Clinical Scientist - Bioinformatician - Genetics

NHS; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UK seeks a Clinical Scientist - Bioinformatician to join a collaborative genomics team. The successful candidate will work full-time, providing bioinformatics expertise critical to patient care. This role includes responsibilities like data analysis and team collaboration across multiple sites. Applicants should have a relevant degree and HCPC registration or be working toward it. Join a transformative environment at the forefront of genomic services in England.

Qualifications

• Experience with programming languages such as PERL, Python, or JAVA.
• Familiarity with Unix/Linux environments.
• Statistics knowledge and experience with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS).

Responsibilities

• Provide bioinformatics expertise to support diagnostic platforms.
• Assist with the implementation of data handling methods.
• Work within the NE&Y GLH virtual team.

Skills

Programming skills in a modern programming language

Information technology skills

Ability to communicate complex ideas

Manual dexterity and good hand eye co-ordination

Teamwork

Education

1st or 2nd class honours degree in Biological Science

Registration as a Clinical Scientist with HCPC

Job description

Clinical Scientist - Bioinformatician - Genetics

RegisteredClinical Scientist Bioinformatician (Genomics)

1x permanent band 7 Clinical Scientist Bioinformatician position (based ateither Leeds, Sheffield or Newcastle North East and Yorkshire GenomicLaboratory Hub sites)

37.5hours per week, full time

Inresponse to NHS Englands recent Strategy and Service Specification for thefuture of Genomics services in England, Newcastle Teaching Hospitals, LeedsTeaching Hospitals, Sheffield Childrens Trust and Sheffield TeachingHospitals have formed the North East and Yorkshire Genomics Laboratory Hub(NEY GLH); an exciting collaboration to provide services for Genomics acrossYorkshire and Humber and the North. The combined size of our geography makesthis the largest collaboration in the country with the Trusts offering arange of both general and specialist hospital services with excellentclinical outcomes for patients. We have an international reputation forexcellence in specialist care, research, and academic training.

Weare looking to recruit 1 x Band 7 HCPC-registered (or soon to be registered)Clinical Scientist - Bioinformatician to work within the NEY GLHbioinformatics team based at either of the following NEY GLH sites (candidatechoice)

Main duties of the job

Thepost holder will be required to work 37.5 hours per week full-time andcontribute to out-of-hours rotas including weekends and bank holidays asrequired.

Applicationsfrom HCPC registered Healthcare/Clinical Scientists, final year ScientistTraining Programme (STP) trainees specialising in Bioinformatics (Genomics),or those working towards HCPC registration via equivalence routes arewelcomed.

Forthose candidates who are not yet registered, they will be expected to worktowards HCPC registration within a year and would be appointed on a salaryband appropriate for their experience.

Thesuccessful applicant will have opportunities to work on a variety of excitingprojects across rare disease and cancer.

Therole responsibilities include:

To provide highly specialisedbioinformatics expertise to support the diagnostic platforms being usedwithin NEY GLH. This will include implementation of methods of data handling,analysis and interpretation of data that will ultimately have a direct impacton patient care.

To work within the NEY GLH virtualteam based across the different NEY GLH sites to plan activities and developthe bioinformatics capability of NEY GLH.

About us

Thispost provides the opportunity to join our collaborative team at the forefrontof transforming and shaping genomics services for the future. If you wouldlike to join us on our exciting journey, we would welcome your interest andapplication.

InterviewDate: TBC

Forfurther enquiries or a confidential discussion please contact Helena Spiewak(NEY GLH Lead Bioinformatician) at [e-mail]

LeedsTeaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job advertsare subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or removeadverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in theshortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while thisprocess is completed, and contact the named contact if you have anyquestions.

Job responsibilities

JOBPURPOSE/SUMMARY

To assist in delivery of a quality,cost effective and patient focussed service from a combination of specialistareas within the department.

Working under the guidance of theNE&Y GLH lead bioinformatician to provide highly specialisedbioinformatics expertise to support the diagnostic platforms being usedwithin NE&Y GLH. This will include implementation of methods of datahandling, analysis and interpretation of data that will ultimately have adirect impact on patient care.

To work with the leadbioinformation and within the NE&Y GLH virtual team based across thedifferent NE&Y GLH sites to plan activities and develop thebioinformatics capability of NE&Y GLH.

To provide highly specialisedadvice and interpretation, to enable and support the authorisation of patientreports for hospital and primary care clinical staff.

To carry out research anddevelopment and audit in the field of genetics and bioinformatics

To communicate accurately sensitiveand/or highly complex information to users of the service in a manner that isin accordance with departmental and GLH procedures. This may includeproviding specialist clinical technical advice to clinical teams.

PRINCIPALDUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Background

The reconfiguration of GeneticLaboratory service provision in England is supporting the creation of a worldclass resource in the use of genomics and genetic technologies within theNHS. It is based around the consolidation of services in to a network ofGenomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs) to create a genomic laboratory serviceinfrastructure for the NHS in England.

NE&Y GLH comprises of apartnership arrangement between several organisations (Leeds TeachingHospitals Trust, Sheffield Childrens Hospital FT, Newcastle Upon TyneHospitals FT and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals FT).

