JOB SUMMARY

The Food, Water and Environmental Microbiology Services (FWEMS) Laboratories are specialist microbiology laboratories within the UKHSA. Based in 3 sites across the country, the laboratories are geographically well placed to work with local authorities to protect the public from health threats posed by contaminated food, water and the environment.
The Porton FWEMS Laboratory provides a microbiology testing and advisory service to Local Authorities, Port Health Authorities, hospitals and commercial clients across the South East, South West and West Midlands The laboratory is accredited to ISO 17025 and is recognised as an Official Laboratory for the microbiological examination of food and foodstuffs within the EU.
The post holder will act as a Healthcare Scientist Practitioner and provide a technical service to customers for the diagnostic testing of Food, Water and Environmental samples as an aid to the investigation of outbreaks, food poisoning and routine control. They will perform basic and more complex investigations providing specialised testing using complex equipment.
The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include.

Internal

• Laboratory Management Team
• Laboratory staff across the FWEMS Service
• Other laboratory staff throughout UKHSA

External

• Local and Port Health Authorities
• Commercial Customers
• Professional Contacts including UKAS
• Couriers and other sub-contractors

JOB DESCRIPTION

Service Delivery

• Participate in the provision of an analytical service, including the production of accurate and relevant results and reports.
• Assist with the supervision of the day to day running of the laboratory.
• Be involved in all aspects of sample reception and complete pre-analysis processing for the microbiological examination of samples received in the laboratory, ensuring samples are valid and tested appropriately.
• Work independently or as part of a team (under guidance) to undertake the full microbiological analysis of a wide range of samples, including test selection, in accordance with laboratory and customer requirements.
• Ensure important or unusual results are drawn to the attention of more senior staff and report complaints and anomalies as soon as possible.
• Assist other team members in all aspects of technical work and take on delegated responsibilities from more senior staff.
• Assist in the management of outbreaks, ensuring adequate resources are available to carry out the necessary work.
• Liaise with medical, scientific, and other staff of the UKHSA in all matters of common interest

Customer Relationships

• Respond to requests and accurately communicate routine, unequivocal results to customers, including interpretation and reporting of written and verbal results

Quality Management Systems

• Participate in activities necessary for the maintenance and development of the Quality System in accordance with UKAS requirements.
• Support the laboratory’s accreditation to ISO 17025 and ensure compliance with UKAS and other accreditation and certification standards.
• Assist the Quality Manager in ensuring good working practices and maintain a high standard of work, including participating in Internal Quality Control and External Quality Assessment schemes.
• Assist, where appropriate, in regular audits of departmental procedures in support of the Quality Manager and assist in the analysis of the results.

Asset Management

• Ensure efficient running and contribute to routine maintenance of all equipment, which will include high cost, complex equipment requiring calibration and regular maintenance.
• Assist in the maintenance of stocks of reagents and consumables, ensuring that they are received, stored, verified and used appropriately.
• Contribute to the care, maintenance and security of laboratory premises and equipment in order to ensure efficient and safe operation.

Management

• Take responsibility for the supervision of the day-to-day activities of less experienced staff

Strategy, Policy and Service Development

• Assist in the improvement and development of the service, in the interests of efficiency and in order to meet changing demands.
• Support the implementation of new methods and technologies into the laboratory, in order to maximise quality and efficiency of testing.
• Support and participate in FW&E surveys, trials and research work and projects in collaboration with other senior staff of the FWEMS laboratories.
• Support appropriate income generation activities for the laboratory, in accordance with the National FWEMS objectives, in conjunction with the Laboratory Management Team.
• Participate in periodic reviews of laboratory methods with respect to performance and relevance.

IT Infrastructure

• Become competent in the use of the laboratory’s IT systems and participate in the basic inputting of data into the system

Security/Health and Safety

• Ensure confidentiality and conformity to the requirements of the Data Protection Act, Caldicott principles and the Laboratory Information Systems and Technology Security policy.
• Ensure that health and safety are afforded priority and to demonstrate commitment to health, safety and welfare of self, staff and visitors.
• Ensure attendance of self and managed staff on safety training courses as required in the UKHSA Health and Safety Training Policy and other safety policies as appropriate.
• Agree to implement safety objectives. Ensure that a Laboratory/Office Safety Code is implemented.
• Ensure that risk assessments are implemented and maintained. Report risks that cannot be controlled to the Laboratory Manager.
• Notify accidents, near misses, dangerous situations and shortcomings in health and safety via the appropriate management structure.

Other Duties

• On an occasional basis the post holder will be expected to visit external sites and take samples that require special skills and training.
• Perform other duties as directed by the Laboratory Manager of the Food, Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory within the framework of the job summary.
• Be prepared to work flexibly across the entire FWEMS if occasionally required, maintaining appropriate levels of training as necessary.

Professional Development

• Pursue a program of continuous professional development in accordance with any relevant professional registration or statutory requirements, while maintaining appropriate awareness of service provider requirements.
• Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan.
• Attending internal / external training events.
• Participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.

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

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

Other Duties

• On an occasional basis the post holder will be expected to visit external sites and take samples that require special skills and training.
• Perform other duties as directed by the Laboratory Manager of the Food, Water and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory within the framework of the job summary.
• Be prepared to work flexibly across the entire FWEMS if occasionally required, maintaining appropriate levels of training as necessary