UK Health Security Agency

Senior Biomedical Scientist

The closing date is 16 April 2026

Job summary

The post holder will lead on health and safety in the bacteriology laboratory of the MMMP. They will, in conjunction with the laboratorymanagers and MMMP health and safety manager, support other members of the team within the department in ensuring that good health and safety systems are in place, maintained and continually developed to ensure that the requirements of health and safety, Bio-security legislation and Corporate Health and Safety strategy, policy and procedures are met.

The post-holder will act as a specialist registered Senior Biomedical scientist who provides scientific services to patients and clients as an aid to clinical diagnosis. To supervise operations of a section of the laboratory and provide advice on technical issues. Accuracy and attention todetail is essential. They will perform a range of bacteriological technical and scientific activities, in a timely manner, to assist the ConsultantMicrobiologists, and thus ensure the correct clinical diagnosis.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will:

  • Test samples referred from other NHS and UKHSA laboratories and would be expected to assist in any UKHSA coordinated response or activity of a national/international nature, e.g. Bioterrorism incident or a major disease e.g. SARS, H5N1 influenza, Enteric outbreak etc.
  • Advise on health and safety issues across the whole department.
  • Assist staff to promote compliance with health and safety procedures.
  • Provide ongoing reviews of all risk assessments applicable to the department, to ensure that they are suitable, sufficient and in date.
  • Deliver departmental health and safety training and safety inductions as required.
  • In conjunction with departmental laboratory managers and senior biomedical scientists, ensure that all existing and new equipment is fit for purpose with respect to safety and that all laboratory spaces are fit for purpose and maintained to enable safe working.
  • Support practical preparation for, and organisation of, inspections by third party assessors, such as HSE, and to address issues arising from these inspections.
  • Prepare reports of health and safety audits and communicate findings of audits to staff as appropriate.
  • Be responsible for ensuring the provision and dissemination of health and safety information.
  • Troubleshoot and advise upon problems resulting from health and safety audits and interpretation of health and safety data.

About us

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.

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Details

Date posted

02 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

919-CG-62504656-EXT

Job locations

Lab

Manchester

M13 9WL


Job description

Job responsibilities

Main duties continued

  • Be responsible for customer contact (both across the UKHSA and MFT) for enquiries relating to departmental health and safety.
  • Maintain close liaison with Trust estates and facilities to ensure high standards of Health & Safety.
  • Maintain close links between health and safety and governance arrangements, including incident reporting (on Trust and UKHSA systems), investigation and management.
  • Represent the laboratory at Trust/UKHSA health and safety meetings.
  • Keep up to date with current health and safety practice in clinical pathology.
  • May be required to work within a rotational shift pattern which may include shifts throughout the department, 24 hours a day / 7days per week, to meet service needs'.
  • Ensure prompt communication of urgent and unusual results, including telephone reporting, and support the delivery of an effective laboratory results service
  • Use and maintenance of manual and sophisticated automated equipment.
  • To work unsupervised in high risk Containment Level 3 laboratory following local code of practice within these facilities.
  • Disposal of tissue and patient samples in accordance with relevant guidelines.
  • Monitor and maintain appropriate stock levels and facilitate deliveries.
  • Be expected to participate in the weekend and Bank Holiday rosters, and encouraged to participate in out of hours service.
  • Will be required to demonstrate appropriate competency to participate in departmental out of hours service. During these periods the post holder will be a lone worker.

Clinical Governance

  • Participate in audit processes, drug trials, and research projects, as required.
  • Participate in and monitor Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities, and assist the department in maintaining UKAS ISO 15189accreditation.

Management

  • To manage staff and work within allocated sections of the laboratory on a rotational basis requiring extensive in-depth knowledge of all investigations.
  • Ensure all work is undertaken in accordance with agreed laboratory protocols.
  • Contribute to the development, review and continuous improvement of laboratory policies and procedures.
  • To assist in the supervision of qualified and unqualified Staff and monitor performance to ensure a high standard of work is maintained.
  • To participate in senior staff meetings to contribute to the development of the laboratory.
  • Deal with and resolve problems as they arise and report them to senior management team.
  • To deputise in the absence of the Deputy Laboratory Managers and other senior staff as required.

