Location
London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Hybrid working based at core HQ in London, Canary Wharf)

Hours
Full Time (Flexible working options available)

Salary
£70,566 per annum

About the Role
The Senior Healthcare Laboratory Scientist will provide technical expertise and support to strengthen laboratory capability and capacity across the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) Health Security Programme, contributing to improved public health outcomes. Working closely with the Consultant Microbiologist and the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Lead, you will support activities to enhance laboratory services, workforce capability, quality systems, and resilience across the Territories. This role is supervised by the Consultant Microbiologist with overall oversight from the Head of Programme and Senior Leadership Team.

The focus is on developing safe, high-quality, and resilient laboratory services in geographically isolated territories. Key responsibilities include supporting quality and accreditation standards, workforce development, public health and clinical services, and addressing challenges such as workforce shortages, supply chain constraints, equipment maintenance, sample transport delays, and emergency preparedness.

The role requires strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, the ability to build partnerships, work independently and collaboratively, and deliver at pace. Based in the UK, the post involves international travel several times a year.

You will work with regional partners, Ministries of Health, and other stakeholders to support quality assurance systems aligned with WHO guidance and national regulations, develop sustainable quality management systems, and advise on laboratory workflow, service organisation, and demand management.

This role is part of the infectious disease strengthening element of the UKOTs Health Security Programme within the Health Protection Operations Directorate and involves collaboration with the Science Group as required. You will provide technical leadership and support to strengthen laboratory governance, quality systems, workforce capability, and resilience across a geographically dispersed laboratory network.

Main duties include providing technical input to public health and Ministry of Health laboratories in UKOTs, supporting capacity building in microbiological and virological diagnosis, laboratory strategy, service development, public health surveillance, outbreak preparedness, and specialist advice to senior healthcare and government stakeholders. You will help develop laboratory governance, quality management systems, accreditation, quality assurance processes, workflow design, External Quality Assurance (EQA) schemes, SOP production and management, biosafety training, laboratory information and data management, and staff training and development.

Additional responsibilities include supporting governance arrangements, harmonised workflows, SOP and referral pathways, safety management, clinical governance, incident reporting systems, internal quality controls, audits, corrective actions, training programmes, workforce development initiatives, professional exchanges, recruitment and retention activities, and ensuring data confidentiality and compliance with best practices.

You will contribute to safety inspections, health and safety policy reviews, risk investigations, laboratory infrastructure and equipment assurance, reviews of laboratory practice, network activities, service performance, quality indicators, equipment standardization, and service development opportunities.

Reporting on progress regularly to the UKOTs Health Security Programme Senior Leadership and supporting laboratory preparedness and response for outbreaks and public health emergencies are key aspects of the role. You will work with partner organisations, reference laboratories, and public health agencies to strengthen surveillance and testing capacity and support development of laboratory referral networks and safe specimen transport systems compliant with relevant regulations.

Other duties may be agreed between the post holder, line manager, and UKOTs Health Security Programme Senior Leadership Team.

Occasional support to UKHSA’s incident response activity may be required, prioritising this work during such periods.

Experience
- Extensive knowledge and experience working in clinical diagnostic microbiology laboratories or equivalent diagnostic support/development laboratories
- In-depth working knowledge and competency in molecular diagnostic techniques (qPCR etc.), bacteriology, and serological methods (e.g. ELISA)
- Knowledge of Laboratory Health and Safety arrangements including high containment (BSL3 minimum)
- Experience in laboratory quality management and assurance procedures
- Experience designing and delivering training modules, including training junior staff
- Skilled in problem solving through analysis of complex facts and situations to deliver practical solutions in laboratory workflows and workloads
- Willingness and ability to travel internationally to UK Overseas Territories as required

About You
- Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills
- Ability to build partnerships and work both independently and collaboratively
- Motivated to deliver at pace and support capacity building in geographically isolated settings
- Committed to maintaining confidentiality and best practices in data protection
- Adaptable to support incident response activities when required

Qualifications
- Relevant postgraduate degree or certificate (or equivalent) in a relevant subject such as Microbiology, Virology, or Molecular Biology
- Evidence of appropriate qualifications and registrations will be required prior to employment