Senior Biomedical Scientist - Cellular Pathology/Histology

Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen at Liverpool Clinical Laboratories for an enthusiastic, experienced and highly motivated Senior Biomedical Scientist to join our Cellular Pathology Immunocytochemistry (ICC) and Molecular Pathology service. You will play a key role in delivering a timely, high-quality diagnostic service within a modern, fast-paced pathology environment, supporting both routine and companion diagnostic testing.

Liverpool Clinical Laboratories (LCL) is the largest provider of pathology services in the Northwest.

Our vision is to pioneer new technologies and ways of working that better inform decisions about a person's health, by providing greater access to specialist diagnostic services. We employ over 700 staff across four locations and process more than 15 million tests each year.

Our mission is to be world leaders in research and innovation and to continually improve services for patients by investing in new technologies and techniques.

The work we do is clinically led and cutting edge, making us a regional reference centre for many specialist investigations. As part of LCL you'll be encouraged to share your skills, whatever your area of expertise, to help drive the organisation to success.

Main duties of the job
Applications are invited for a senior Biomedical Scientist and Team Leader within Histology. The successful applicants will lead within the main laboratory area and will have an active role within training as a training officer for cellular pathology.

We're looking for people who see opportunities, explore the potential and recognise that behind every sample is a real person. If you're a leader who inspires those around you and is a true 'team player', we want to hear from you. We offer excellent training and development opportunities and a chance to work in our new state of the art laboratory. Whether you live in Liverpool already or are considering a move, there's never been a better time to joins us at Liverpool Clinical Laboratories.

The role also involves staff management and assisting with procurement for the department.

Applicants will be expected to be a member or fellow of the IBMS, hold HCPC registration with 3 years post-registration experience. A post graduate qualification in leadership or management would be highly considered.

The service operates 07:00-19:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00-16:00 Saturday and Sunday.

About us
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit their careers page.

Job responsibilities
Job Summary
To provide day to day management of the histology laboratory in collaboration with other team leaders and the histology laboratory manager. To provide all line management duties for the histology laboratory team being managed.

Key responsibilities

• Facilitate the provision of the clinical technical services of the histology laboratory by supervising and instructing staff and maintaining resources.
• Communicate to the Laboratory Manager such information as is required to maintain the continuing provision of the services.
• Communicate to and assist the Laboratory Manager with personnel or personnel related problems.
• Deputise for the Laboratory Manager in their absence.
• Undertake training of scientific and support staff.
• Maintain adequate consumable and reagent stock levels.
• Act as a training officer for the department

Main Tasks:

• Supervise staff, organise and prioritise workload to meet demanding deadlines.
• Ensure lower grades of scientific and scientific support staff comply with Health and Safety protocols as set out in relevant documentation and that laboratory and surrounding area also comply with Health and Safety.
• Assist in the validation and verification and production of Standard Operating Procedures for laboratory analyses, use of equipment and care of the working environment.
• Facilitate the keeping of adequate stocks of reagents and consumables, including those under rigorously controlled temperature environments, as appropriate for each product, to ensure patient safety.
• Maintain maintenance contract for temperature monitoring system in the laboratory.
• Undertake audits according to departmental schedule.
• Co-ordinate all aspects of NEQAS registration and EQA submissions.
• Audit Histology error logs to identify and resolve problem areas, identify areas for improvement though rigorous root cause analysis and corrective and preventative action
• Gather, analyse and troubleshoot monthly operational statistics for the Directorate Manager.
• Arrange service contracts for the laboratory as required and monitor maintenance for RLUH site.
• Requisition repairs of laboratory or equipment by the hospital estates department.
• Arrange annual maintenance contracts for laboratory equipment, standing orders and consumables including all sites where appropriate.
• Perform appraisals.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Approve degree
• HPC registration
• MSc or relevant experience
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• IBMS Specialist diploma in histopathology

Experience
Essential

• Relevant post registration experience in a histopathology laboratory

Desirable

• Evidence of practical experience in: non-gynae cytology, immunocytochemistry, renal and muscle biopsies.
• Previous supervisory experience
• Experience of in-house training of staff
• Experience in managing health and safety

Knowledge
Essential

• In depth specialist knowledge of histology
• Demonstrate knowledge of patient confidentiality
• Working knowledge of computers
• Understand and implements quality assurance
• Understanding of the need for health and safety in relation to themselves and others

Skills
Essential

• Evidence of ability to interact with other groups of staff
• Evidence of good verbal skills

Desirable

• Motivational skills
• Evidence of ability to write in-house documents
• Undertake Risk Assessments

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.