Biomedical Scientist

At Public Health Microbiology, laboratory teams undertake services of complex and highly skilled techniques which often require nationally or internationally unique capabilities or facilities. Reference laboratories are required to provide authoritative, final and validated analysis for complex clinical or food microbiological/virological problems and be innovative in driving microbiological/virological methodology developments and standards. The work of microbiology reference units includes clinical microbiological advice and diagnosis, complex reference, service delivery, methodology development, microbial epidemiology, investigation of national and uncommon outbreaks, response to international health alerts and advice on the risks posed by various infections. In response to threats to business-as-usual (BAU) service delivery and enhanced incidents, it is the role of the Operational Response Team (ORT) to be deployed to support reference service units and the operations team. The Biomedical Scientist will provide resilience to the bacteriology reference departments (BRD) or virology reference departments (VRD) in times of need. When not deployed during an incident, they will concentrate on training, maintaining competency and development of skills required to assist in future incidents., The Biomedical Scientist will work as part of the host laboratory team to deliver the reference laboratory services. They will be responsible for the efficient processing of specimens and performing additional laboratory duties to ensure the efficient day to day performance of the laboratory, under the supervision of more senior Biomedical Scientist and Clinical Scientist staff. They will undertake booking of specimens, inputting of data, filing, answering the telephone, reception work and perform other additional clerical and office duties appropriate to grade. The Biomedical Scientist would be expected to assist in any UKHSA co-ordinated response or activity of a national/international nature. Other main duties will include:

• Undertaking microbiological, serological and molecular laboratory duties under supervision guided by standard operating procedures (SOPs) including containment level 2 and 3.
• Be responsible for the reading and analysis of test results generated and entry of results onto the LIMS system.
• Collating and presenting data for discussion.
• Adhering to external and internal quality control practices.
• Attending meetings, plan and implement project plans.
• Monitoring safety cabinets and carrying out routine quality control procedures to maintain set standards.
• Participating in and supporting the research and development (R&D) activities within BRD & VRD and the 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.