Senior Biomedical Scientist

Colindale (London)

Job Summary At UKHSA Colindale, laboratory teams deliver highly specialised services using complex techniques and nationally or internationally unique capabilities.Reference laboratories provide authoritative and validated analysis for complex clinical and virological problems, while leading innovation in microbiological and virological methods, standards, surveillance programmes, outbreak detection, and infection control strategies.

Microbiology reference units support clinical diagnosis, specialist reference testing, methodology development, microbial epidemiology, outbreak investigations, and responses to international health alerts. They also provide expert advice on infection risks. Clinical samples and isolates are received from public health departments, NHS organisations, and commercial laboratories across the UK and internationally for specialist testing, characterisation, and susceptibility analysis.

This post is based within the Clinical Services Unit (CSU) of PHMRM. As an HCPC-registered Biomedical Scientist, the post holder will support the Unit Head and Lead Scientists in delivering a high-quality national reference service for Hepatitis, HIV, and HTLV. The role includes providing scientific and technical leadership within the specialist pathogen area and contributing to the development, validation, and implementation of novel technologies within reference services.

Working for your 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.

Job Description Take delegated responsibility from the CSU Lead Clinical Scientist and technical manager and other senior Clinical and Technical staff in accordance with UKHSA policies and procedures and contribute to the day-to-day reference and surveillance activities of CSU.

Day to day responsibility for assisting in the management and implementation of CSU reference laboratory work, surveillance, scientific development, and specialist service activities. The post holder will be closely working with other Biomedical scientists in delivering different areas of disciplines. The post holder will also be required to collaborate with internal, external and international scientists on projects. To always comply with UKHSA and CSU safety regulations, guidelines and quality standards in relation to work carried out.

Technical Service

• Technical charge” for a CSU team; provide day-to-day professional leadership, set direction and lead by example.
• Contribute to CSU strategy/policy; develop advice, proposals and innovations to meet short/long-term objectives.
• Ensure confidentiality and information governance with Caldicott Guardian, DPO and Security of Information Officer; comply with Data Protection Act.
• Deliver safe, high-quality laboratory service: perform relevant tests; interpret, verify and record results to protocols; review controls/standards; troubleshoot assay/test failures; validate/authorise reports as required.
• Support service development and sustainability: evaluate new/state-of-the-art methods/equipment; produce evaluation reports; identify and support income-generation activity.
• Provide specialist advice to internal/external labs and users; collate and present data for discussion.
• Prepare/maintain controlled documents: SOPs, methodologies, COSHH and risk assessments.

People management

• Set work programmes; supervise laboratory activity and staffing levels; ensure staff deployment, availability and welfare.
• Act as Laboratory Training Officer: organise/participate in training for staff, students and visitors; ensure competency assessment as required.
• Support recruitment/selection with Technical/Operations Managers; lead induction, education and ongoing development.
• Conduct appraisals/performance reviews; manage performance issues.

Support services &​ equipment

• Shared responsibility for stock/consumables: acquisition, control and efficient use.
• Support equipment purchasing (with Technical Lead) and ensure planned maintenance.
• Contribute to development/maintenance of MOLIS LIMS for CSU.

Quality / governance

• Maintain best-practice standards so delivery is safe, efficient, effective and economical; ensure ISO 15189 and other accreditation/certification compliance.
• Support EQA processing/reporting; drive continuous quality improvement.
• Maintain internal/external audit programmes and corrective actions; monitor non-conformances.
• CSU contact for customer complaints; record, investigate and resolve adverse incidents via TrackWise.

Professional development

• Maintain CPD and any registration/statutory requirements; agree and deliver PDP objectives; complete mandatory training (e.g., fire safety, information governance).

Working relationships

• Build effective relationships across UKHSA (Unit/Reference Microbiology/CSL; network, finance, HR, H&​S, operations, senior lab staff) and externally (NHS/users, reference labs, European networks/working groups, government agencies, national/international customers, suppliers, commercial/professional bodies).

Take delegated responsibility from the CSU Lead Clinical Scientist and technical manager and other senior Clinical and Technical staff in accordance with UKHSA policies and procedures and contribute to the day-to-day reference and surveillance activities of CSU.

Day to day responsibility for assisting in the management and implementation of CSU reference laboratory work, surveillance, scientific development, and specialist service activities. The post holder will be closely working with other Biomedical scientists in delivering different areas of disciplines. The post holder will also be required to collaborate with internal, external and international scientists on projects. To always comply with UKHSA and CSU safety regulations, guidelines and quality standards in relation to work carried out.

Technical Service

• Technical charge” for a CSU team; provide day-to-day professional leadership, set direction and lead by example.
• Contribute to CSU strategy/policy; develop advice, proposals and innovations to meet short/long-term objectives.
• Ensure confidentiality and information governance with Caldicott Guardian, DPO and Security of Information Officer; comply with Data Protection Act.
• Deliver safe, high-quality laboratory service: perform relevant tests; interpret, verify and record results to protocols; review controls/standards; troubleshoot assay/test failures; validate/authorise reports as required.
• Support service development and sustainability: evaluate new/state-of-the-art methods/equipment; produce evaluation reports; identify and support income-generation activity.
• Provide specialist advice to internal/external labs and users; collate and present data for discussion.
• Prepare/maintain controlled documents: SOPs, methodologies, COSHH and risk assessments.

People management

• Set work programmes; supervise laboratory activity and staffing levels; ensure staff deployment, availability and welfare.
• Act as Laboratory Training Officer: organise/participate in training for staff, students and visitors; ensure competency assessment as required.
• Support recruitment/selection with Technical/Operations Managers; lead induction, education and ongoing development.
• Conduct appraisals/performance reviews; manage performance issues.

Support services &​ equipment

• Shared responsibility for stock/consumables: acquisition, control and efficient use.
• Support equipment purchasing (with Technical Lead) and ensure planned maintenance.
• Contribute to development/maintenance of MOLIS LIMS for CSU.

Quality / governance

• Maintain best-practice standards so delivery is safe, efficient, effective and economical; ensure ISO 15189 and other accreditation/certification compliance.
• Support EQA processing/reporting; drive continuous quality improvement.
• Maintain internal/external audit programmes and corrective actions; monitor non-conformances.
• CSU contact for customer complaints; record, investigate and resolve adverse incidents via TrackWise.

Professional development

• Maintain CPD and any registration/statutory requirements; agree and deliver PDP objectives; complete mandatory training (e.g., fire safety, information governance).

Working relationships

• Build effective relationships across UKHSA (Unit/Reference Microbiology/CSL; network, finance, HR, H&​S, operations, senior lab staff) and externally (NHS/users, reference labs, European networks/working groups, government agencies, national/international customers, suppliers, commercial/professional bodies).

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Health &​ Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration as Biomedical Scientist
• BSc (Hons) in Biomedical science or related subject ( molecular biology / cell biology / genetics biochemistry / microbiology /immunology )
• Maintains professional competence in biomedical sciences by attending lectures and seminars
• CPD registration and certification
• Microbiology Laboratory Experience working within a microbiology or virology laboratory molecular and serological assay development, validation, and service delivery
• Good in-depth knowledge and experience in the development and validation of molecular