Head and Neck Biobank Biomedical Scientist

We have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Biomedical Scientist to join the expanding KHP Cancer Biobank with a direct involvement in diagnostics, clinical trials and research. The main duty of the postholder is day-to-day responsibility for the Head and Neck Cancer Biobank and to support its continuing development in response to clinical change and researcher requirements.
Working alongside clinical and diagnostic colleagues in Head and Neck Pathology, the post holder will co-ordinate and participate in collection of samples for incorporation into the Cancer Biobank. Samples must be processed and stored in such a way that they are suitable for a full range of experimental techniques including genomics, transcriptomic and proteomic studies.
The BMS will be responsible for timely supply of samples and associated clinical data to projects approved by the Biobank Access Committee. This includes maintaining accurate records and the ability to prioritise activities to meet agreed timelines.
The Biobank BMS is primarily responsible for Head and Neck, but may also be required to participate in other Cancer Biobank activities, including dissection oof other large specimens for banking purposes. The post will involve supervision and training of Biobank technical staff, students and visitors., The post holder will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the Head and Neck Cancer Biobank. This is a varied role and includes technical, management and teamwork skills. Some key elements of the role include liaising with other Trust personnel for the timely collection of samples, undertaking H&N tissue sampling and preparing samples for research studies, maintaining accurate records for all samples received and distributed and be able to prioritise work to maximise sample integrity and to meet defined timelines.
The post holder is expected to use skills and judgement to evaluate processes and recommend change to reflect new knowledge or developments in the field.
Teamwork and clear communication are an essential part of this role. The post holder will be joining a team of more than 17 dedicated biobank staff and will have line management responsibilities for H&N technicians.

Working for our organisation
King's Health Partners Cancer Biobank has supported translational cancer research at a national level since the 1970's. During that time, the Biobank has accrued samples from more than 44,000 patients and supplied significant numbers of samples to researchers worldwide. Samples have all have been acquired under documented procedures and linked to prospectively collected and verified clinical data. The KHP Cancer Biobank collects surplus fresh, frozen and/or fixed paraffin material from almost all solid tumours resected at Guy's & St Thomas NHS Trust. In addition to these surplus tissues, the Biobank also collects and processes tissue biopsies, blood, urine, saliva and stool samples.
The Biobank supports a significant number of programmes and projects led by King's College London (KCL) School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences. This includes an extensive cancer organoid generation programme and working with academic and commercial partners. The Biobank specialist skills and facilities are increasingly utilised for translational cancer research and clinical trial purposes. This is now also expanding into advanced therapies., · Have advanced technical expertise in tissue sample handling with a thorough understanding of the underlying technical and scientific theory, and proficient with the use of complex procedures requiring considerable skill.
· Keep specialist knowledge and expertise current, through engagement with relevant professional activities and training opportunities
· Lead innovation in the specialist field, wherever possible, adopting new approaches and adapting these to the local research needs.
· Gain a good understanding of researcher requirements to refine the service to align with changing priorities and needs
· Provide advice to researchers on the specialist area, identifying technical approaches that directly meet their needs.
· Provide training on the technical area of specialism to staff and students as appropriate, ensuring the content is understandable to a non-expert audience.
2. Management & Organisational Skills
· Be responsible for managing specialised Head and Neck biobanking facilities.
· Line manages the Head and Neck biobank technicians; monitoring performance and compliance to regulations; advising and giving feedback to individuals; identifying training opportunities and development that will help colleagues expand their knowledge/ skills and keep up to date with new developments in the field
· Manage facilities associated with the Head and Neck Biobank, cost recovery and operations, ensuring efficient use of resources and monitoring adherence quality and other performance standards
· Monitor and maintain technical equipment, systems and software, with control over stocks/ stores equipment and supplies.
· Develop ways of generating income streams and enhance the reputation of the Trust.
· Lead and manage change, implementing best practice to ensure that change is adopted.
· Manage workload, patterns of work and resources, prioritising and allocating these to achieve objectives within the Head and Neck Biobank.
· Implement solutions with due regard to wider context and initiatives within and beyond the Trust.
· Provide data requested by Trust and KCL teams for inclusion in appropriate submissions and annual reporting processes.
· Attend committee, multi-disciplinary team meetings and networks as required, within and beyond the Trust, to ensure the Cancer Biobank is appropriately represented and reported, facilitating the exchange of information and best practice.
3. Problem solving
· Use well-developed critical evaluation and problem-solving capabilities to review and select appropriate techniques, procedures and methods for the task.
· Take timely and considered decisions within defined parameters and offer advice to colleagues to help them make decisions.
· Use judgement to make decisions using knowledge, expertise and experience, where complete information is absent and be accountable for these decisions.
· Lead in resolution of problems that are predictable but do not occur very frequently - applying initiative and creativity to finding solutions to complex problems.
· Occasionally apply expertise to resolve longer term, complex problems and to generate innovative ideas.
4. Teamwork and Communication
· Mediates and develops positive working relationships with staff, students and key partners within and beyond the Trust and KCL (e.g. suppliers, colleagues in other HE institutions and NHS Trusts) in order to work collaboratively in a timely and effective manner
· Regularly communicate highly complex, specialist concepts and information, both orally and in writing, in a clear fashion, where necessary to be understandable to a non-expert audience
· Create an ethos of inclusion, collaboration and collegiality, establishing effective communications and relationships, and encouraging staff to work in partnership with colleagues across the Trust and KCL, to eliminate potential barriers and develop best practice.
· Support the welfare of staff and students.
5. Health and Safety
· Implement and monitor compliance with regulations, guidance and legislation governing area of work and responsibility.
· Be responsible for implementing and monitoring safe working practices, managing the impact of the environment on the work or safety of users where normally the degree of risk or level of hazard is obvious, and where necessary, adapt the working environment, or the work as necessary.
· Ensure the security of buildings/ plant/ machinery in own area.
6. Education & Professional Development
· Take responsibility for identifying personal training and educational needs within the context of the service and those identified during the appraisal process.
· Contribute to updating, developing and implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
· Undertake an Individual Performance Review annually with your line manager.
· Maintain a record to reflect any training carried out pertaining to the post and ensure direct reports maintain training files.
7. Other duties
· Implement and monitor compliance with regulations governing the handling of human samples and data, including Human Tissue Act 2004 and Data Protection Act 2018.
· Contribute to Trust and KCL cancer-related initiatives.
The post holder is required to follow Trust and where appropriate KCL policies and procedures which are regularly updated including:
Guy's and St Thomas' celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study's at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.
Flexible working
We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual's personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process.
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Guy's and St Thomas' is among the UK's busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.
Guy's is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas' has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children's Hospital.
Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions.
Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients.
In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research.
We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King's Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King's College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit.
Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of 'good'. Our adult community services achieved a rating of 'outstanding'.
The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients.
We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS.