Job responsibilities
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
This role will include routine laboratory work such as sample receipt, retrieval and processing, reagent preparation, waste management, laboratory housekeeping and maintenance and ensuring the work is carried out to high scientific, safety and quality standard.
Perform a range of tasks as directed by line manager/supervisor:
- Receive, process and support testing on a range of clinical samples.
- Operate a range of laboratory equipment and instruments, e.g., centrifuges, analyzers, microbiology safety cabinets.
- Work to Good Clinical Practice- follow standard operating procedures and record information accurately.
- Ensure laboratory equipment and instruments are suitably checked, maintained, and calibrated and that documentation relevant to the laboratory is kept up to date.
- Operate, maintain, clean, and disinfect laboratory equipment safely and comply with waste disposal protocols.
- Maintain clean safe and tidy working environment and follow appropriate risk assessments.
- Monitor laboratory stocks and supplies and support ordering and inventory management.
- Undergo any training requirements as required for the post.
- Provide support for sample reception, storage, and retrieval.
- Support lab waste collection and processing.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.
Please see attached job description for full list of duties and responsibilities
Essential Criteria:
It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1000 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:
Essential
- GCSE in maths and English at Grade C or above or Educated to NVQ 2 level in a relevant subject or equivalent level of qualification or significant equivalent previous proven experience.
- Experience of working in a laboratory or healthcare environment acquired through previous employment, placements or taught course.
- Experience and/or understanding of working to Quality Standards (e.g., ISO9001, GxP).
- Good understanding and experience of safe working practices.
- Ability to work methodically and record data accurately.
- Computer literate and confident in the use MS Office and ability to produce documentation and manipulate and present data.
Desirable
- NVQ level 3 / A-Levels in a relevant subject or equivalent vocational qualification or equivalent or higher level of qualification or significant equivalent previous proven experience.
- Experience of handling and testing clinical samples in a high throughput environment.
- Practical experience with specialist techniques for project i.e., sample management, working in a containment level 2 laboratory, reagent preparation
Selection process details
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
STAGE 2 INTERVIEW
This competition will involve an in-person interview.
As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.
Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).
You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.
The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate. The following behaviours will be used at the interview:
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on 3rd September 2023 unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Shortlist: 6th September 2023
Interviews: w/c 11th September 2023
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)
Nationality requirements
Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
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. People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.
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.
Please Note
This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&Cs are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.
Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
Complaint process:
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. 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:Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. 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.
