Clinical Scientist

Clinical Scientist
SYNLAB Pay Band 7
Main area: Blood Sciences - Biochemistry
Grade: SYNLAB Pay Band 7
Contract: 12 months (Fixed Term 12 Months)
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: J206-CPP-RAF-072
Site: The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Town: Manchester
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 per annum depending on experience
Closing: 23/08/2026 23:59

The place to work in pathology
We are looking for top talent to join the UK’s leading and fastest growing pathology company – a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose.

Job overview
Our core purpose is making a positive difference to people’s lives health and wellbeing through science, innovation and high-quality diagnostics. If this is something you are passionate about too this could be the right role for you.

The Christie Pathology Partnership (CPP) Biochemistry Department, based on-site at The Christie Hospital, is seeking an experienced and motivated Clinical Scientist to join our Blood Sciences team on a 12-month fixed term contract. The Christie is a world-leading cancer treatment centre and a specialist site with no Accident & Emergency or Maternity services.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a busy, high-quality diagnostic service at one of the UK’s most respected specialist hospitals. This is a unique and exciting time to join CPP, as we move into a new purpose- built pathology facility. The role operates within core laboratory hours only (Monday to Friday), with no requirement for shift or out-of-hours work.

At SYNLAB, we believe in nurturing a culture of well-being and ensuring our employees are supported both professionally and personally. That's why we're thrilled to offer an exhilarating rewards package, including our incredible Wellbeing Allowance worth up to £1500 per annum.

Main duties of the job
The Clinical Scientists in Biochemistry play a pivotal role in delivering a high-quality service to clinicians and patients, ensuring it consistently meets the needs of the Christie population. Drawing on expert knowledge of biochemistry theory and practice, you will provide a clinical liaison role with medical and non-medical colleagues for the interpretation of results and subsequent recommendations for further action, and lead and drive continuous quality improvement across the department.

This role includes being a key participant on the duty biochemist rota, maintenance of the QMS, and verification activities to support the transition to a new facility, ensuring excellence in diagnostic standards and service delivery throughout this time.

You will be HCPC registered and MSc qualified in Clinical Biochemistry.

Working for our organisation
Launched in 2014, the Christie Pathology Partnership (CPP) is a joint venture between SYNLAB and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. We operate from within on-site pathology laboratories and serve a population of more than 3.2 million.

The Christie Pathology Partnership delivers a high quality, responsive pathology diagnostic service to The Christie and other healthcare providers regionally and nationally. An international leader in research, The Christie is the largest single site specialist cancer centre in Europe.

Our laboratories also provide testing, screening and assay development to support The Christie’s early phase clinical trials, with around 200 trials underway at any one time.

CPP are UKAS accredited against the ISO15189:2022 standard. Our Haematology laboratory processes approximately 270000 samples per year and is equipped with Siemens Advia analysers, Coagulation ACL Tops, and manual assays/techniques which deliver a comprehensive service for patients undergoing cancer treatment.

SYNLAB offer specific personal development programs featuring details of management and leadership. You would be encouraged to complete the management development program enabling you to develop your skills. We are a very friendly, close-knit team and there are many opportunities for development and CPD with the joint venture and Research and Innovation Committee which oversees a new Innovation Accelerator Fund to advance research, innovation and development initiatives.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Purpose of the Job:

• To provide a clinical liaison role with medical and non-medical colleagues for the interpretation of results and subsequent recommendations for further action
• To ensure a high quality of analysis agreed quality standards of service delivery and key performance indicators.
• To provide an expert level of theoretical and practical knowledge to the laboratory service
• To contribute to specialist training delivered to other Healthcare Professionals and to provide expert technical advice in areas of responsibility to all Healthcare Professionals.
• Ensure that all areas of responsibility comply with all relevant current and future legislation and complies with the requirements of Medical Laboratories UKAS 15189:2022 and the recommendations from the Royal College of Pathologists and similar professional organisations.
• To provide professional leadership to Support staffs
• To undertake research, conduct audits, produce reports and present findings to Healthcare professionals as required.
• To continue with personal development through Academic or practical experience.

