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Healthcare Science Support Worker

UK Health Security Agency • Full-time • Cambridge, England, United Kingdom • £24.29k - £25.31k / year • 4w ago

Details

Reference number

375432

Salary

£24,291 - £25,312

per annum, pro rata

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade

Administrative Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Type of role

Science

Working pattern

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

Number of jobs available

Contents

Location

About the job

Benefits

Things you need to know

Apply and further information

Location

Cambridge

About the job

Job summary

We are looking for a Healthcare Scientific Support Worker to support our Microbiology laboratory at Cambridge. The Microbiology laboratory at Cambridge current provides services to Addenbrooke’s, Royal Papworth, and the E&N Herts Hospitals, the surrounding district, and other NHS Laboratories. It has active research and epidemiological interests. The laboratory undergoes assessment against UKAS ISO 15189 standards, and has strong teaching interests.

Set on the outskirts of the university city of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital is one of the top hospitals in the UK and a thriving NHS Foundation Trust. Addenbrooke’s is closely associated with leading educational providers including the University of Cambridge and is a major centre for biomedical research and education.

The department undertakes a wide range of routine and specialist microbiological and molecular investigations. It makes extensive use of automation including Qiagen platforms, Biofire, BacTec, Sedimax, MGIT, Vitek, Centaur XP, Panther, Liaison and Vidas analysers and Kiestra.

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

As a Healthcare Science Support Worker, you will act as a laboratory assistant to support the scientific team providing services to patients and clients as an aid to clinical diagnosis.

Your main duties and responsibilities will include:

Sample receipt and handing
Sample preparation and reagent preparation following protocols.
Clerical duties, including use of computers, and data entry, telephone enquiries
Providing results service to wards, GPs and other hospitals
Dealing with patients, visitors and deliveries
Monitoring and maintaining appropriate stock levels, receipt of deliveries and preparation of orders
Cleaning and disinfection of equipment and laboratory areas
Monitoring and routine maintenance of equipment
Performing manual, semi-automated and automated tests according to protocols
Disposal of patient samples in accordance with relevant guidelines
Autoclaving of waste material and patient samples (involves moderate lifting)
Portering duties, exchange of gas cylinders (involves moderate lifting)
Working in a safe manner in accordance with Laboratory Health and Safety policies and procedures
Processing specimens, sub culturing of specimens, cleaning and maintenance of equipment, assisting BMS staff in analytical techniques, and use of automated equipment within Containment Level 3 laboratory
Use of automated equipment and its cleaning and maintenance within Containment Level 2 laboratories
Participating in Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities, and assist the department in maintaining UKAS accreditation
Participating in audit processes, drug trials, research projects as required
Assisting in the production of bacteriological culture media
Occasionally working under remote supervision of a Registered Biomedical Scientist following defined SOP/protocols, and referring non-routine issues to their supervisor

Person specification

GCSE or equivalent
Clear communicator with good writing, data entry and telephone skills ensuring accuracy
Ability to work effectively as part of a team
Problem solving skills
Able to work on own initiative, organising and prioritising own workload to set deadlines
An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust
Good time keeping
Flexible approach to work
Ability to follow written protocols
An understanding of, and commitment to, equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,291, UK Health Security Agency contributes £7,037 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Stage 1 - Application and sift (competency-based assessments)

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the 10 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of

an application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
a 500 word Statement of Suitability. This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

The application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered

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

Please do not exceed 500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview - Competency

You will be invited to a remote interview. Technical, experience and abilities will be tested at interview.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 30th October 2024 at 23:55. Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

Interviews: TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.

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 will be a lab-based role located at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. The Cambridge laboratory operates a 24/7 shift pattern to which you will be expected to contribute. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone.

To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you.

An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.

This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.

If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:

Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard and Counter Terrorism Check security vetting.

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.

International Police check:

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.

Careers website:

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

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name :

Jon Payne

Email :

recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email :

recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

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: Complaints@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 here.

http://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/v6713104