About the job

Job summary

Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare? If so, we would love to hear from you! 

The duties of a scientist /technician in APHA laboratories will include sample testing in order to establish the diagnosis of animal disease, monitoring animal health, screening for incursion of exotic disease, and performing statutory testing. A wide variety of tests are undertaken utilising serology, microbiology, parasitology and molecular biology techniques. All work is undertaken in a minimum of Containment level 1 facilities, with some work being undertaken at the higher containment levels. The job involves working with pathogens and hazardous samples, and must be undertaken following safe working practices as specified in instructions and safety documentation. All laboratories perform to ISO 17025 standards, and all work must conform to these standards. The APHA operate a network of laboratories offering different test portfolios at each site, requiring the job holder to understand the wider role of the department, and how this fits with other departments of the wider agency.

This is post is part-time – 26.5 hours. Initially the work pattern will be Monday to Friday with the provision of the work pattern to change to Wednesday to Sunday to cover the Interferon Gamma process as required by APHA. 

Job description

Working as part of a cross department team of veterinary, laboratory and administration staff to deliver testing results to internal and external customers. The work undertaken can be varied and may range from registering submissions on the LIMS IT system, undertaking repetitious tasks, to undertaking testing that requires specialist and demanding technical ability. Laboratory staff are required to liaise with other agency laboratories and may be required to communicate with external customers.

Laboratory scientists are required to gain a high level of competency in all technical disciplines undertaken at the laboratory and are required to work in different areas of the laboratory involving different disciplines on a rotational basis to provide testing cover where it is needed. On occasions, laboratory staff may be required to provide support to veterinary colleagues to assist on farm visits to help with sampling, recording and other work as required.

Health and Safety

• Contributing to a positive safety culture by following Agency safety policies and procedures.
• Understanding and following controls in Risk Assessments.
• Ensuring equipment maintenance duties are carried out in all areas of the laboratory.
• Participate in contingency exercises and other safety training.
• Participate in safety audits/ inspections to support the local safety manager.

Quality

• Accurate record keeping.
• Working to Standard Operating Procedures.
• Working to quality standards (ISO 17025).
• Participate in proficiency testing schemes.
• Participate in audits to support the local quality manager.

Gamma Interferon duties

• Ensure all samples received for gamma testing are processed as efficiently as possible.
• Ensure reagents and consumables records are maintained. 
• Register submissions on to the LIMS system.
• Stimulation of high volumes of whole blood samples. 
• Carry out ELISA testing.
• Data entry of sample information.

General duties

• Receipt and despatch of postal samples on a LIMS system.
• Recording test data and findings.
• Housekeeping duties.
• Preparation of critical test reagents.
• Disposal of samples and spent reagents.
• Keeping line management informed of problems/ anomalies.

Post-mortem Room Duties as required for contingency

• To assist veterinary staff in the post-mortem room.
• Preparation and reading of smears.
• Storage and archiving and retention of samples.
• Dispatching of samples for processing to other locations.
• Preparing carcasses/clinical and animal waste for disposal.
• Cleaning and disinfection of post-mortem room areas.
• Stocking and replenishing supplies in post- mortem room areas.
• Completion of necessary paperwork and lab records.

Person specification

The successful candidate must be comfortable working in a Laboratory and Veterinary Animal Post-mortem environment.

The successful candidate will need to comply with a number of health protocols and wear protective clothing and Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (RPPE) as required. 

The work of the post can be physically demanding. Due to access requirements to biosecure areas, individuals must be physically able.

Out of hours work may be required in the event of an incident.  

Travel will be required to attend training courses and undertake farm visits. You must have a valid driving licence, or be able to call upon suitable alternate means of transport.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £23,811, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £6,428 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Application Process
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV-style template, detailing your employment history and qualifications, and a 500-word personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and interview dates as well as the interview location to be confirmed.

Interview
At interview you will be assessed on Behaviours and your skills and experience.

You should use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) format when you provide examples against the Behaviours.

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Location 

For this lab-based role, the post holder will need to attend the APHA Thirsk site for 100% of their working time.

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

The role is based at APHA Thirsk.

Reserve list 
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

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

Visa Sponsorship Statement
Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Criminal Record Check
If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Internal Fraud Database Check
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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 the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.