About the job

Job summary

Head of Colindale Sequencing Laboratory Service

Grade 6 (Inner) - £69,275 to £78,805/ AfC Band 8c - £70,417 to £81,138 (+HCAS)  pro rata

UKHSA Colindale

2 Year FTC Contract

We have an exciting opportunity to join the Colindale Sequencing Laboratory(CSL)! Our cutting edge services empower researchers, clinicians and curious minds alike. We provide precision sequencing services using state of the art Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Sanger technology to sequence DNA, PCR amplicons, or short DNA fragments, as well as providing DNA-based fragment analysis to size fluorescently labelled PCR products. For Sanger sequencing and fragment analysis, the unit receives nucleic acid, plasmids and PCR products from UKHSA and external customers. CSL also offers various levels of NGS for genomic DNA (usually bacterial DNA extracts) and PCR amplicons (usually generated from viral samples) to our service users. NGS is currently performed using Illumina sequencing technology on the NextSeq or MiSeq. Sequence and fragment analysis data are checked by CSL staff against internal standards and quality scores before electronically notifying and reporting the results to our customers, who analyse their own data.

As the Head of Colindale Sequencing Laboratory, you will be responsible for leading and managing the routine provision, delivery and development of genomic services for customers of CSL, and act as the senior specialist for Whole Genome Sequencing services and the Sanger services. You will be accountable for scientists within the unit, providing leadership and oversight for the day-to-today running and development of the WGS and Sanger services.   Your impact at CSL will resonate through the world of genomic!

HCAS (High Cost Area Supplement): In addition to basic pay, there is also extra pay for staff who work in high cost areas such as around London.

UKHSA Colindale – 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 – Part Time – 15 hours per week

Job description

Responsibilities section:

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

• To be responsible for, lead and manage the Colindale Sequencing Laboratory (CSL).
• Provide expert scientific leadership and be responsible for the strategic development and operational service delivery for laboratory sequencing.
• To advise Public Health Microbiology (PHM) Laboratories and UKHSA on best practice in laboratory sequencing.
• To manage the provision of an efficient, effective and timely service, ensuring maximum productivity within allocated resources and budgets and within agreed performance standards.
• To ensure the CSL offers genomic services under a Quality Management System in accordance with UKHSA policies, and the Quality standards set by external accreditation bodies (e.g. UKAS).
• To be accountable for Health and Safety within the CSL.
• To ensure that the laboratory delivers and develops services and provides expert advice for wider public health delivery, and also provides national and international specialist services and advice to internal and external customers.
• Provide leadership to ensure services contribute to the national development of genomics based public health delivery.
• Contribute to test development and validation.
• Review platform use and manage implementation of new equipment to support improvements in service delivery.

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 full list of duties and competencies associated with the post.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1000 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

Essential

• Degree in a relevant biological science
• PhD in molecular microbiological subject (or equivalent experience) in relevant laboratory sciences
• Relevant professional qualification i.e., registration with the health and care professional council (HCPC) as clinical scientist or Biomedical Scientist
• Expertise in the areas covered by the unit and experience in running NGS Platforms and Applied Biosystems sequencing services without supervision and automated liquid handling
• Proven experience of supervision and leadership
• Experience, knowledge and understanding of laboratory safety requirements and procedures
• Experience in training staff and competency assessment

Desirable

• Master's level degree in a relevant biological science, molecular biology or bioinformatics
• Relevant business or management training to certificate level
• Evidenced management experience of at least five years for scientific, technical and student staff.
• Strong R&D publication record and presenting at national and international audience, R&D project management and team building experience

Please ensure that your statement of suitability does not contain any personal identifiers such as Name, Gender, Location, Marital Status, Sexual Orientation or Religion. The UKHSA operates a fair and open recruitment policy.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,275, UK Health Security Agency contributes £9,352 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 full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description – 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. 

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.  Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 5-10 minute presentation to the panel.  This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment.  The presentation will be designed to assess each candidate’s experience in line with the requirements of the role.  Full details will be provided prior to the interview.

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:

• Seeing the big picture
• Making effective decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a quality service

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 21st March 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: 29th March 2024

Interviews: w/c 15th April 2024

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.

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/

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.