Senior Biomedical Scientist – Quality Lead: Sponsorship Available

UK Health Security Agency

Job summary

As a category 1 responder UKHSA has a critical responsibility to scale laboratory diagnostic capacity within the first 6 weeks of an emerging threat with epidemic or pandemic potential. One way in which this will be delivered is through a new standby semi-automated and high throughput PCR testing facility at our Porton Down scientific campus. We are therefore looking for an HCPC registered Senior Biomedical Scientist to lead delivery of the facility’s quality management system.

Successful applicants will join a new team, Amplify, within the Diagnostic and Pathogen Characterisation Division and work alongside colleagues in the Rare and Imported Pathogen Laboratory (RIPL) and Diagnostic Development and Implementation team. You will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the facility’s quality management system, under the umbrella of RIPL, the co-located and ISO 15189 accredited clinical laboratory for rare, emerging, imported and high consequence infectious diseases.

The Post holder will be expected to be flexible to the demands of the project area, have excellent communication skills and use their technical experience to ensure the service is delivered on time and remains ready to respond. This will include changing patterns of work to include out of hours shifts when incident or outbreak response mode is activated and supporting the delivery of research testing and training activities in support of wider organisational priorities.

Main duties of the job

o Implement the facility’s quality management system (QMS), ensuring compatibility and compliance with the RIPL QMS to enable ISO 15189 accreditation under a single schedule of accreditation.o Support and train laboratory staff to perform quality activities and monitor their effectiveness.o Deputise as appropriate for senior staff and act as head BMS in the absence of the facility manager.o Deliver training to internal and external scientists in support of wider pandemic preparedness activities, with a focus on how to implement effective QMS for high throughput testing facilities.o Participate in routine and out of hour testing rotas to ensure provision of sufficient testing capacity in line with business needs.

Please note this list is not exhaustive

Person Specification

Application form and supporting statement

Essential

  • Application form and supporting statement

Behaviours

Essential

  • Managing a quality service (Lead behaviour)
  • Changing and improving
  • Delivering at pace
  • Making effective decisions

Technical Skills

Essential

  • Technical based questions

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 15 October 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.