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Job description

Details

Reference number

278955

Salary

£27,690 - £32,203 Inner London - £27,690 - £32,203 per annum.

Job grade

Executive Officer

Contract type

Fixed Term

Length of employment

11 months

Type of role

Science

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

Location

About the job

Benefits

Things you need to know

Apply and further information

Location

Colindale, NW9 5EQ

About the job

Job summary

Job title – Healthcare Scientist Practitioner

Profession- Scientist

Directorate – National Standards, Quality and Safety

Full Time equivalent - 37.5 hours

No of Roles – 1

Contract Type – Fixed Term Contract till 29/02/2024

Location – Colindale, London, NW9 5EQ

UKHSA offers hybrid working or home working for its employees – this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our UKHSA offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. The balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business need and in line with departmental policy. Some business travel will be required to other UKHSA offices. Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available

Working Pattern – Full Time

Grade & Salary – Grade EO. Inner London - £27,690 - £32,203 per annum.

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/.

Closing Date – 10/04/2023. 23:55pm. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered

Interview Date – 21/04/2023 Please note, these dates are subject to change.

Occupational Health Requirements - No special OH requirements

Job Overview

The post holder will act as a healthcare scientist practitioner who provides, preparation of cryopreserved simulated samples for the External Quality Assessment (EQA) schemes by applying knowledge of microbiology to the production, quality control and stability testing processes. This will incorporate primarily food, water and environmental microbiology culture, biochemical and molecular based techniques. Assist with the research and development of new FEPTU products and methodologies. Contribute to recording and data checking of participant results.

Job description

Main Duties of the Job

• Prepare cryopreserved (freeze-dried and lenticulated) simulated samples
• Culturing and characterising micro-organisms using a variety of biochemical and rapid techniques
• Quality control test all types of EQA samples
• Apply knowledge of the relevant microbiology specialism (food or water microbiology) in the design, quality control and stability testing of EQA samples
• To work in a safe and responsible manner with a large variety of pathogenic organisms and handling them in large concentrations
• Knowledge and understanding of quality systems to undertake audits and investigate non-conformances and quality improvements with corrective actions
• To take part in continual professional development with internal and external learning opportunities
• Maintain a high standard of work, and contribute to developing the service of the laboratory so that service delivery is safe, effective and economical and follows best practice
• Ensure compliance with accreditation and certification standards

The UK Health Security Agency exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities. We do this through world-leading science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and the delivery of specialist public health services. We are an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, and a distinct delivery organisation with operational autonomy. We provide government, local government, the NHS, Parliament, industry and the public with evidence-based professional, scientific and delivery expertise and support. We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Food and Environmental Proficiency Testing Unit (FEPTU) provides external quality assessment (EQA) schemes (also known as proficiency testing (PT) schemes) for food, water and clinical microbiology laboratories throughout the United Kingdom, and also worldwide. Results reported by microbiology laboratories often play a significant role in health protection and managing public health incidents; tools such as EQA/PT is essential for laboratories to be able to demonstrate that their results are accurate, reliable and reproducible.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Degree in biological/biomedical science/food/water microbiology or a related subject OR equivalent experience
• GCSE or equivalent qualifications at grade C or above in English and Maths
• Evidence of continual professional development
• Good level of experience of laboratory Microbiology testing
• Food & water microbiological laboratory experience
• Understanding of quality management systems, especially in relation to UKAS Accreditation
• Knowledge and understanding of laboratory safety requirements and procedures
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden
• unexpected demands
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to
• prioritise work and work unsupervised
• Evidence of interest in people and quality of service
• Ability to integrate into a team
• Evidence of use of computer software packages
• Able to concentrate for long periods of time
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable Criteria

• Evidence of continual professional development
• Food & water microbiological laboratory experience
• Skills for communication on complex information and administrative matters, requiring developed interpersonal and oral/ written communication skills
• Have skills for supporting project work and management

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Selection Process

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed and sifted in line with the essential criteria.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Experience anechnical Ability

This part of the selection process should outline how you consider your skills, experience and achievements, and provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria outlined.

You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history. This will be used in sifting process and will be scored.

Stage 1: Application & Sift
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Statement of Suitability in no more than 1250 words providing examples of how you meet the essential criteria. It should also detail what you and your experience can bring to the role. We suggest using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method to demonstrate real-life examples for the specified essential criteria. Please note, only information provided within the stated word count will be considered.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview

Stage 2: Panel Interview

All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake an interview based at the Colindale Site. The interview will consist of a 20 minute laboratory test and a 45 minute interview with competency based questions to test your experience

Reserve List:

Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be contacted if similar roles become available.

If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

DBS - People working with government systems must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks which includes a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed for this role is BPSS however there may be a requirement for this role to be SC cleared and you should familiarise yourself with the criteria of security clearance.

This role is Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants. Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Government baseline personnel security standard

It’s important to note that there are currently exceptions to applications being considered if your conviction relates to any of the following:

• life sentences
• arson
• sexual offences
• hate and terror offences

Some departments will also consider the specific offence against the nature of the business, i.e., a conviction for fraud may rule you out for a finance role

Contact Details – [email protected]

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : sophie rigney Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team :

Email : [email protected]