strictly adhering to regulations for confidentiality. Administrative, clerical and quality duties also include the completion of equipment/reagent logs and records, obtaining workload statistics as well as acknowledgement and assisting in the review of controlled documents.
The SE-HMDS reception area acts as a central location for receipt of samples, performing pre and post analytical procedures and other support for the five areas that make up SE-HMDS: Immunophenotyping, Morphology, Cytogenetics, Laboratory of Molecular Haemato-Oncology and Histopathology.
The post holder will work as a member of the support staff to assist SE-HMDS in the appropriate handling, receipt and distribution of specimens. The main responsibility of the post holder will be to perform the electronic receipt, data management and quality assurance of specimens, as well as preparation, maintenance, operation and quality assurance of laboratory equipment. Concentration, attention to detail and accurate transcription of data are essential skills to these processes and form the greater part of the working day.
The post holder will offer a helpful and professional service to all visitors and enquiries from a broad spectrum of service users under the direction of qualified laboratory staff and where appropriate will assist in the collection and compilation of data for management purposes.
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. All applicants are welcome to apply regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
Our Bank workers enjoy competitive market rates and flexible contract assignments across all of our sites, dependent on your availability and location.
For our Permanent workforce we offer a competitive benefits package.
All employees are entitled to:
- Contributory pension scheme
- Generous annual leave entitlement
- Ground breaking development
opportunities
Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
Please apply for this post on-line. If you have problems with using the online process, or need any assistance, please email [email protected]
Your e-mail address is important to us. We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis.
Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications.
If you decide to apply for this post but do not hear back from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been short-listed on this occasion.
Thank you for your interest in Synnovis.
Applicant requirements
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Good all round education to GCSE standard, including English and Math at Grade 4/C or equivalent or L2 Healthcare Science apprenticeship
Desirable criteria
- A Level / / BTEC Science (or equivalent or higher)
Experience
Essential criteria
- Working as part of a team
- Working in a busy environment
- Experience of working with computer applications such as Microsoft Office / Google docs, data entry
- Experience of working accurately with an attention to detail
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in a pathology laboratory environment
- Handling biological specimens
- Customer service
Skills
Essential criteria
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Numerate and literate
- Ability to work to deadlines
- Ability to accurately follow written procedures
- Competent at problem solving and prioritising
- Able to maintain focus and concentration for extended periods of time
- Ability to operate the use of precision instrument and equipment
- Ability to lift, move and manipulate stock, specimens, etc
Desirable criteria
- Awareness if the role of medical laboratories
- Awareness of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
Documents
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Siobhan Devlin
- Job title
- SE-HMDS Reception Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
If you have problems applying, contact
- Address
- SYNLAB
- Open Monday to Friday
- 9am to 5pm
- Telephone
- 01629 702342
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