Assistant Technical Officer

STOCKPORT NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; Stockport; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is seeking a highly enthusiastic individual to support the Microbiology Section. Responsibilities include receiving and sorting samples, ensuring documentation is accurate, and maintaining laboratory standards. The ideal candidate will possess excellent problem-solving skills and show initiative in routine microbiological tasks. Benefits include generous annual leave, NHS pension scheme membership, and flexible working options.

Benefits

27-33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays

NHS pension scheme membership

Salary sacrifice schemes for lease cars, home electronics and more

NHS Staff discounts

Cycle to work scheme

Salary finance for loans and savings

Local financial advice through Stockport Credit Union

Qualifications

• The successful candidate should have excellent problem solving skills and the ability to show initiative.
• Experience handling laboratory samples and maintaining a clean lab environment is essential.

Responsibilities

• Receive, unpack, and sort environmental and pharmaceutical samples.
• Ensure sample documentation is complete and accurate.
• Register samples on the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
• Manage incubation of environmental samples.
• Assist in maintaining the laboratory environment by regular disinfection.

Skills

Problem solving skills

Initiative

Aseptic technique

Tools

Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)

Job description

Overview

We are looking to appoint a highly enthusiastic individual to support the Microbiology Section by ensuring samples are registered and are ready for analysis. To help ensure reagents and media are ready for use and that the laboratory environment is maintained in an appropriate condition. To perform routine microbiological tasks of non-complex and routine nature. The successful candidate will have excellent problem solving skills and will be able to show initiative.

Responsibilities

• To receive, unpack and sort large numbers of environmental and pharmaceutical samples so as to enable accurate analysis and clear reporting by the Section.
• To ensure sample documentation is complete, accurate and filed appropriately.
• To register all samples on the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), assign a unique sample identifier and ensure the analytical tests requested are assigned.
• To sample raw materials from the Pharmaceutical Production Unit on request, ensuring no contamination of the bulk material.
• To ensure the correct hazard label is applied to the samples.
• To assist in maintaining the laboratory environment by regular disinfection of laboratory surfaces and disposal of samples and microbiological waste.
• To be responsible for the receipt and storage of media from suppliers, and the assembly and packing of media for onward distribution to a range of Pharmacy Aseptic and Production Units
• To perform routine microbiological techniques requiring aseptic technique and a degree of manual dexterity, including sterility testing when the facility re-opens.
• To manage the incubation of environmental samples, ensuring the samples are incubated promptly and safely at the correct temperatures for the correct amount of time.

About the department & diversity

Quality Control North West is part of Stockport Foundation Trust and is an NHS regional specialty department responsible for providing pharmaceutical quality control services to NHS and non-NHS clients. The laboratories at Stockport are well equipped and advanced in analytical instrumentation and are accredited to ISO 17025 by UKAS.

We hold a unique position in the Stockport community as the provider of healthcare and we are one of its largest employers. We believe that the best organisations are those that reflect the communities they serve. We are therefore seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce to make it truly representative of our local population.

Support & flexible working

If you require support with your application please contact a member of the recruitment team, who can discuss alternative application methods. We recognise that flexible working is important. We take requests for flexible working seriously, consider any request we receive and try to work with you, so we can explore if your request may fit with the needs of the service.

Benefits

• Between 27-33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
• NHS pension scheme membership
• Salary sacrifice schemes for lease cars, home electronics and more, to make your salary go further
• NHS Staff discounts
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary finance - for loans, savings, budget planning and tips on managing debt
• Stockport Credit Union- for local financial advice