Healthcare Scientist

Job summary

We are looking for a Healthcare Scientist to work within the Respiratory Virus Unit (RVU Team), which is part of the Virus Reference Department based in Colindale, London.
The Respiratory Virus Unit is the World Health Organisation (WHO) National Influenza Centre (NIC) for the UK and is the National Reference Laboratory for a range of respiratory virus pathogens. The unit is one of four WHO global respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Reference Laboratories, and as such collaborates with WHO, providing technical support and advice to national laboratories, and a WHO Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV) Reference Laboratory, providing confirmatory and reference services for MERS CoV.

Job description

The post holder will take delegated responsibility from the Unit Head / Scientific Leads and Technical Manager to:

�� � Provide laboratory support for the detection and genetic characterisation of influenza viruses (human, avian and mammalian), respiratory syncytial viruses and coronaviruses.
�� � Provide laboratory support for the identification, growth and characterisation of clinical influenza and other respiratory virus isolates.
�� � Provide laboratory support for antiviral susceptibility surveillance by genotypic and phenotypic methods.

To take delegated responsibility from the Unit Head and Technical Manager through the unit scientific lead in accordance with UKHSA and RSDC policies for the following:

� � �Technical/ Scientific/ Reference services/ Research and Development
� � �Growth and maintenance of mammalian cell culture lines.
� � �Growth, amplification, and characterization of clinical virus isolates.
� � �Extraction of viral nucleic acid from clinical samples by manual and automated methods.
� � �Performance of RT-PCR for surveillance and diagnosis of influenza and other respiratory viruses.
� � �Propagation of respiratory viruses and quantitation by methods such as determination of titre by plaque assay.
� � �Support for serological analysis using neutralization, ELISA and haemagglutination inhibition.
� � �Genetic characterisation of respiratory viruses.
� � �To be responsible for the reading and analysis of test results generated and entry of results onto the LIMS system.
� � �Collate and present data for discussion.
� � �Adhering to external and internal quality control practices.
� � �Attend meetings, plan and implement project plans.
� � �Monitor safety cabinets and carry out routine quality control procedures in order to maintain set standards.
� � �Supporting the scoping and prioritisation of new requirements as they emerge in your area � where applicable representing transformation in operational and governance forums.
� � �Undertaking concise packages of delivery work which may consist of undertaking analysis, facilitating or leading solution design, co-ordinating operational delivery or creating handover materials.
� � �Supporting your manager in planning across the workstream.
� � �Building collaborative relationships with operational stakeholders, conducting handover to operational run teams at an agreed, appropriate point of delivery.
� � �Input into regular reporting relating to initiatives you are leading in line with the agile methodology used across the TDU Team, as well as feeding into general governance processes.
� � �Building up expert knowledge of operations, stakeholders, digital solutions and data

For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, as well as all Essential and Desirable Criteria, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

BSc or equivalent in a biological science.Post-qualification laboratory experience in microbiology or virology, cell culture and virus isolation and characterisation.Knowledge of emerging and zoonotic respiratory virus threats, influenza virology, therapeutics and vaccines.Experience in use of LIMS, and a range of common software (Microsoft Office, Access).Good communicator and team worker with leadership skills. Able to organise own workload and delegated priorities to junior staff.Confident in presentation of ideas and information with excellent analytical skills. Good organisation skills with particular attention to detail.Self-motivated, organised and meticulous, and able to problem solve in a calm and efficient manner.An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems.

Desirable Criteria

Experience of mammalian cell.Familiar with sequence analysis software packages.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of �29,737, UK Health Security Agency contributes �8,614 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Learning and development tailored to your roleAn environment with flexible working optionsA culture encouraging inclusion and diversityA with an employer contribution of

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