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Job overview
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for detailed job description of the role.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking an experienced HCPC-registered professional to join the Southampton Research and Clinical Histopathology (SRCH) team as a Senior Research and Service Development Lead.
This exciting role will lead and coordinate research, service development, innovation and digital pathology projects within Cellular Pathology, working closely with clinicians, researchers, commercial partners and operational teams to deliver high-quality services and research programmes.
The post will support the Trust's strategic objectives by improving patient access to research and clinical trials, driving service improvement, and helping implement innovative technologies that enhance patient care and operational efficiency.
Reporting to the Cellular Pathology Research and Service Development Operations Manager, the post holder will provide leadership within the SRCH team to ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest quality standards.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Responsibilities:
- Lead and coordinate the delivery of commercial and academic research projects, ensuring they are delivered safely, efficiently, and meet agreed objectives.
- Drive service improvement and innovation within Cellular Pathology, including supporting the development and implementation of digital pathology, image analysis, and data-driven research solutions.
- Supervise and support the Cellular Pathology Research team, managing workloads, staff performance, resources, and day-to-day operations to maintain high-quality services.
- Work collaboratively with consultants, healthcare professionals, commercial partners, and research organisations to develop services, deliver clinical trials, and ensure compliance with research governance and quality standards.
Experience/skills:
- Strong leadership and people management skills, with experience supervising staff, coordinating workloads, and successfully leading change and service improvement initiatives.
- Specialist knowledge and experience in Biomedical Science, including HCPC registration, evidence of continuing professional development, and a sound understanding of quality assurance and research governance.
- Good project management, analytical, and organisational skills, with the ability to manage complex research projects, interpret data, and deliver improvements using quality improvement methodologies.
- Effective communication and collaborative working skills, with the ability to build relationships, present information clearly, and work confidently with multidisciplinary teams, researchers, and external partners.
- The position will include Saturdays and bank holidays (excluding 25th, 26th December 1st January) on a rotational basis
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Person specification
Qualifications, knowledge, and experience
Essential
- HCPC registered as a Biomedical Scientist or Clinical Scientist
- IBMS Specialist portfolio in relevant discipline or experience demonstrating an equivalent level of knowledge/experience relevant to role
- Post graduate qualification in relevant discipline, equivalent to master’s level or willing to work towards
- Change management skills and experience
- Evidence of CPD
- Knowledge of QI methodologies and other relevant service improvement techniques
- Knowledge of principles and techniques involved in the management of people, finance, and other resources
- An understanding and ownership of quality assurance procedures related to research and development activities
- Detailed knowledge of software and systems used in the operation of analytical platforms and transfer of patient / specimen data
- A highly specialised and in-depth knowledge of clinical and scientific principles
Desirable
- Good clinical practice qualification
- Experience with hospital I.T software
- Experience of working in a laboratory
- Recently published or experience of publishing research
- Project management expertise using appropriate tools and techniques
- Experience of establishing costs and business cases for services
- Develop frameworks for the use of digital images and clinical data in research
- Experience in the relevant governance structures around the use of patient tissue samples
- Experience of supervising staff and coordinating workloads within a laboratory, research or healthcare environment
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Cellular Pathology Senior Research and Service Development Lead with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust in Southampton, South East, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Administrative and IT role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 Per Annum, Pro Rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 17 Aug 2026.
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