Healthcare Scientist

We are looking for a Healthcare Scientist to work within the Respiratory Virus Unit (RVU Team), which is part of the Virus Reference Department based in Colindale, London.The Respiratory Virus Unit is the World Health Organisation (WHO) National Influenza Centre (NIC) for the UK and is the National Reference Laboratory for a range of respiratory virus pathogens. The unit is one of four WHO global respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Reference Laboratories, and as such collaborates with WHO, providing technical support and advice to national laboratories, and a WHO Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV) Reference Laboratory, providing confirmatory and reference services for MERS CoV., The post holder will take delegated responsibility from the Unit Head / Scientific Leads and Technical Manager to:

o Provide laboratory support for the detection and genetic characterisation of influenza viruses (human, avian and mammalian), respiratory syncytial viruses and coronaviruses.o Provide laboratory support for the identification, growth and characterisation of clinical influenza and other respiratory virus isolates.o Provide laboratory support for antiviral susceptibility surveillance by genotypic and phenotypic methods.

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of 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.