Biomedical Scientist – Team Leader

Job description

Job responsibilities

Staff managed

• Biomedical Scientists and support staff team

Technical and scientific

• Advises staff regarding technical difficulties.
• Participates in implementing and suggesting changes to work practices and procedures.
• Selection of appropriate test profiles 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

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

• Manages and allocates work to BMS, Healthcare Science Support workers and other junior grade staff 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
• Responsible for internal communication to staff
• 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

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.This list is not exhaustive

Please note that UKHSA is exploring options for the future of the Clinical Network Laboratories service and that further information will be shared as the review progresses.

Essential Criteria:

• FIBMS (Fellow of the institute of Biomedical Science) or equivalent
• State HCPC Registration
• 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
• Able to convey ideas and opinions clearly, concisely, orally and in writing

Stage 1: Application & SiftCompetency-based assessments

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
• 1250-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 beadvisedyou 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.

HealthjobsUK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than1250 words. We will not consider any words over1250 words.

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 used, the pile(s) Meets all essential criteria willproceedto shortlisting.

Shortlisting

In the event ofa large number ofapplications we will conductan initialsift, on the lead criteria of:

• State HCPC Registration

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview (Competency based)

You will be invited to a face-to-face interview at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. As a face-to-face interview is planned, 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.

Location

This role is being offered as lab based at our site in Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, CB2 0QW.

When based at a lab, 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.

Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

Security Clearance Level RequirementSuccessful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-terrorist Check (CTC)

Eligibility Criteria

External: This vacancy is open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service as well as 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.

AfC Band 7£49,387 - £56,515

Job responsibilities

Staff managed

• Biomedical Scientists and support staff team

Technical and scientific

• Advises staff regarding technical difficulties.
• Participates in implementing and suggesting changes to work practices and procedures.
• Selection of appropriate test profiles 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

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

• Manages and allocates work to BMS, Healthcare Science Support workers and other junior grade staff 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
• Responsible for internal communication to staff
• 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

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.This list is not exhaustive

Please note that UKHSA is exploring options for the future of the Clinical Network Laboratories service and that further information will be shared as the review progresses.

Essential Criteria:

• FIBMS (Fellow of the institute of Biomedical Science) or equivalent
• State HCPC Registration
• 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
• Able to convey ideas and opinions clearly, concisely, orally and in writing

Stage 1: Application & SiftCompetency-based assessments

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
• 1250-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 beadvisedyou 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.

HealthjobsUK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than1250 words. We will not consider any words over1250 words.

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 used, the pile(s) Meets all essential criteria willproceedto shortlisting.

Shortlisting

In the event ofa large number ofapplications we will conductan initialsift, on the lead criteria of:

• State HCPC Registration

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview (Competency based)

You will be invited to a face-to-face interview at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. As a face-to-face interview is planned, 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.

Location

This role is being offered as lab based at our site in Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, CB2 0QW.

When based at a lab, 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.

Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

Security Clearance Level RequirementSuccessful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-terrorist Check (CTC)

Eligibility Criteria

External: This vacancy is open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service as well as 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.

AfC Band 7£49,387 - £56,515