About the job

Job summary

IBMS Placement Year

Grade AA - £25,326 (Inner)

UKHSA Colindale – On-Site

FTC Contract – 50 Weeks starting 16th September 2024

We have seven exciting opportunities for Second Year undergraduate Biomedical Science students to gain experience in the Public Health Microbiology Division. The Public Health Microbiology Division is part of UKHSA’s Specialised Microbiology and Laboratories Directorate, along with Operations, Research and Development and Production. It contains reference laboratories that do advanced and specialised microbiology tests, often with rare or unique capabilities or facilities. Reference Units provide expert analysis, advice, risk assessment, teaching, training and innovation for complex microbiological problems in clinical or food settings. They also design and implement national surveillance programmes and outbreak control strategies for new and emerging microbiological threats.

About the Placements:

• A 50-week placement in either the Bacteriology reference department or virus reference department in one of the different units within the departments
• A chance to complete the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio, leading to registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Biomedical Scientist
• Attendance at the in-house tutorial programme and at seminars, scientific meetings, conferences and courses held on-site
• Opportunity to enhance scientific and technical skills and knowledge
• Opportunity to enhance scientific and non-scientific writing
• Opportunity to enhance personal skills e.g. communication, team working and time-management

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 – Full Time

Job description

Responsibilities section:

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

• Process specimens received and undertake the related tasks in the various sections of the laboratory, leading to the reporting and interpretation of results in accordance with agreed policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Contribute to the proper storage and management of the laboratory specimens
• Keeping accurate, legible and up-to-date records of work carried out in the laboratory
• Contribute to routine maintenance of all equipment, which will include high cost, complex equipment requiring calibration and regular maintenance
• To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance as well as the in-house tutorial programme
• Daily duties and responsibilities will vary depending on unit

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.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1500 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

Essential

• Registered on an IBMS-accredited BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science or Healthcare Science (Life Sciences) degree

• Currently in second year of study
• Has an interest in microbiology
• Has an interest in a career as a biomedical scientist
• Has awareness of the role of the HCPC
• Has an understanding of the work carried out at UKHSA, Colindale

 Desirable

•  Familiar with recent developments in medical microbiology
• Previous work or voluntary experience (of any nature)
• Able to communicate and convey information, ideas, instructions clearly and concisely
• Computer literacy: competence in word processing and spread sheet software; database skills

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,326, UK Health Security Agency contributes £6,838 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 an interview by video. 

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:

• Seeing the big picture
• Communicating and influencing
• Working together
• Delivery at pace

 Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs 17th January  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: Late January/Early February

Interviews: Mid February

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 Basic Personnel Security Standard.  People working with government assets must complete Basic 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.