Healthcare Science Support Worker

Train Work Live; Cwmbran; Hybrid; GBP 27,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Public Health Wales is seeking a Higher Biomedical Support Worker to join the Microbiology Hot Lab team based at The Grange University Hospital, Cwmbran, with rotation to the Microbiology Lab in the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport. You should be motivated, organised, and capable of supporting both individuals and teams with scientific knowledge.

The post involves a wide range of routine lab tasks, quality control, and support for microbiological diagnostic services alongside BMS staff.

Qualifications

• GCSE education including English and Maths and a Science related subject, or equivalent qualifications
• NVQ 2 clinical support work, IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 1 or equivalent

Responsibilities

• Participation in quality control, specimen processing, and maintenance of equipment.
• Operation of automated equipment, waste disposal, and clerical duties.
• Support the provision of microbiological diagnostic services with Associate Practitioner and Biomedical Scientist staff.
• Adherence to Health and Safety practices and SOPs; work with qualified BMS staff as part of the team.

Skills

Basic keyboard skills

Education

GCSE English, Maths and Science

NVQ 2 Clinical Support Work

IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 1

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Main area Microbiology Grade Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Rotation 7 days per week, participate in weekends and bank holidays) Job ref 028-ACS051-1126

Employer Public Health Wales NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Microbiology Hot lab Grange University Hospital Town Cwmbran Salary £26,813 - £27,890 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 08/11/2026 23:59

Welcome to Public Health Wales, the national public health organisation for Wales

Our vision is Working to achieve a healthier future for Wales

Applicants are invited to apply in Welsh, any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English. To support our all Wales service, we particularly welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

Important Note for vacancies offered on a fixed-term or secondment basis.

Job overview

We are seeking a Higher Biomedical support worker to join the Microbiology Hot Lab team based at The Grange University Hospital Cwmbran with rotation to the Microbiology Lab in the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport. Candidates will need to be enthusiastic, well-motivated and innovative, with good organisational and practical abilities supported by scientific knowledge. Have well developed interpersonal and communication skills and an ability to lead and support individual and team working.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will participate in a wide range of routine laboratory tasks. These include quality control, specimen processing, maintenance of equipment, operation of automated equipment, waste disposal and clerical duties. The post holder will support the provision of microbiological diagnostic services in conjunction with Associate Practitioner and Biomedical Scientific staff. It is essential that the post holder adheres to the strict Health and Safety practices within the laboratory, is able to follow written laboratory standard operating procedures and work alongside qualified BMS staff as part of the team.

The successful candidate will participate in weekday, weekend, bank holiday and unsocial hours working, which is both AFC and EWTD compliant. Contractual 37.5 hours to be worked over a 7 day working week.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Working for our organisation

We are Public Health Wales - the national public health agency in Wales. Our purpose is 'Working together for a healthier Wales'. We exist to help everyone in Wales live longer, healthier, happier lives. Together with our partners, we work to increase healthy life expectancy, improve health and well-being, and reduce inequalities for everyone in Wales, now and for future generations.

We are guided by our Values, 'Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference'. We are committed to building an inclusive workplace that values equality and diversity. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of the communities we serve and are supportive of flexible working arrangements, including part time roles and job sharing.

Visa sponsorship:
This role is classified under SOC code 3111. Unfortunately, current UKVI regulations mean we are unable to sponsor new Skilled Worker visas for this post. Applicants who already hold a Skilled Worker visa should ensure they meet the eligibility requirements to move to this role before applying

Person specification

Qualifications

• GCSE education including English and Maths and a Science related subject, or equivalent qualifications
• NVQ 2 clinical support work, IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 1 or equivalent

Experience

• Experience of working in a laboratory

Skills

• Basic keyboard skills including experience of MS office

Knowledge

• Health and Safety awareness
• Understanding of laboratory working practice with some basic knowledge of Microbiology

Public Health Wales, reserves the right to close this vacancy early. We therefore encourage early applications.

Priority is given to staff awaiting redeployment. We therefore reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any stage.

If you have a disability and have any particular requirements to enable you to participate in the application process, please contact [e-mail]

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR APPLICANTS: Applications for our roles are carefully reviewed and shortlisted based on specific criteria, which varies from job to job.

Using a generic application or automated AI application services, such as Lazy Apply or AI Apply, does not usually provide enough personal evidence of your skills and experience relevant to the role. This can make it difficult for us to assess your suitability and will reduce your chances of being shortlisted.

To ensure your application is given full consideration, we recommend submitting a tailored application that directly addresses the criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the advert, providing clear evidence and examples to demonstrate how you meet each requirement.

Visa Sponsorship Eligibility

• If you require sponsorship under the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Visa routes, please ensure youself-assess your eligibility for sponsorship for this role before applying.

If you are successful and short listed for interview you will be contacted by email using the address with which you registered. Please ensure you check your email account regularly.

We are committed to fair, transparent recruitment and believe in equality of opportunity in our workplace and will not tolerate discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender identity, religion or belief, race or nationality, marriage or civil partnership status, sex, sexual orientation, working pattern, caring responsibilities, trade union activity or political beliefs - or on any other grounds. We welcome applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements.

The salary scale shown is for a full-time member of staff, with the amount being adjusted pro rata for those working less than 37.5 hours per week.

In general, anyone joining our Trust who has not previously worked in the NHS will, by default, start on the first point of the advertised pay band. Pay progression will then be determined by annual Performance and Development Reviews in accordance with the NHS Wales Pay Progression Policy .An application for Incremental Credit may be considered, but can only be awarded based on evidenced, reckonable service and/or equivalent, relevant experience.