Job summary
- Main area
- Proteomics
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 391-RFL-7218695
- Employer
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Free Hospital
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £61,927 - £68,676 per annum inclusive of London HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Band 8a Proteomic Facility Lead
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.
Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.
Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
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Job overview
We are looking for an excellent candidate with expertise in mass spectrometry to lead our NHS UKAS-accredited diagnostic proteomics facility of the Jack O’Neill Laboratory, (JONAL).
The post-holder will work with the clinical teams under the direction of the Head of Fibril Typing and laboratory director, providing scientific and technical support to contribute to the overall activities of the Centre. They will lead and have responsibility for the supervision and training of staff and users in the daily management of the mass spectrometry facility, recruitment of new staff, sourcing and investigating options and responsibility for the purchase of equipment, with full consideration for the cost effectiveness of different solutions. They will have to develop and validate new and novel methods with mass spectrometry in line research advances.
Main duties of the job
The Proteomic Lead will be responsible to lead to provide a clinical diagnostic service and running the diagnostic proteomic facility.
They will be responsible the daily management and laboratory activities of the proteomics facility, training / supervising staff reporting to the Head of the Fibril Typing. Producing formal reports of service output, conduct audits, attend weekly diagnostic MDT’s, being responsible for generating formal electronic reports of diagnostic proteomic results.
They will maintain proteomic laboratory accreditation, including EQA schemes, under the direction of the head of fibril typing and quality manager for the Jack O’Neill laboratory.
They will be expected to keep abreast of developments, techniques and approaches in the field of Mass Spectrometry, proteomics and bioinformatics, including new analytical tools and instruments. They will revise, validate, and implement protocols and procedures to improve diagnosis, ensuring use of the most accurate up to date diagnostic testing for optimum patient care in the delivery of high quality care, clinical governance and patient safety.
They will be required to maintain and develop collaborations at national and international level. The post holder will have an opportunity to support cutting-edge proteomics research both within the Centre and with external collaborators, including clinicians and scientists both nationally and internationally.
Working for our organisation
The NHS National Amyloidosis Centre (NAC), based at the Royal Free Hospital in London, is the only centre in the UK and one of the few centres worldwide specialising in amyloidosis. It provides a comprehensive UKAS-accredited diagnostic service for the national caseload of amyloidosis patients as well as management advice and delivery of high-cost amyloid-specific therapies.
The Jack O’Neill Laboratory (JONAL) is a highly specialised laboratory which has developed dedicated methodology for the diagnosis of amyloidosis and systemic autoinflammatory diseases and is central to the NHS England-funded national highly specialised services based at the NAC. The JONAL consists of a specialised team covering specimen reception, molecular genetics, histopathology and proteomics.
Proteomics has become central to the accurate diagnosis and typing of amyloidosis and is used routinely within the Centre. The Centre continues to research and validate novel proteomic techniques for clinical diagnostic purposes as well as pursing basic science proteomic research.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
Person specification
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential criteria
- • MSc level qualification or equivalent in chemistry, biochemistry or a related subject.
- • Evidence of continuing personal development
Desirable criteria
- • Post graduate qualification in specific speciality or equivalent experience in proteomics.
- • Record of scientific publication including some as first author in proteomics.
Experience
Essential criteria
- • Extensive experience in biological and biomedical aspects of mass spectrometry including significant practical involvement in proteomics • Expertise in the performance, maintenance and operation of LC-MS instruments including Thermo Q-Exactive Plus or similar equipment. • Experience in the use of database search engines, e.g. MASCOT. • Experience of working with clinical samples, data and reporting to national organisations • Experience in Laboratory QMS and maintaining accreditation for a clinical laboratory in proteomics. • Ability to interact with scientists and clinicians as part of the development and application of mass spectrometric techniques to solve problems of clinical interest. • Experience of working in an interdisciplinary environment. • Extensive experience in training and supervising people in mass spectrometry and related techniques and in laboratory activities. • Creativity, initiative and independent working. • Leadership skills
Desirable criteria
- • Experience in laser capture
Skills and aptitudes
Essential criteria
- • Knowledge and understanding of mass spectrometry hardware and software • Acquired specialist expertise in using, and give guidance in clinical databases for proteomic analysis • Fault finding, fixing and troubleshooting skills • Knowledge of reports and audit methodology • Ability to establish a role and develop collaborative working relationships with different teams • Skills and knowledge in managing and supporting clinical staff
Personal Qualities & attributes
Essential criteria
- • Excellent communication, negotiation, influencing and diplomatic skills both orally and in writing • Self-starter, motivated, able to work from own initiative and with strong attention to detail
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Janet Gilbertson
- Job title
- Head of NAC Fibril Typing
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 02074332752
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