Biomedical Scientist – Team Leader

We are looking for 3 Biomedical Scientist – Team Leaders to support our Microbiology laboratory at Cambridge. The Microbiology laboratory at Cambridge currently provides services to Addenbrooke’s, Royal Papworth, and the E&N Herts Hospitals, the surrounding district, and other NHS Laboratories.
It has active research and epidemiological interests. The laboratory undergoes assessment against UKAS ISO 15189 standards and has strong teaching interests.
Set on the outskirts of the university city of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital is one of the top hospitals in the UK and a thriving NHS Foundation Trust. Addenbrooke’s is closely associated with leading educational providers including the University of Cambridge and is a major centre for biomedical research and education.
The department undertakes a wide range of routine and specialist microbiological and molecular investigations. It makes extensive use of automation including Qiagen platforms, Biofire, BacTec, Sedimax, MGIT, Vitek, Centaur XP, Panther, Liaison and Vidas analysers and Kiestra., Working as a Biomedical Scientist – Team Leader, you will supervise the bench work of a team within the laboratory in processing of microbiological specimens and related tasks including isolation, identification, interpretation and reporting of results in accordance with agreed polices and standard operating procedures. Some of the duties included are: -
+ Advises staff regarding technical difficulties.
+ Participates in implementing and suggesting changes to work practices and procedures.
+ Selection of appropriate test profiles for samples received according to agreed protocols.
+ Analysis of cultures, determination of antibiotic susceptibility and biomedical identification of micro-organisms
+ Performance of immunological and other assays to investigate microbial infection and management of therapeutic agents.
+ Screen and interpret test results and communicate findings to senior colleagues and medical microbiology staff.
+ Technical validation of reports for clinical authorisation
+ Under strict protocols authorisation of reports for release to other departments, wards, general practitioners and other customers.
+ Participate in provision of out of hours on-call service (lone-working).
+ Participate in Senior Biomedical Scientist (SBS) rotation through all sections of the department.
+ Contribute to preparation of documents and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
+ Contribute to incident and outbreak investigations
+ Participate in and support relevant Research and development (R&D) activities of the laboratory and UKHSA, including epidemiological characterisation of organisms by alternative technologies
+ Provide technical advice to internal and external laboratory users
For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, please refer to the attached Job Description., You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the 12 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a
• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• a 1000 word Statement of Suitability.
Essential criteria - The 12 essential criteria, you will be assessed on have been selected from the Job Description.
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 Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.
Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number. Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the application form and suitability statement in reference to the 12 Essential Criteria as outlined in Role Requirements.
Stage 2: Interview
(Competency based)
You will be invited to a face-to-face interview.
Behaviours, technical, experience, abilities and strengths will be tested at interview.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone.
To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you.
An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.
This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.
If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:
Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
Eligibility Criteria
External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
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
International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.
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)

+ (FIBMS) Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science or equivalent
+ Registration with The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
+ Maintains professional competence in biomedical sciences
+ Understands quality assurance principles and procedures
+ Knows and understands laboratory safety requirements and procedures
+ Post registration experience as a specialist practitioner in a Microbiology laboratory
+ Aptitude for managing people and assessing performance
+ Ability to analyse data and present it in a meaningful way.
+ Ability to prioritise work in a timely manner
+ Managing staff
+ Able to convey ideas and opinions clearly, concisely, orally and in writing
+ Evidence of negotiating skills

+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ An environment with flexible working options
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%