Governance & Quality Assurance Specialist (Scientific Associate)

University of Cambridge; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Cambridge's CRUK Cambridge Institute is seeking a Governance & Quality Assurance Specialist (Scientific Associate) to join the Governance & Quality Assurance team. You will coordinate tissue handling under HTA licensure, support LIMS operations, and assist with audits and training across the institute’s groups and facilities.

The role offers a fixed-term 1-year contract with responsibilities spanning governance, quality systems and records management, ensuring compliant and ethical

Qualifications

• Experience with governance and quality assurance in a research or clinical setting.
• Familiarity with handling human tissue and regulatory compliance preferred.
• Ability to support audits and inspections and maintain documentation.
• Experience training researchers and facility users on procedures and systems.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate receipt, tracking, storage and disposal of human tissue samples in line with regulatory and ethical requirements.
• Maintain the Human Tissue and Blood Processing Suite and storage facilities, update equipment and records.
• Support operation and development of LIMS and quality systems, including user training.
• Assist with audits, governance activities and QA processes with accurate documentation.
• Provide guidance to researchers and facility users on procedures and systems.
• Support administration of governance systems, websites, inventories and emergency plans.

Skills

Governance & QA

LIMS knowledge

Audits & inspections

Training & support

Tools

LIMS

Job description

Join us at the world-leading CRUK Cambridge Institute. We're a unique department of the University of Cambridge, core funded by Cancer Research UK's charitable activities, and we're eagerly searching for a Governance & Quality Assurance Specialist (Scientific Associate) to join our Governance & Quality Assurance team. The team is responsible for the systems behind the ethical and lawful use of human samples in research and clinical trials at the CRUK Cambridge Institute, across its 20 research groups and 11 core facilities. This work underpins research integrity at the Institute.Human tissue work is carried out under the Human Tissue Act 2004 and the Addenbrooke's Hospital Research Tissue Bank licence issued by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA). The team manages the Institute's central long-term storage facilities for human material and supports and oversees the human tissue storage held by individual groups and facilities. It also supports the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) used to track samples from donor to research use, the central Human Tissue and Blood Processing Suite, and HTA, operational and safety training.Key ResponsibilitiesCoordinate the receipt, tracking, storage and disposal of human tissue samples in accordance with regulatory and ethical requirements.Maintain the Human Tissue and Blood Processing Suite and associated storage facilities, ensuring equipment, supplies and records are kept up to date.Support the operation and development of laboratory information management and quality systems (LIMS), including user support and training.Assist with audits, inspections, governance activities and quality assurance processes, maintaining accurate documentation and records.Provide guidance and training to researchers and facility users on relevant procedures and systems.Support the ongoing administration of governance systems, websites, inventories and emergency response arrangements.Our institute links the laboratory to the clinic, carrying out cancer research of direct relevance to patients.Our mission is to tackle the most difficult problems in cancer and improve patient outcomes.Our science holds the solution.Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 years in the first instance.Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a basic disclosure (criminal records check) check and a security check.Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application. Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.The closing date for applications is: 23rd November 2026The interview date for the role is: To be confirmedPlease quote reference SW51658 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.Apply online