What you will do:

• Organise and manage workload processing to comply with both Quality Standards and Key Performance Indicators
• Maintain the standards of conduct required by the Healthcare Professions Council (HCPC) as a registered Clinical Scientist
• Provide expert technical advice to clinicians as to the appropriateness of tests, timescales and scientific guidance as required.
• Have expert analytical and technical knowledge to perform and manage specialist analytical procedures
• Ensure compliance with all policies as required by regulatory directives, accreditation bodies and local management, including;

o Healthcare Professions Council Accreditation (HCPC)
o CPP policies and SOPs
o MHRA
o NHSCSP
o HTA
o HFEA
o Any other body in area of responsibility

• Produce and manage Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
• Manage the introduction of new technologies/processes and to maximise the benefits accrued
• To be responsible for External and Internal Quality Assurance in area of responsibility. Reporting on and completing corrective actions required to address any areas of poor performance, including, where required, staff performance management.
• Ensure all documentation required for Quality Management System is recorded and maintained
• Communicate efficiently, courteously and with clarity at all times, whether face to face, telephone or electronic methods referring enquiries to senior staff where appropriate. Matters being communicated may include highly complex information and/or results.
• Plan and organise audits and audit calendar
• Chair/lead and/or participate in Technical, Training Quality, Audit and Management meetings as required
• Utilise the laboratory LIMS, Q-Pulse quality monitoring system and other application software according to authorised protocols including assisting in computer data entry in all areas of the laboratory. Maintaining software systems and updating as required.
• Attendance at LIMS user groups as required.
• Plan and prioritise work allocations, training plans, for both yourself and junior staff, responding appropriately to the needs of routine and urgent activities.
• Provide management, training and professional leadership to staff in your area of responsibility, this includes monitoring their performance against laboratory standards and their training plans.
• Demonstrate on-going competency against training plans and by peer assessment and participate positively in CPD (continuous professional development) activities through academic or practical experience
• Report and investigate all incidents and adverse events entering the information in the CAPA module of Q-pulse in a timely manner, conducting Root Cause analysis and remedial action as required
• Observe safety regulations and attend mandatory fire, manual handling and other course as required and ensure all staff attendance is within required timeframes.
• Risk assessment monitoring according to CPP procedure/policies.
• Ensure that all equipment within area of work is maintained and operated as per SOP’s.
• To comply with CPP policy for annual mandatory updates and have knowledge of COSHH and Lifting and Handling Policies, ensure all staff attendance is within required timeframes.
• To participate in research and development across the Trust.
• Initiate changes in procedures or policies to induce service development

Key Responsibilities:

• Interpret complex analytical investigations within Biochemistry.
• Provide specialist advice on the interpretation of results and subsequent recommendations for further action
• Undertake validation and verification of new methods and equipment.
• Participate in EQA (External Quality Assessment) interpretation and review.
• Ensure compliance to ISO15189: 2022 standards
• Provide professional leadership and contribute to training and supervision of Specialist Biomedical Scientists, Trainee BMS and Pathology Support staff.
• Engage actively in quality management and research, including internal audits and document review.
• Operate and maintain competence with the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and associated middleware applications.

Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria

• HCPC registered Clinical Scientist, with evidence of Continued Professional Development
• MSc in relevant subject eg Clinical Biochemistry
• Other mandated qualifications specific to the role (eg Studying for FRCPath examinations)

Desirable criteria

• PhD

Experience
Essential criteria

• High level working knowledge of biomedical techniques and practices at post honours degree level
• Expert interpretive and diagnostic skills

Skills
Essential criteria

• Knowledge of National guidelines and protocols relating to specific discipline
• High degree of accuracy and numeracy
• Good knowledge of computer applications and LIMS including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Statistical Packages
• Excellent problem solving skills
• Leadership qualities

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. All applicants are welcome to apply regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Equality of opportunity is our policy.

For our Permanent workforce we offer a competitive benefits package.

All employees are entitled to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Ground breaking development opportunities

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.

Please apply for this post on-line. If you have problems with using the online process, or need any assistance, please email View email address on meeveem.com

Your e-mail address is important to us . We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications.

If you decide to apply for this post but do not hear back from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been short-listed on this occasion.

Thank you for your interest in SYNLAB.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Documents to download
JD (PDF, 648.5KB)

Further details / informal visits contact
Name: Sally Thirkettle
Job title: Consultant Clinical Scientist
Email address: View email address on meeveem.com

If you have problems applying, contact
Address: SYNLAB
Open Monday to Friday
9am to 5pm
Telephone: View phone number on meeveem.com