Senior Clinical Scientist/Biomedical Scientist

Job overview

We are keen to recruit an enthusiastic, flexible and self-motivated person to join our friendly team of staff. As a Healthcare scientist, you will play a key role in helping to deliver and develop our comprehensive, clinical immunology service.

The post holder will:

• Work as part of the team providing a clinical diagnostic service in Immunology to the Trust, General Practice, other UK and overseas Trusts and laboratories and Clinical Trials.
• Be a HCPC Registered Band 7 scientist in immunology, and in conjunction with senior management team, deliver this service to nationally accepted standards.
• Contribute to the provision of specialist knowledge and expertise in Immunology relevant to their particular section.
• At bench level, be responsible for the overall running of their particular section of the Immunology Laboratory.
• At bench level, continuously develop the Oxford immunology service by managing the evaluation and implementation of new developments for the immunology service relevant to their particular section.
• Contribute to laboratory-wide quality procedures such as audit, non-compliance and inspection by accreditation bodies.
• To be a competent project manager of assigned platforms and assays, to manage and address all associated quality, scientific, training and operational needs.
• To competently and proactively engage with Laboratory task management software, both existing structure and future development.

Main duties of the job

The Department of Immunology at Oxford University Hospitals Trust, are looking for an HCPC registered Healthcare Scientist with experience in an NHS diagnostic laboratory (preferably Immunology). The applicant must have an M level qualification in a relevant biomedical subject (preferably Immunology)

Applications to join our friendly team, are invited from enthusiastic, flexible and self-motivated scientists. The successful candidate will use their excellent communication skills, playing a role in delivering/development of our comprehensive, clinical service. You will help the Department meet the necessary standards for accreditation, ensuring protocols are followed and maintain Health, Safety and Security for individuals, the Department and the Trust.

The Department of Immunology, is a large and dynamic laboratory providing a regional diagnostic Immunology service. It offers a substantial, specialised and diverse repertoire of assays. The laboratory has UKAS 15189 accreditation and processes over 650,000 tests per year. Situated in a vibrant, historical city with a tradition of innovation we offer opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment.

Please ensure you read the job description and your supportive statement reflects this, as your application will be judged against these criteria.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder is expected to manage their own workload on a day-to-day basis without direct supervision and to:

Scientific/Technical

• Be familiar with the Health and Safety policies operating within the department and ensure that they are adhered to and updated when appropriate.
• Carry out laboratory tests in a safe and responsible manner according to approved departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Use and maintain equipment safely according to approved departmental procedures (SOPs).
• Have a thorough working knowledge of the specimen pathway for the laboratory, including specimen room protocols. Is experienced and effective in the use of EPR, LIMS, iPassport, Task management software and Microsoft Word/Excel.
• Verify and validate diagnostic test results against approved quality standards and report results onto the laboratory information system (LIMS computer). As required, telephone urgent or clinically important results to the requester.
• Understand the workload of their relevant section and engage in development of strategies for efficient, error-free delivery.
• Maintain the quality management requirements within the correct time frame for their particular section using available team members appropriately including IQC, EQA, document review, audit findings, non-conformities and quality meeting action points.
• Troubleshoot quality control problems, on own or with reference to other staff, and report all such problems to senior staff when appropriate.
• Troubleshoot equipment problems, on own or with reference to other staff, and report all such problems to senior staff. Liaise with equipment supplier representatives and engineers to rectify equipment problems.
• Provide expert scientific and technical advice on their particular section to other healthcare professionals outside of the immunology department.
• To participate in the development of their section with regards to new equipment and new assays and to coordinate all required change processes for implementation of a new test to the service.
• Advise on appropriate technology for the efficient provision of the service.
• Provide and participate in clinical audit initiatives.
• Supervise training for biomedical scientists, clinical scientists and junior medical staff and assist in the supervision of research projects relevant to their section.
• Help to deliver aspects of departmental staff’s continuing professional development.

Organisational/Supervisory

• Day-to-day supervision and coordination of junior team members contributing to workflows, which they have ownership of.
• To manage staff on the section, with line management responsibilities for appraisal, performance management, career development and pastoral care in conjunction with the senior management team.

Resource

• To assist the laboratory manager and the department in the efficient and effective use of material resources, consumables and diagnostic kits
• To perform stock inventory and stock control duties.
• To order stock as required and perform stock rotation as required.

Professional

• As a Registered Clinical or Biomedical scientist, maintain high professional and technical standards and maintain a portfolio to demonstrate active participation in Continuous Professional Development in line with the requirements for the HCPC.
• Behave responsibly and courteously at all times and maintain good, professional working relationships with other members of staff.

Key Responsibilities

• To participate in the Trust’s annual values based appraisal process.
• To attend all relevant mandatory training as and when required to do so.
• Take responsibility for own development and engage in appropriate learning interventions and opportunities.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.