About the job

Job summary

Facilities Technician

Grade AO (National) - £22,194 to £24,184

UKHSA Porton Down

Permanent Contract

2 Roles Available

*Site access requirements stipulate that our employees must be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance. This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years.*

High Containment and Biological Services operate within and supports the wider UKHSA mission to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards.  Ongoing areas of work include influenza, COVID-19, tuberculosis, anthrax, and emerging human pathogens.

As a Sterile Services Technician, you will actively support and contribute to the delivery of a wide range of projects, through the provision of decontamination, stock management, husbandry, and general assistance to animal technicians within a high containment facility. You will also assist engineering staff to ensure the validation work is carried out to UK Health Security Agency safety standard

UKHSA Porton Down, Salisbury – Lab Based On-site

*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

Job description

Responsibilities section:

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• To run the autoclaves in the area, ensure all relevant information regarding individual autoclave cycles is accurately and appropriately recorded.
• Monitor operation of BIG autoclaves and ancillary equipment and ensure that potential faults are identified and reported in a timely manner
• To ensure all assistants and self are wearing suitable protective personal equipment in accordance with departmental and UK Health Security Agency Protective Personal Equipment policy
• Work with engineers on the servicing and validation of the autoclaves
• Support trainees as required in all their activities and ensure they are adequately trained in all operational processes’ requirements
• Take responsibility for general cleaning around the facility to be done on a rotational basis
• Laundry of garments used within the areas.
• Contribute to the care, maintenance and security of the premises and equipment by taking responsibility for the set-up and smooth running of all equipment in section and assist in problem solving issues for both equipment and procedures.
• Weekly stock checks and ordering to ensure sufficient supplies are available for the facility.
• Take part in rota system for weekend and public holiday working.

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 full duties and responsibilities attached

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

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

• Good general education with GCSE (or equivalent) certification in Science/English/Maths Grade C/4 and above.
• Ability to keep detailed and accurate records
• Computer literate in Microsoft Office programmes.
• Available to work weekends / bank holidays.
• Willingness to undergo vaccinations as determined by work.
• Ability and willingness to undergo, and maintain, DoH SC level security clearance.
• Able to travel independently to work
• Understanding of animal husbandry and research purposes

Desirable

• Knowledge of autoclave operation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £22,194, UK Health Security Agency contributes £5,992 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.

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  The following behaviours will be used at the interview:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivery at Pace

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 3rd January 2023 – 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: 10th January 2023

Interviews: w/c 22nd January 2023

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

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 full security clearance check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. Due to the nature of the role, it requires full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years.

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. 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 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.