Healthcare Scientist Support Worker

UK Health Security Agency; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Health Security Agency is seeking a dedicated Healthcare Scientist Support Worker to assist in laboratory operations. This role involves a variety of tasks, including sample preparation and clerical support, within a dynamic team environment. The position requires a commitment to quality and safety standards, and offers opportunities for professional development within a supportive framework.

Benefits

Civil Service pension with employer contribution

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible working options

Inclusive workplace culture

Qualifications

• Experience working in a laboratory setting.
• Ability to perform clerical duties and data entry.
• Willingness to rotate through various managed units.

Responsibilities

• Support Biomedical Scientists in laboratory duties.
• Prepare clinical samples and register patient information.
• Monitor and maintain stock levels and equipment.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication

Teamwork

Education

GCSE Maths and English at Grade C or above

Job description

Birmingham, West Midlands (England), B9 5SS

Job Summary

We are looking for enthusiastic, self-motivated individuals to play a vital role in the laboratory by supporting the Biomedical Scientists in a wide range of laboratory duties including the preparation of clinical samples, registration of patient information onto the pathology computer system and involvement in the centralised telephone enquiry service.

The Laboratory operates a 7-day working week and the applicant will be required to work 37.5 hours per week based on a shift system including a requirement to work at weekends and bank holidays.

The Public Health Laboratory in Birmingham is a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) microbiology laboratory and is in partnership with University Hospitals Birmingham Trust (UHB). The microbiology partnership provides comprehensive microbiology services and specialist services to Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, Solihull Hospital and general practitioners throughout the area.

The Post Holder Will

• Act as a Healthcare Scientist Support Worker (HSSW) on a permanent basis to provide technical and clerical support to the scientific services to patients and clients as an aid to clinical diagnosis.
• Work as part of Laboratory Team
• Be expected to rotate through various managed units within Microbiology
  
  

Job Description

Your key 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.
• Provide results service to wards, GP’s and other hospitals
• Dealing with patients, visitors and deliveries.
• Monitor and maintain appropriate stock levels, receipt of deliveries and preparation of orders.
• Cleaning and disinfection of equipment and laboratory areas.
• Monitoring and routine maintenance of equipment.
• Perform basic manual and automated tests according to protocols.
• Disposal of tissue and patient samples in accordance with relevant guidelines
• Autoclaving of waste material and patient samples (involves moderate lifting).
• Work 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.
• To participate in Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities and assist the department in maintaining UKASA Accreditation.
• To participate in audit processes, drug trials, research projects as required.
• Job Holder is expected to occasionally work under remote supervision of a Registered Biomedical Scientist following defined SOP/protocols and would be expected to refer non routine issues to their supervisor.
• Assistance with training of junior HSSW staff and trainee BMS staff.
• Preparation of samples prior to sending away to reference laboratories.
  
  

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Your Key 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.
• Provide results service to wards, GP’s and other hospitals
• Dealing with patients, visitors and deliveries.
• Monitor and maintain appropriate stock levels, receipt of deliveries and preparation of orders.
• Cleaning and disinfection of equipment and laboratory areas.
• Monitoring and routine maintenance of equipment.
• Perform basic manual and automated tests according to protocols.
• Disposal of tissue and patient samples in accordance with relevant guidelines
• Autoclaving of waste material and patient samples (involves moderate lifting).
• Work 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.
• To participate in Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities and assist the department in maintaining UKASA Accreditation.
• To participate in audit processes, drug trials, research projects as required.
• Job Holder is expected to occasionally work under remote supervision of a Registered Biomedical Scientist following defined SOP/protocols and would be expected to refer non routine issues to their supervisor.
• Assistance with training of junior HSSW staff and trainee BMS staff.
• Preparation of samples prior to sending away to reference laboratories.
  
  

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• GCSE Maths and English at Grade C or above or equivalent qualification
• Previously worked in Laboratory
  
  

Alongside your salary of £23,875, UK Health Security Agency contributes £6,916 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%
  
  

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Experience, Strengths and Technical skills.

Stage 1 - Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the 2 essential criteria listed, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 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 together.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria
  
  

Piles Meets all essential criteria will be moved through to the shortlisting stage.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:

• GCSE Maths and English at Grade C or above or equivalent qualification
  
  

Please do not exceed 500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number. If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)

You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours, Technical, Experience and Strengths will be tested at interview.

The Behaviour's Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be

• Delivering at pace (lead)
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the bigger picture
  
  

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 office/lab based at our site in Birmingham.

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.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition 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/

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.

Organisation info

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

Internal Fraud check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

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.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

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.

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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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.

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).

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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 : Harry McCullagh
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

[e-mail] 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: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/