JOB SUMMARY

The UKHSA Personal Dosimetry Service (PDS) is a commercial service, approved by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), that measures and reports the radiation doses to employees working with ionising radiations in various sectors, such as industrial, research and medical. PDS uses passive personal dosemeters, which are worn by the workers and then sent back to PDS for analysis. PDS also contributes to UKHSA’s expertise and advice on radiation matters and generates a significant income for UKHSA. PDS has a staff of around 35 people and serves over 90,000 workers in the UK and abroad.

JOB DESCRIPTION

We are looking for an organised and motivated individual to work as part of our technical team at Chilton. The Dosimetry Manager has direct responsibility for the PDS Laboratories to provide quality and timely dosimetry to several thousand PDS customers by managing all the resources effectively. You will also help PDS maintain its status as an HSE Approved Dosimetry Service and an ISO17025 accredited Laboratory.
You will support the PDS Manager in proactively developing the services and business, providing technical support and advice on dosimetry to customers plus ensuring good communication with a range of internal and external sources. Therefore, excellent communication skills are required to suit a varied audience. You must have the ability to prioritise, plan and work proactively to meet business demands with tight deadlines.
You will deputise for the PDS Manager and help with long term planning and development of the services plus manage projects and teams. The post holder will also investigate and solve complex queries, look for technical improvements/enhancements and offer solutions to the PDS Manager for implementation.
It is essential that post holder has extensive experience in delivering radiation protection services in a commercial environment with direct contact to customers, plus experience of laboratory operation & techniques particularly using personal dosimetry systems (especially Thermo/Harshaw TLD) is desirable.
The post holder will be required to manage a busy team which is responsible for issuing and assessing the dosemeters for PDS customers, over 500,000 per year; as well as support the PDS Manager in technical and scientific duties for the PDS business.
The Dosimetry Manager will have direct responsibility for the PDS Laboratories to provide quality and timely dosimetry to several thousand PDS customers by managing all the resources effectively. They will ensure PDS fulfils its requirements of its Health & Safety Executive (HSE) approval and PDS quality systems (ISO/IEC17025 standard) and adheres to both the Requirements for Approved Dosimetry Services under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17), and IRR17 itself.
The post holder will support the PDS Manager in proactively developing the services and business, providing technical support and advice on dosimetry to customers plus ensuring good communication with a range of internal and external sources.
They will deputise for the PDS Manager and help with long term planning and development of the services plus manage projects and teams. The post holder will also investigate and solve complex queries, look for technical improvements/enhancements and offer solutions to the PDS Manager for implementation.
The post holder will also be responsible for the busy Lab functions, maintaining the overall efficiency by managing and liaising with colleagues, suppliers and the Laboratory Manager, plus helping the PDS Manager with responsibility for the PDS business.
As well as general management and systems development, duties will include the preparation of service documentation (policies & procedures), including further development of the quality system, assistance with tender documents, awareness of new legislation/regulations, technical papers and organising dosimetry tests as necessary.

The key responsibilities will be:

• Responsible for overall operation of PDS TLD laboratories,
• Fully supporting the Laboratories team; ensuring staff management, development and training
• Responsibility for resource management; including allocating, prioritising and managing staff, equipment, supplies with forward planning. Liaison with internal and external suppliers.
• Attendance at scientific conferences and meetings; Liaison other dosimetry groups and industry professionals
• Ensuring continuation of HSE Approval of the dosimetry services, and other accreditations and approvals as necessary.
• Ensuring the laboratories comply with ISO17025 standard PDS Quality Management System requirements to provide a high-quality and reliable dosimetry
• Developing documentation, procedures, internal service level agreements etc
• Major involvement in projects to develop the dosimetry services
• Oversight, in conjunction with local management, of the PDS operation at UKHSA Leeds including co-ordination of PADC services between UKHSA Leeds and Chilton
• Pro-active liaison with customers to ensure best quality of service, including customer meetings, exhibitions, and conferences.
• Health and Safety responsibilities as needed: radiation protection; source safety; equipment etc. Ensuring safe working practices for all staff.
• Helping the PDS Manager to plan for the future of the service and providing ideas for improvements, development or research
• Complex office duties e.g. writing and authorisation of reports, answering technical queries, dealing with difficult clients, and providing advice to clients and colleagues.
• Act as Deputy Head of Service for whole body and Extremity TLD services with in PDS.
• To deputise for the PDS Manager/Head of Service using experience to cover duties and liaise with all staff to continue an efficient and effective service, including when necessary, covering for laboratory staff in routine tasks.

Please see the job description for the full list of duties and responsibilities.

STAGE 1: APPLICATION & SIFT

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 9 essential criteria selected from the job description, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1000 word Statement of Suitability.

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the 9 listed essential criteria.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
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.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria

Please note that only those applications meeting all essential criteria will be put through to short listing.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:

• Extensive experience in delivering radiation protection services and laboratory operation & techniques

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
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.

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

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 Counter-terrorist Checks.
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.
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.

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)
• 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

The key responsibilities will be:

• Responsible for overall operation of PDS TLD laboratories,
• Fully supporting the Laboratories team; ensuring staff management, development and training
• Responsibility for resource management; including allocating, prioritising and managing staff, equipment, supplies with forward planning. Liaison with internal and external suppliers.
• Attendance at scientific conferences and meetings; Liaison other dosimetry groups and industry professionals
• Ensuring continuation of HSE Approval of the dosimetry services, and other accreditations and approvals as necessary.
• Ensuring the laboratories comply with ISO17025 standard PDS Quality Management System requirements to provide a high-quality and reliable dosimetry
• Developing documentation, procedures, internal service level agreements etc
• Major involvement in projects to develop the dosimetry services
• Oversight, in conjunction with local management, of the PDS operation at UKHSA Leeds including co-ordination of PADC services between UKHSA Leeds and Chilton
• Pro-active liaison with customers to ensure best quality of service, including customer meetings, exhibitions, and conferences.
• Health and Safety responsibilities as needed: radiation protection; source safety; equipment etc. Ensuring safe working practices for all staff.
• Helping the PDS Manager to plan for the future of the service and providing ideas for improvements, development or research
• Complex office duties e.g. writing and authorisation of reports, answering technical queries, dealing with difficult clients, and providing advice to clients and colleagues.
• Act as Deputy Head of Service for whole body and Extremity TLD services with in PDS.
• To deputise for the PDS Manager/Head of Service using experience to cover duties and liaise with all staff to continue an efficient and effective service, including when necessary, covering for laboratory staff in routine tasks