Education and Development

  • Undertake on-going training and development and update Professional Development Plan, as required by the Laboratory Managers keeping up to date with advances in medical microbiology.
  • Undertake training, supervision, co ordination and monitoring of Trainee Biomedical Scientists, Medical Laboratory Assistants, Clinical and Medical Staff, Nursing staff and students in accordance with nature of a large teaching hospital.

Clinical

  • Exercise judgment and interpretation to validate and authorise results and generate laboratory reports in accordance with departmental policies and procedures. The validation process includes analytical and clinical validity.
  • To assist, and where appropriate be responsible for the development and the implementation of new techniques and equipment into the laboratory.
  • Assess the suitability and appropriateness of samples received and liaises with senior technical staff for action or advice following departmental sample acceptance policy.
  • To ensure data integrity when entering demographics and results into the laboratory information system.
  • 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.
  • Analyses of microbiological cultures to identify and differentiate microbial pathogens.
  • Preparation and interpretation of identification tests and antimicrobial susceptibility tests.
  • The use of microscopes for identification of microorganisms.
  • Extraction of nucleic acid from biological samples to enable amplification and determination of microbial targets.
  • Serological analyses of biological samples by a variety of methodologies to detect microbial antigens

Please note, the above lists are not exhaustive.

Essential criteria

  • State registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Completed an IBMS Specialist Portfolio in Microbiology/Virology or equivalent (if registration post 2004)
  • MSc in Biomedical science or equivalent
  • NEBOSH general certificate in Occupational Safety and Health or other Health and safety qualification
  • Experience of working in a number of different types of Laboratory including containment level three Microbiology laboratories.Understands microbiology and its application in clinical practice and public health.
  • Previous broad and appropriate laboratory experience within microbiology/Virology.
  • Experience of using a wide range of techniques in microbiology/Virology. Use of automated and semi-automated equipment.
  • Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required.
  • Experience of creating and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to analyse complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources.
  • Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and decision making.
  • Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly.
  • Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures.
  • Demonstrated capabilities to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales.

Selection Process Details(Competency based)

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications,knowledge and experience and skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You willbe required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 14 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, experienceand knowledgeprovide 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.

Longlisting:

In the event ofa large number ofapplicationswe may longlist into 3 piles of:

  1. Meets all essential criteria

  2. Meets some essential criteria

  3. Meets no essential criteria

If used, the pile Meets all essential criteria willproceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

In the event ofa large number ofapplications we may conductan initial sift, on the lead criteria of

  • State registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a single face to face interview at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Face to face interviews areplanned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview

Interviews dates 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 Manchester Royal Infirmary. If based at one of our labs, 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 Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basicdisclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

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

Eligibility Criteria

External:Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including 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 todemonstrateyou are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main duties continued

  • Be responsible for customer contact (both across the UKHSA and MFT) for enquiries relating to departmental health and safety.
  • Maintain close liaison with Trust estates and facilities to ensure high standards of Health & Safety.
  • Maintain close links between health and safety and governance arrangements, including incident reporting (on Trust and UKHSA systems), investigation and management.
  • Represent the laboratory at Trust/UKHSA health and safety meetings.
  • Keep up to date with current health and safety practice in clinical pathology.
  • May be required to work within a rotational shift pattern which may include shifts throughout the department, 24 hours a day / 7days per week, to meet service needs'.
  • Ensure prompt communication of urgent and unusual results, including telephone reporting, and support the delivery of an effective laboratory results service
  • Use and maintenance of manual and sophisticated automated equipment.
  • To work unsupervised in high risk Containment Level 3 laboratory following local code of practice within these facilities.
  • Disposal of tissue and patient samples in accordance with relevant guidelines.
  • Monitor and maintain appropriate stock levels and facilitate deliveries.
  • Be expected to participate in the weekend and Bank Holiday rosters, and encouraged to participate in out of hours service.
  • Will be required to demonstrate appropriate competency to participate in departmental out of hours service. During these periods the post holder will be a lone worker.

