About the job

Job summary

Job title – Healthcare Scientist Supervisor NCTC

Profession-  Culture Collections NCTC

Directorate – Science

Full Time equivalent - 37.5 hours

No of Roles – 1

Contract Type – Permanent

Location – Colindale, London, NW9 5EQ

Working Pattern – Full Time /Flexible Working / Part Time / Job Share

Grade & Salary – Grade HEO. Inner London – £34,463- £41,478 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.

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 – 01/07/2024. 23:55pm. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered

Interview Date – W/C 22/07/2024 Please note, these dates are subject to change.

Job description

The National Collection of Type Cultures (NCTC) is one of four Culture Collections operated by the UK Health Security Agency. We house a collection of over 6,000 bacterial strains with are available to the scientific community. We preserve the strains by freeze-drying and use established and developmental phenotypic and genotypic methods to authenticate and characterise the strains.

The post holder will be responsible for providing technical support as appropriate for a senior Healthcare Scientist in accordance with UKHSA and laboratory policies and procedures, with particular focus on areas of identification, isolation, typing, freeze-drying and quality control of bacterial cultures.        

 

Overview of Job

This role will utilise your extensive microbiology skills and knowledge to oversee the work of the NCTC laboratories. The post will involve the supervisory responsibility of team of microbiologists, planning and scheduling workloads, and ensuring the laboratory is managed in accordance with UKHSA, safety and quality procedures.

The role with ensure the delivery of the banking, quality control and development of the NCTC collection at containment level two and three. This would involve troubleshooting unexpected results, liaising with reference laboratories and maintaining equipment.

 

Main Duties of the Job

• To take delegated responsibility from the Operational Lead and Team Leader in accordance with UKHSA policies for the following
• To be technically responsible on a day to day running of a laboratory including scheduling work and ensuring processes are followed.
• To be competent in the performance of tests and investigations undertaken.
• To participate in the evaluation of new methods used for preservation and authentication of bacterial strains.
• Ensure compliance with UKAS and other accreditation and certification standards, co-operating with senior staff in undertaking managerial tasks such as an audit, workload monitoring and to deputise for senior staff as required.

 

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.

Person specification

Essential criteria

 

• BSc in biological sciences or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area
•  

Experience of working in a clinical or reference microbiology laboratory, particularly bacterial pathogens and molecular methods

 

• Experience of nucleic acid extraction and amplification and strain identification

 

• Experience of working with laboratory quality and safety systems, working knowledge of LIMS

 

 

Desirable criteria

 

• MSc in Biomedical Science/ Microbiology/ Virology or equivalent relevant experience

 

• Previously worked in similar position within the public sector and has relevant post graduate experience.

 

• Advanced keyboard skills, use of a range of software Proficient in Word, Excel and Powerpoint, with the ability to analyse data, create reports and present findings to others

 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,463, UK Health Security Agency contributes £9,305 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

Stage 1: Application & Sift

 

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of 

• a CV/ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• a 750 word Statement of Suitability.

 

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

 

The CV and Statement of Suitability will be marked together

 

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the basis of Scientific qualification(s).

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered 

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

Please do not exceed 750 words.  We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

 

 

Stage 2: Interview (competency based)

 

You will be invited to a face to face interview at Colindale

Your Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview at interview

You will be required to prepare a presentation for the interview

Interviews will be held week commencing 22nd July. Please note, these dates are subject to change.

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

 

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.

Benefits

• You will be a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.- https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/joining-the-pension-scheme/benefits-of-the-pension-scheme/
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Range of health and wellbeing support

 

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.

 

 

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

 

 

 

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.

 

Contact Details – Sophie.Rigney@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.