Key responsibilities of NE&YGLH

• Consolidate services to deliversignificant efficiencies
• Operate within a national testingnetwork
• Operate a coherent informaticsinfrastructure
• Sample collection, processing andlogistics
• Technical and analytical platforms
• Bioinformatics, annotation andvalidation
• Clinical interpretation, reportingand returning of results
• Quality management and assurance ofboth processes and data
• Plan & develop workforce fornow and the future
• Organisational governance andpartnership arrangements
• Promotion of research andinnovation

NE&YGLH will work across defined geographies to

• Work with other GLHs to form anational network of genomic laboratories providing a coordinated nationalgenomic laboratory service, which will be part of the planned NHS GenomicMedicine Service.
• Participate in regular meetingsconvened by NHS Englands Genomic Unit as part of the national network.
• Deliver genomic testing, asoutlined in the National Genomic Test Directory.
• Provide the genomic testing servicefor national specialist testing within prescribed GLHs of the nationalnetwork, and will work with the relevant clinicians and genomic MDTs.
• Be responsible for establishing andmaintaining local networks of any subcontracted laboratories and designatedproviders for cancer genomic testing providing a coordinated andcomprehensive service to deliver standardised outcomes, ongoing consolidation,quality improvement, and adoption of new technologies under a suitableoperating infrastructure and partnership agreement.
• Operate enhanced working practicesto ensure genomic testing services are available to support the delivery ofseven day services, and ensure that genomic technology platforms are fullyoptimised.
• Be responsible for ensuring qualityand the ongoing review of opportunities to further consolidate networkedservices, based on technological advances, the changing evidence base forgenomic testing and the National Test Directory.
• Be accountable to NHS EnglandsGenomics Unit within an agreed governance and operational framework that willoversee the test repertoire, co-ordinate the provision new nationalspecialised testing services, monitor performance and finance.
• Fulfil the membership criteria forUKGTN, UKAS ISO accreditation and any additional requirements as specified bythe NHS England Genomics Unit.

Thepost holder will be:

• A member of the NE&Y virtualteam based across the different NE&Y GLH sites to plan activities anddevelop the bioinformatics capability of NE&Y GLH.
• Expected to work in accordance withstandard operating procedures and to contribute to the further development ofthese procedures and quality standard in areas relevant to the expertise ofthe post holder.
• To participate in equipmentprocurement and evaluation.
• provide education to support,technical, scientific and medical staff.
• To actively participate inlaboratory quality assurance and risk management programmes.
• To participate in laboratory auditprocesses.
• To contribute to generaldepartmental and GLH management by performing, subject to consultation, suchtasks as delegated by the head of department.

Managerial

• Gain new knowledge throughexperience, formal study and participation in relevant training schemes.
• Work independently.
• Communicate clearly and effectivelywhether orally, graphically or electronically.
• Plan, prioritise, interpret,validate and authorize your workload of the section and coordinate this withwork undertaken by other team members.
• Work with precision and followaccurately the documented laboratory standard operating procedures.
• Operate highly complex laboratoryequipment safely and efficiently.
• Input, manage, extract andinterpret patient data using the laboratory computer system.
• Contribute to the education andprofessional development of colleagues through departmental and externaleducation activities.
• Contribute actively towards theimprovement of general service quality by participation in clinical audit,technical evaluation and business planning.
• Maintain competence throughcontinuing professional development.
• Participate actively in thedepartmental appraisal scheme.
• Participate actively in otherpeople governance procedures that are consistent with Trust HR policies.
• Take account of changes in servicedelivery by demonstrating a flexible approach to work.

Analyticaland Judgemental

• o Have knowledge and understanding of current national legislation and guidelines relevant to the speciality.
• o Participate actively in departmentalinternal and external quality assurance schemes. Your level of knowledge andunderstanding will allow you to recognise when expected levels of qualityhave not been met together with the ability to recommend appropriateimprovements. This will require understanding of the regulatory environmentand quality management systems.
• o Participate in the maintenance of asafe working environment. This will include an awareness of the hazardsassociated with your work. In addition you will be aware of any suitableactions to take in the event of breaches in health and safety. Such hazardsinclude fire, manual handling, breaches of security, controlled anduncontrolled exposure to chemical, biological and radioactive materials.
• o Maintain patient confidentiality.You will recognise the absolute requirement to protect sensitive informationthat is related to patient care.
• o Observe the requirements ofdepartmental policies relating to service provision, for example samplelabelling and adverse event reporting.
• o Observe the requirements of Trustpolicies relating to clinical and people governance.

Planningand Organisational

• Organise, prioritise and manageactivities and projects.
• Conduct audit and re-audit ofelements of the bioinformatics service.
• Implementing planned changes to theservice in accordance with business plans of the GLH.

Policyand Service Development

The post holder will be required toimplement agreed polices within the department and assist in development ofdepartmental policies and protocols, contributing to policy change asappropriate.

Carry out audit programmes tounderpin research and development within the department.

Person Specification

Skills & behaviours

• Manual dexterity and good hand eye co-ordination
• Self-confident but also able to work well as part of a team

Experience

• Programming skills in a modern programming language such as PERL, Python or JAVA and the ability to work in a Unix/Linux environment and ability to recognise and advise on appropriate solutions
• Information technology skills (hardware and software) relevant to large dataset manipulation e.g. archives, backups, networks and servers
• Ability to communicate complex ideas to non-specialists

Qualifications

• 1st or 2nd class honours degree in Biological Science with a strong genetics component , or Bioinformatics or Computer Science
• Registration as a Clinical Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Supervised in service experience
• Knowledge of statistical principles and tests
• Knowledge of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)

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.