Laboratory Assistant

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 307684**Salary**:

- £25,344- Pro-rata salary for job share- A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%**Job grade**:

- Administrative Officer- ASO**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- Science Directorate**Type of role**:

- Administration / Corporate Support
- Science**Working pattern**:

- Full-time, Job share**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NBAbout the job

**Job summary**:
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. Our diverse teams of over 2,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

Exciting opportunities have arisen to join various departments at APHA. You will have the opportunity to perform testing in order to establish the diagnosis of animal disease, monitoring animal health, screening for incursion of exotic disease, and performing statutory testing. Working as part of a cross department team of veterinary, laboratory and administration staff to deliver results to internal and external customers. Laboratory staff are required to liaise with other agency laboratories and may be required to communicate with external customers.

**Job description**:
The role of Lab Assistant is to provide scientific support. This could include diagnostic testing, reagent production and registering sample submissions and processing blood samples before distributing them to the testing laboratories.

The role may include performing laboratory diagnostic techniques such as culture, PCR, ELISA, CFT, MIC, zone diffusion tests and Whole Genome Sequencing. It could involve working at a microbiological safety cabinet in a containment laboratory or carrying out cell culture.

Your responsibilities may include, but won’t be limited to:

- Testing blood samples for International Trade and diagnostic testing
- Producing reagents for diagnostic tests for use within APHA and for commercial purposes.
- Using aseptic techniques for cell culture.
- Completion of workbooks and other documentation to ensure quality standards are adhered to.
- Compliance with all safety procedures including wearing appropriate PPE and reporting incidents and near misses.
- Responding to animal disease outbreaks which may involve working weekends and shifts.
- Working in containment laboratories and using microbiological safety cabinets.
- Participating in all the necessary training to allow you to perform your role correctly and safely.

**Person specification**:
Required skills and experience:

- Experience in the use of computer software including Microsoft Office.
- Ability to organise own work and time.
- A keen interest in Science and laboratory techniques
- Good interpersonal and communication skills with colleagues at all levels.

Flexibility in working hours is required if called upon to finish a particular urgent task or call upon in an event of an outbreak.

The post is full-time, we may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. The role is based at Weybridge where the team is located and due to the nature of the role and duties required.

The post will also require Health clearance. Due to access requirements to biosecure areas, individuals must be physically able and heavy lifting will be required.

Restrictions on contact with farm or companion animals may apply.

Depending on the areas of work involved you will be expected to have any necessary vaccinations or health surveillance. This will be arranged by the Health Team, Weybridge.

**Behaviours**:
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

- Changing and Improving
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions

**Benefits**:

- Alongside your salary of £25,344, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £6,842 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.In return for your dedication, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. Our benefits include generous annual leave of 25 days (rising one day per year up to 30 days after 5 years), flexible working, a contributory pension, staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme.

**Learning**
Whilst working at APHA and earning a salary you will have the opportunity to also undertake an Apprenticeship. You can undertake a Biological Degree apprenticeship with Nescot or a Laboratory Technical apprenticesh