Clinical Governance

  • Participate in audit processes, drug trials, and research projects, as required.
  • Participate in and monitor Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities, and assist the department in maintaining UKAS ISO 15189accreditation.

Management

  • To manage staff and work within allocated sections of the laboratory on a rotational basis requiring extensive in-depth knowledge of all investigations.
  • Ensure all work is undertaken in accordance with agreed laboratory protocols.
  • Contribute to the development, review and continuous improvement of laboratory policies and procedures.
  • To assist in the supervision of qualified and unqualified Staff and monitor performance to ensure a high standard of work is maintained.
  • To participate in senior staff meetings to contribute to the development of the laboratory.
  • Deal with and resolve problems as they arise and report them to senior management team.
  • To deputise in the absence of the Deputy Laboratory Managers and other senior staff as required.

Education and Development

  • Undertake on-going training and development and update Professional Development Plan, as required by the Laboratory Managers keeping up to date with advances in medical microbiology.
  • Undertake training, supervision, co ordination and monitoring of Trainee Biomedical Scientists, Medical Laboratory Assistants, Clinical and Medical Staff, Nursing staff and students in accordance with nature of a large teaching hospital.

Clinical

  • Exercise judgment and interpretation to validate and authorise results and generate laboratory reports in accordance with departmental policies and procedures. The validation process includes analytical and clinical validity.
  • To assist, and where appropriate be responsible for the development and the implementation of new techniques and equipment into the laboratory.
  • Assess the suitability and appropriateness of samples received and liaises with senior technical staff for action or advice following departmental sample acceptance policy.
  • To ensure data integrity when entering demographics and results into the laboratory information system.
  • 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.
  • Analyses of microbiological cultures to identify and differentiate microbial pathogens.
  • Preparation and interpretation of identification tests and antimicrobial susceptibility tests.
  • The use of microscopes for identification of microorganisms.
  • Extraction of nucleic acid from biological samples to enable amplification and determination of microbial targets.
  • Serological analyses of biological samples by a variety of methodologies to detect microbial antigens

Please note, the above lists are not exhaustive.

Essential criteria

  • State registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Completed an IBMS Specialist Portfolio in Microbiology/Virology or equivalent (if registration post 2004)
  • MSc in Biomedical science or equivalent
  • NEBOSH general certificate in Occupational Safety and Health or other Health and safety qualification
  • Experience of working in a number of different types of Laboratory including containment level three Microbiology laboratories.Understands microbiology and its application in clinical practice and public health.
  • Previous broad and appropriate laboratory experience within microbiology/Virology.
  • Experience of using a wide range of techniques in microbiology/Virology. Use of automated and semi-automated equipment.
  • Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required.
  • Experience of creating and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to analyse complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources.
  • Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and decision making.
  • Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly.
  • Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures.
  • Demonstrated capabilities to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales.

Selection Process Details(Competency based)

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications,knowledge and experience and skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You willbe required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 14 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, experienceand knowledgeprovide 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.

Longlisting:

In the event ofa large number ofapplicationswe may longlist into 3 piles of:

  1. Meets all essential criteria

  2. Meets some essential criteria

  3. Meets no essential criteria

If used, the pile Meets all essential criteria willproceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

In the event ofa large number ofapplications we may conductan initial sift, on the lead criteria of

  • State registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a single face to face interview at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Face to face interviews areplanned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview

Interviews dates 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 Manchester Royal Infirmary. If based at one of our labs, 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 Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basicdisclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

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

Eligibility Criteria

External:Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including 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 todemonstrateyou are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Person Specification

Application form and supporting statement

Essential

  • Application form and supporting statement

Interview

Essential

  • Questions on knowledge, experience, skills and abilities
Person Specification

Application form and supporting statement

Essential

  • Application form and supporting statement

Interview

Essential

  • Questions on knowledge, experience, skills and abilities

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Lab

Manchester

M13 9WL


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Lab

Manchester

M13 9WL


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Resourcing Support Officer

Charlene Gwekwerere

charlene.gwekwerere@ukhsa.gov.uk

Details

Date posted

02 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

919-CG-62504656-EXT

Job locations

Lab

Manchester

M13 9WL


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

UK Health Security Agency's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)