Healthcare Scientist Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

Responsibilities section:

You will be responsible for:

• Assisting in any UKHSA co-ordinated response or activity of a national/international nature, e.g. Bioterrorism incident or a major disease e.g. SARS, H5N1 influenza, Covid19, Enteric outbreak etc
• Utilising the appropriate testing, and in a timely manner, to assist the Consultant Virologist, and thus ensure the correct clinical diagnosis
• Performing a range of bacteriological technical and scientific activities, including testing samples referred from other NHS and UKHSA laboratories
• Rotating through various managed units within virology
• Participating in audit processes, drug trials, research projects, as required
• Participating in and monitor Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities, and assist the department in maintaining UKAS accreditation
• Attending regular departmental meetings and contribute to effective communication with the department
• Assessing the suitability and appropriateness of samples received and liaises with senior technical staff for action or advice following departmental sample acceptance policy
• Ensuring data integrity when entering demographics and results into the laboratory information system
• Performing sample preparation, processing bodily fluids and materials, including high risk specimens and reagent preparation following protocols
• Analysis of biological samples including more complex/ specialist investigations requiring a high level of skill.
• Use and maintenance of manual and sophisticated automated equipment
• Assisting with the development of new methods and implementation of new technology
• To work in high-risk Containment Level 3 laboratories following local code of practice within these facilities

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 refer to the attached job description for the full list of roles and responsibilities.

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:

You will be required to complete an application form and a statement of suitability of up to 1250 words. This will be assessed in line with the full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description 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 interview either by video or face to face.

Please note that you may be required to undertake a test or presentation at interview.

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.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 29th January 2024 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: TBC 2024

Interviews: w/c TBC 2024

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.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• An accredited Biomedical science degree
• GCSE or equivalent qualifications at C or above in English and Maths
• Demonstration of on-going participation in CPD activity
• Evidence of manual skills
• Evidence of working with numbers
• Skills for communication on complex information and administrative matters, requiring developed interpersonal and oral/ written communication skills
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
• Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload with minimal supervision working to tight and often changing timescales

Desirable

• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Experience as BMS
• Knowledge of administrative procedures, project management or information analysis
• Basic knowledge of project principles
• Previously worked in similar position within the public sector
• ECDL
• Ability to pull together comprehensive draft reports, data and letters Negotiating, networking and persuasive skills
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to re-prioritise
• Skills for supporting project management

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

UKHSA Manchester Royal Infirmary

Oxford Road

Manchester

M13 9WL

Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)