Salmonella Quality & Laboratory Auditing Specialist

Animal & Plant Health Agency; Preston; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) is seeking an experienced Salmonella Technical Officer to support the Salmonella strategy, providing technical support to the National Reference Laboratory and auditing Defra-approved laboratories across the UK.

The role involves reporting, training, liaison with UKAS and DAL teams, and travel to APHA locations and external sites including Weybridge. Based at APHA laboratories nationwide, with field travel as required.

Responsibilities

• Provide external and internal auditing, training, and advisory services for APHA and DALs at multiple locations across the UK.
• Plan and conduct auditing to monitor compliance with Defra and APHA procedures for approved laboratories, relevant International Standards and to facilitate improvements in business processes.
• Provide oversight of the performance of Defra-approved Salmonella testing laboratories, primarily those testing National Control Programme (NCP) samples under CSPO, but also those testing Poultry Health Scheme (PHS) samples under TARP.
• Liaise with disease and test consultants, UKAS, proficiency testing teams, APHA One Health and DALs teams to deliver expert appraisal of applications for laboratory approval.
• Provide audits of laboratories across the UK that apply for Defra approval or in cases of performance issues.
• Collate and analyse approved laboratory test and QA data including VETQAS proficiency testing commentary.
• Contribute towards an annual ring trial of approved laboratories using a challenging faecal matrix with low Salmonella.
• Coordinate with UKAS and APHA QA/ISO teams and DAL inspection programmes, and advise on responses to findings raised at audits.
• Maintain expertise in ISO17025, ISO9001 and ISO17043.
• Provide summaries on issues affecting the DAL scheme to the NRL and DAL teams.
• Troubleshoot and resolve quality issues/findings across the DAL network.
• Identify opportunities for improving quality assurance within APHA.

Job description

The Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) is seeking an experienced Salmonella Technical Officer to support the Salmonella strategy, providing technical support to the National Reference Laboratory and auditing Defra-approved laboratories across the UK.

The role involves reporting, training, liaison with UKAS and DAL teams, and travel to APHA locations and external sites including Weybridge. Based at APHA laboratories nationwide, with field travel as required.