The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
UKHSA's remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation's expert national health security agency UKHSA will:
Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation's readiness, defences and health security
Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.
Main duties of the job
The Culture Collections is a Biological Resource Centre that provides a service maintaining and supplying strains of cultured cells and microorganisms for public health research. It is structured as a fully integrated service, underpinning science with significant scientific, manufacturing and business activities and operates from laboratories across Health Security Agency and from a specialist cryo-storage facility on the Porton site.
You will take responsibility for:
Planning, organising and carry out the many and complex day-to day activities involved in maintaining the NCTC Culture Collections.
Using extensive microbiology experience to advice NCTC Team when producing freeze-dried cultures to a defined standard for provision to the scientific and commercial communities.
Day-to-day management and supervision of staff carrying out daily operational activities within both Containment level 2 and Containment level 3 laboratories.
Reporting to and taking delegated responsibilities from the operational lead and deputising as and when necessary.
About us
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.
Please visit our careers site for more informationhttps://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Job responsibilities
Your key responsibilities will include:
Responsible for day-to-day Team Management of NCTC Operations Team
Ensure that health, safety, and welfare is an afforded priority over other issues and demonstrate a commitment to health, safety and welfare regarding self, staff and visitors
Assist compliance with ISO 9001 and ISO 17025 and other accreditation and certification standards.
Organise and carry out freeze-drying and QC of bacterial strains in the culture collection, including all Hazard Group 3 pathogens, to ensure adequate stock levels
Organise and carry out all other freeze-drying, including fungi, mycoplasmas and commercial contract work as required
Perform, interpret, and record test results according to given protocols
Collate internal and external reports before validation of new batches
Validate and authorise reports as required e.g. Authorise Manufacturing Batch Records. Media Batch records, Environment monitoring reports.
Make decisions on batch size to be dried depending on shelf-life and sales of the organism
Designate NCTC numbers to new accessions and fill out all necessary paperwork. Liaise with Depositors when necessary.
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.
Educated to degree level in biomedical science or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in Microbiology
Appropriate MSc in Microbiology field
Significant experience in clinical diagnostic or bacteriology field e.g., Food or pharmaceutical
Experience/competency in working with Hazard Group 2 and 3 organisms
High level of motivation and commitment to high standards
Evidence of organising and co-ordinate own work and others work
Able to work to written guidelines
Evidence of supervisory/management experience of staff
Understands quality assurance principles and procedures
Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
Clear communicator with excellent writing, report writing and presentation skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for diverse audiences
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
Stage 1 - Application & Sift:
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the 11 essential criteria listed, and this will be in the form of a:
Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
Up to 1000-word Statement of Suitability
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 together.
Longlisting
:
In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:
Meets all essentialcriteria
Meets some essential criteria
Piles Meets all essentialcriteriawill be moved through to the shortlisting stage.
Shortlisting:
In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
Evidence of supervisory/management experience of staff
Please do not exceed 1000 words.
We will not consider any words over and above this number. If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)
You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Behaviours, technical, experience, and strengths will be tested at interview.
There will be a 5-10 minute Presentation at interview, full details will be provided at the shortlisting stage.
The Behaviour's tested during the interview stage will be:
Managing a Quality Service (lead)
Seeing the Big Picture
Changing and Improving
Leadership
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Location
This role is being offered as office based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale.
If based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Eligibility Criteria
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.
Person Specification
Application form and Statement of Suitability
Application form and Statement of Suitability
Behaviours
Managing a Quality Service
Changing and Improving
Leadership
Seeing the Big Picture
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.
£44,852 to £50,472 a yearPer annum, pro rata
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time,Part-time,Job share,Flexible working
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