About the job

Job summary

                                                              Bio- Containment Technician  

                                                        Grade: EO NATIONAL £25,976-£30,264

                                                              Location: Porton Down, On site 

                                                                     Permanent Contract

The role of High Containment Biological Services is to conduct in-vivo research on various health threats that could affect the UK population. Some of the current projects include testing vaccines, studying influenza, COVID-19, tuberculosis, anthrax, and new human pathogens. The role involves testing and maintaining the equipment that ensures biocontainment in the facility, such as isolators and downdraft tables. The role also requires providing technical biosafety expertise to a team of scientists and technicians who carry out the research activities. .

Location: Porton Down, Salisbury

Working Pattern – Full Time, on site, 37.5 hours per week.

Job description

The role is regulated by several authorities, such as the Home Office, the Health and Safety Executive, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The role requires the post holder to meet the listed responsibilities and criteria, which can be achieved and maintained through training provided by the facility. The post holder does not need to have all the skills and qualifications at the time of appointment but should be able to acquire and retain them over time

Person specification

Key responsibilities

• Work with the team to provide routine testing of safety critical bio-containment equipment (e.g. flexible film isolators and downdraft tables)
• To recognise, report and record testing and responsibly address issues.
• Work within a containment level 2 and 3 lab, undertaking associated safety precautions.
• Record all information regarding duties performed in relevant documentation and within specific guidelines.
• Generate test reports on equipment and assist in the commissioning and testing of novel equipment used within Biological Services.
• Participate in the regular review of Standard Operating Procedures, Codes of Practice and Risk Assessments.
• Schedule equipment testing for Biological Services.
• Maintain a database of containment equipment within BIG.
• Perform all duties within guidelines laid down by the Home Office, Health and Safety Executive, Defra and MHRA.
• To perform any other duties required by the Line manager commensurate with grade
• To maintain health and safety competence to the national occupational standard ‘Make sure your actions reduce risks to health and safety’ (NOS HSS1)
• To fulfil the requirements of UKHSA Values and Behaviours commensurate with grade
• To comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures

Additional Wording

The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Please see job description attached for the full list of duties and responsibilities.

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 750 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

 

Essential Criteria:

Essential

 

• Experience in the repair and maintenance of mechanical or electrical equipment or in the use of containment equipment. Ability to keep detailed and accurate records.
• Good IT skills, being able to produce, review and analyse reports and detailed spreadsheets for subsequent analysis by managers, scientists, and external stakeholders
• Achieve and maintain SC level of security clearance.
• To be able to work to tight deadlines and prioritise time and resources as well as ability to multi-task, have good organisational and interpersonal skills.
• Flexibility to work around organisational demands and to work effectively, both in a team environment and working alone and must have a willingness to undergo vaccinations as determined by project work.

 

Desirable

 

• Experience of microbiological containment level laboratory work
• Qualifications, experience, or training in validation/engineering to HND level or equivalent
• Experience in testing containment equipment and is familiar with the concepts surrounding the decontamination and sterilisation of facilities equipment and waste
• Working within a Quality system environment (ISO / GxP) and experience of working to SOPs, COPs, RAs etc

 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,976, UK Health Security Agency contributes £7,013 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

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. 

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

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve a face-to-face interview. 

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. 

Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).  

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.  

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 14th Jan 2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Shortlist: TBC

Interviews: w/c TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change. 

 

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)

Nationality requirements

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.

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.  Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is FULL Personnel Security Standard.  People working with government assets must complete FULL Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Please Note

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/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

 

Complaint process:

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website. 

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.