Genetic Technologist

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Oxford

On-site

GBP 32,000 - 39,000

Full time

7 days ago

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Job summary

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Genetic Technologist to join Oxford Genetics Laboratories at Churchill Hospital, Oxford. The role is fixed-term for 18 months, full-time 37.5 hours per week, salary £32,073 - £39,043 pro rata.

You will perform genetic tests, follow SOPs, support training and contribute to quality management under supervision of senior staff. UKAS/ISO:15189 experience and LIMS proficiency are desirable.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) in a relevant biological science.
AHCS registration or working towards it.
ACC/CMGS Certificate of Competence in Genetic Technology.

Responsibilities

Deliver technical service to national standards under supervision.
Perform genetic tests and follow standard operating procedures.
Support training and contribute to the Quality Management System.
Communicate complex technical information to colleagues.

Skills

Molecular biology techniques

Cytogenetic techniques

Results analysis (Sanger Sequencing, |

Laboratory software (LIMS, databases)

Microsoft Office

Education

BSc (Hons) in a relevant biological science

Job description

Main area Genetics Laboratory Grade NHS AfC: Band 5 Contract Fixed term: 18 months (contract ending 31/03/2028) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (37.5) Job ref 321-CSS-8191055-B5

Site Churchill Hospital Town Oxford Salary £32,073 - £39,043 per annum/pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 31/08/2026 23:59

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.

The Trust comprises of four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Many of our recruitment programmes useValue Based Interviewingto identify those who have the skills we seek, who share our values and who are able to deliver compassionate excellence from the outset. We know that this makes a significant difference to your job satisfaction and above all the outcomes and experience of our patients and their families. For more information about our Values and Value Based Interviewing please visitwww.ouh.nhs.uk/about/vision-and-values

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated Genetic Technologist to join Oxford Genetics Laboratories (OGL) at the Churchill Hospital, part of the Central and South Genomic Laboratory Hub (GLH) on a fixed-term contract, ending 31/03/2028.

The successful candidate will contribute to the delivery of a high-quality genomic diagnostic service, performing a range of genetic tests in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures. Working under the supervision of Senior Genetic Technologists and Clinical Scientists, the post holder will support workflow organisation within a specialist laboratory area.

The role includes performing and troubleshooting laboratory techniques, assisting with staff training, supporting junior colleagues, and contributing to the laboratory Quality Management System. In addition to wet-lab work, the post holder will undertake initial analysis of test data and may report routine results.

Applicants should possess excellent organisational, communication and practical laboratory skills, with a flexible approach and strong attention to detail.

Essential requirements include experience working in a UKAS-accredited genetics laboratory, or similarly regulated environment, and practical experience and scientific understanding of a range of genomic techniques. Full training in local procedures will be provided.

The successful candidate may be expected to work across a wider range of laboratory services as service needs evolve.

Main duties of the job

Genetic Technologists undertake technical, analytical and administrative duties that support the clinical scientists in the department. They take personal responsibility for their own work on a daily basis subject to the supervision of the section head. They participate in various rotational duties within the department including monitoring of work areas for health and safety and cleanliness.
They process a wide range of pathological specimens for a broad range of inherited conditions according to standard operating procedures, and are competent in the use of patient databases, state of the art technologies and a variety of software packages, some of which are complex, for the analysis of data.
They perform highly accurate and skilled analysis, with often unpredictable outcomes and requiring periods of concentration.
They are expected to communicate complex technical, scientific and confidential information to colleagues within their department in electronic, written and verbal forms.
Technologists participate in the teaching and training load of the department through demonstration of own performance of appropriate standard operating procedures to other genetic technologists and trainee Clinical Scientists within the limits of their experience. They are also required to attend and participate in appropriate training seminars, and regular section and departmental meetings.

Working for our organisation

The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel .

The Oxford Genetics laboratories are part of the Central & South Genomic Laboratory Hub (C&S GLH), one of 7 GLHs recently established to deliver NHS England's National Genomic Medicine Service. We provide a comprehensive range of cytogenetic, molecular cytogenetic and molecular
genetic investigations for both rare disease and acquired disorders (solid tumour and haematological malignancy).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Service

1. Deliver the technical service of a section/subsection or designated area of work to nationally accepted standards (UKAS or equivalent) with appropriate support to include the following:
a. Follow standard operating procedures for the receipt, booking in, processing and analysis of samples
b. Review appropriate risk and COSHH assessments in areas relevant to own practise and abide by laboratory health and safety policies
c. Undertake basic troubleshooting for failed analyses
d. Validate quality of technical analysis, repeat and perform subsequent investigations following discussions with more senior technologists or clinical scientists according to defined criteria
e. Draft routine reports on the patient database according to defined templates
f. Arrange dispatch of different types of samples. Deal with queries relating to the receipt and dispatch of samples, including products of conception (received for post-mortem examination), and other tissues.

2. Perform laboratory processes from a variety of biological specimens received which may be high risk (eg HIV, Hep C) and/ or derived from recognisable human or fetal parts, by all methods currently employed in the laboratory and to work safely under exposure to toxic substances which are hazardous to health.

3. Identify unusual or failed results and bring them to the attention of Senior technologists or scientists for further discussion

4. Liaise with senior technical or scientific colleagues over availability of equipment, sample prioritisation, or requirement for supplementary laboratory processes, when planning work schedules in designated areas of work, in accordance with laboratory protocols and under the supervision of the Section Head and/or Laboratory Director.

5. Supply a high level of technical expertise in the investigative procedures involved and take a daily responsibility for their own work, subject to the supervision and direction of section head or other senior staff. Be adaptable to changing diagnostic workload pressures, by making independent day-to-day decisions about workload in designated area. The post holder must communicate all problems with, and when necessary obtain help/advice from, appropriate senior staff

6. Attend, and actively participate in, team and laboratory meetings with opportunity to propose improvements in efficiency and changes to scientific and technical protocols and to contribute to the development and implementation of departmental policies within the limits of experience.

Laboratory Management
7. Prepare reagents and media used in the processing and testing of samples, and safely handle toxic substances that are hazardous to health.

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RISK MANAGEMENT
The management of risk is the responsibility of everyone and will be achieved within a progressive, honest and open environment.
Staff will be provided with the necessary education, training and support to enable them to meet this responsibility.
Staff should be familiar with the: Major Incident Policy, Fire Policy, Incident Reporting Policy, and should make themselves familiar with the ‘local response’ plan and their role within that response.

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Person specification
Qualifications
BSc (Hons) in a relevant biological science (i.e. including a human genetics component).
Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) registered as a genetic technologist or working towards registration.
ACC/CMGS Certificate of Competence in Genetic Technology.
Experience
A reasonable amount of workplace-based, practical laboratory experience either in a diagnostic environment or a forensic DNA testing laboratory or commercial/research laboratory.
Practical experience of a range of molecular biology and/or cytogenetic techniques, including manual processing
Post-graduate practical experience of results analysis, e.g. Sanger Sequencing, PCR-based fragment analysis, aCGH, Chromosome analysis, etc.
Post-graduate use and maintenance of equipment for PCR set up, sequencing etc.
Experience of Microsoft office and spreadsheets.
Previous experience in a NHS Genetics diagnostic laboratory.
Experience of working towards UKAS accreditation and ISO:15189 standards.
Experience of using laboratory databases and LIMS.
Experience of analytical procedures, automated equipment and automated systems of work.
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