Senior Biomedical Scientist

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust; Torquay; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A health service provider in Torquay is seeking a Senior Biomedical Scientist to lead dissection processes in the Cellular Pathology department. The role involves technical oversight, training of staff, and ensuring high-quality diagnostic services. Ideal candidates will possess a BSc in Biomedical Sciences, relevant dissection qualifications, and recent NHS experience. Join a supportive team dedicated to improving patient care through accurate diagnostics in a vibrant coastal location.

Qualifications

• Recent Histopathology experience in an NHS diagnostic laboratory.
• Ability to supervise and train junior staff.
• Experience of UKAS, ISO15189, Audit and Quality Management.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise within the department.
• Train and mentor staff on dissection techniques.
• Ensure urgent test results are released on time.

Skills

Dissection experience

Proven communication skills

Training and mentoring

Technical competence in Histopathology

Education

BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences or equivalent

MSc or Higher Specialist Diploma in Dissection

Current registration in Cellular Pathology with the Health Professions Council (HCPC)

Tools

Epic Beaker LIMS

Digital Pathology System

Job description

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Biomedical Scientist

The closing date is 18 December 2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our friendly Cellular Pathology department at Torbay Hospital situated at the heart of the beautiful South Devon Coast. We are seeking to recruit a suitably qualified and experienced Senior Biomedical Scientist, particularly with dissection experience and a passion for training/mentoring. The department handles around 21,000 diagnostic requests per year and performs a range of histological procedures. The department is critical to patient management by way of providing diagnosis for a range of different tissue samples. The department uses the Beaker LIMS system and the Roche Vantage Tracking system. The successful candidate will need to be dedicated, dynamic, work well as a leader of a small, friendly team and show sound organisational skills. The primary role will be to provide technical expertise within the department. Core hours are 08:30 to 17:00, Monday to Friday.

Main duties of the job

• Responsible as a Senior Biomedical Scientist for dissection and as training officer for the department.
• Able to process specialist investigations in dissection and training. Ability to contribute positively to the development of the service. Supervises and trains more junior scientific and support staff in the department.
• Has a shared responsibility for the safety and security of the Department whilst on duty and a sole responsibility while working as a sole worker.
• Able to provide unsupervised senior technical cover across all sections of the laboratory in the absence of the Histology Manager

About us

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is an integrated organisation providing acute health care services from Torbay Hospital, community health services and adult social care healthcare services for a residential population of 375,000 (and a further 100,000 visitors in the holiday season). The Trust operates Torbay Hospital and other community hospitals in Devon.

Why work with us

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is an integrated organisation providing acute health care services from Torbay Hospital, community health services and adult social care healthcare services for a residential population of 375,000 (and a further 100,000 visitors in the holiday season). The Trust operates Torbay Hospital and other community hospitals in Devon.

Job responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationships

• Provide and receive complex, sensitive information. Participate in relevant departmental meetings
• Have well developed communication and persuasive skills
• Able to explain complex information and concepts to clinicians and other service users.
• Able to interpret a range of results and communicate to relevant parties.
• To be the training lead for the department, responsible for competencies for each section and development opportunities for all staff.
• To ensure that all urgent tests of high clinical priority are analysed and their results authorised and released in line with Trust and department specification.
• In collaboration with the laboratory manager and consultant pathologists will provide a timely high quality, accurate and cost-effective service.
• Liaise with other departments, agencies and suppliers in relation to tests and services required.

Analytical and Judgement

• Able to use judgement and decision making on how to proceed during technical failures, maintenance shutdown and quality control assessments.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting in line with established protocols.
• Manage the performance of a range of manual, semi-automated, specialist and fully automated laboratory investigations
• Know when to question an anomalous test result and how to correct it.
• Deal with a range of complex analysis, interpret and decide on most appropriate options.
• To be responsible for the participation in and adherence to the procedures for both internal and external quality control (including National External Quality Assurance Schemes, NEQAS), thereby providing quality assurance in test results produced.

Planning and Organisation

• Plan and organise a range of activities for training and CPD on an ongoing basis. Review, reflect and adjust as appropriate to meet agreed objectives.
• Plan and prioritise specialist workload, which may require liaising with other departments, agencies or suppliers.
• Oversee the maintenance schedules for all equipment in the department.

Physical Skills

• Highly developed manual dexterity where accuracy is important.
• Be able to adjust specialist equipment as needed.

Patient and Client care

• Provide highly specialist diagnostic service which includes the interpretation of results and use of specialist equipment.
• To deal with queries from patients and service users in a helpful and professional way, whilst maintaining information governance policies to protect the service and its users.

Policy and Service Development

• To ensure that Cellular Pathology has access to / knowledge of latest developments in automation and technologies.
• To assist with the co-ordination, submission and implementation of proposals for service development that will improve the effectiveness or efficiency of service provision within Cellular Pathology.
• In conjunction with the Cellular Pathology Lead BMS be responsible for identifying service pressures and devising action plans or business cases / plans as appropriate.
• To inform and ensure that the departmental annual objectives are met.
• Be responsible for managing and implementing projects/developments at the discretion of the Lead BMS.
• To plan and support the implementation of service improvements in laboratory areas, including skill mix review, demand and capacity planning and process mapping.

Responsibility for Finance, Equipment and Other Resources

• Safe use of expensive equipment.
• To provide high quality service at reasonable costs.
• Order supplies for Dissection as needed ensuring value for money.
• Work in collaboration with the laboratory manager to deliver efficiencies in the service, while maintaining quality and safety within the department.
• Will be responsible for the evaluation of new equipment, new/replacement test methods and new techniques within your section and Department including the acceptance testing of consumable products.

People Management and Training

• Day to day professional supervision of team
• Be involved with recruitment and induction of new staff
• To deputise for the lab managers with support from other departmental managers as appropriate.
• Able to rearrange rotas when needed due to sickness and leave.
• Undertake personnel functions including the recruitment of staff, managing staff through the sickness policy and presenting cases to a panel and through the conduct process to the same level.
• Able to co-ordinate and deliver training to all grades in the department.
• Liaise with a range healthcare professionals of all grades on specialist topics.
• Co-ordinate and mentor trainees at various stages of their progression.
• Responsible for designated staff annual appraisals, enabling a clear understanding of the knowledge and skills required to perform their duties, identify training requirements and annual objectives.

Information Technology and Administrative Duties

• Record personally generated information/data entry, be responsible for the storage of this data.
• Responsible for laboratory databases and highly specialised generated statistics.
• Able to collate and present a range of statistics for the department.

Research and Development

• Regularly undertakes research and development in the department.
• Oversee and carry out verifications and produce SOPs and training for all new equipment.

Freedom to Act

Be able to work independently and be the lead specialist in dissection. This includes reviewing and updating any SOPs related to the section; participation in UKAS assessments; training of staff in section and answer any queries regarding dissection.

Person Specification

Qualification and Training

• BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences or equivalent
• MSc or Higher Specialist Diploma in Dissection
• Current registration in Cellular Pathology with the Health Professions Council (HCPC).
• Recent Histopathology experience in an NHS diagnostic laboratory

Knowledge and Skills

• Experience with a digital Pathology System
• Experience of UKAS, ISO15189, Audit and Quality Management
• Proven communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with both own co-workers and other, external health care professionals
• Experience with Epic Beaker LIMS
• Experience of training and mentoring

Special Experience

• Specialist knowledge of dissection with a high degree of technical competence in all areas of Histopathology.
• Knowledge and Understanding of specialised Immunohistochemistry
• Experience of cytology
• Experience of the IBMS and portfolio requirements

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust