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Job summary

Main area
Quality Control North West
Grade
Band 4
Contract
Fixed term: 12 months (12 months)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
362-A-25-7243994
Employer
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Stepping Hill Hospital
Town
Stockport
Salary
£26,530 - £29,114 Per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
13/06/2025 08:00

Employer heading

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust logo

Microbiology Technical Officer

Band 4

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

There are lots of good reasons to choose to come and work at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust. A dynamic integrated Trust with integrity and vision. Exactly the same qualities you’ll see in yourself. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust aims to be the organisation of choice for patients and an employer of choice for staff. In order to continually improve all aspects of our patient experience, we rely upon having a highly skilled, motivated, diverse, productive and patient focused workforce.

Stockport Foundation Trust is one of four ‘specialist’ hospital sites in Greater Manchester. Being a ‘specialist’ hospital will enhance our general surgery, anaesthetics, critical care and emergency medicine for the benefit of people in Stockport, High Peak, Cheshire and across Greater Manchester.

Our values ‘We Care, We Respect, We Listen’ are at the heart of everything we do, and come from our promise:  ‘Making a difference every day.’ They drive the behaviour and actions for everyone in our organisation.

In your application for this post, please describe how your experience and skills align with 'Our values-based behaviours' ( see additional documentation) and provide examples.

Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment

As well as recognising previous NHS service, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust is a member of the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment. If you are currently employed by Greater Manchester Local Authority, Combined Authority, GMFRS, TfGM as well as other public service organisations, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust will recognise your previous service for sickness and maternity/paternity/adoption entitlement and also for annual leave purposes (providing there has been no break in service).  If you currently work for one of the above organisations and successfully apply for a post with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, please ensure the Recruitment team are aware so that this service is reflected in your contract of employment.

Our Values:

We Care

About each other

Our patients and their families

The communities we serve

The environment

We support them and deliver on their promises

We Respect

Each other

Our patients and their families

Our partners

We are kind and helpful, and we expect the same in return

We Listen to

Each other

Our patients and their families

Our partners

We act and learn from what we hear


 

Job overview

We are looking to appoint a highly enthusiastic individual, educated to higher certificate (HNC) or above in a scientific subject.  It is essential that a significant part of this incorporates microbiology or biology.  It is also essential to have a broad knowledge of microbiological, environmental and analytical techniques, preferably with some experience of cleanroom monitoring and Pharmaceutical analysis. The successful candidate will have excellent problem solving skills and will be able to show initiative. 

Quality Control North West is part of Stockport Foundation Trust and is an NHS regional specialty department responsible for providing pharmaceutical quality control services to NHS and non-NHS clients. The laboratories at Stockport are well equipped and advanced in analytical instrumentation and are accredited to ISO 17025 by UKAS.

 

Main duties of the job

A large proportion of this role will involve environmental monitoring of cleanrooms at customer sites.  This involves manual handling with bulky equipment such as air samplers and particle counters.   It is essential that the successful candidate has a full, clean driving licence and is willing to drive a company van.

The role will also incorporate some laboratory based Environmental and Pharmaceutical Microbiological testing, including TVC determination, Preservative Efficacy testing, LAL testing and enumeration/ identification of plates.

Working for our organisation

We hold a unique position in the Stockport community as the provider of healthcare and we are one of its largest employers.

Our mission is to make a difference every day. Our values are that we care, we respect, and we listen

We believe that the best organisations are those that reflect the communities they serve. We are therefore seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce to make it truly representative of our local population.

We actively encourage applications irrespective of race, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage & civil partnership, or pregnancy or maternity. Recognising those communities that are underrepresented within our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from you.

We recognise that flexible working is important. We take requests for flexible working seriously, consider any request we receive and try to work with you, so we can explore if your request may fit with the needs of the service.

The salary for the role is only one part of the excellent package of benefits we offer to you:

  • Between 27-33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
  • NHS pension scheme membership
  • Salary sacrifice schemes for lease cars, home electronics and more, to make your salary go further
  • NHS Staff discounts
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Salary finance – for loans, savings, budget planning and tips on managing debt
  • Stockport Credit Union– for local financial advice

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

  • To perform a range of technical and support work for in the section including site testing, processing of samples for TVC determination, Preservative Efficacy testing, LAL testing and enumeration/ identification of plates using established procedures.
  • To maintain a high quality of work within the Department and perform quality control procedures in accordance with the Quality System.
  • To submit test results as required for the purpose of internal and National Quality Control Schemes.
  • Disposal of laboratory waste in accordance with protocols.

 

Communications

 

  • To communicate with QCNW staff, staff from within the Trust and other users of the QCNW service.

 

Responsibility for Patient Care

  • To help ensure safety and efficacy in pharmaceutical products prepared in hospitals throughout the North West of England.

 

Planning and organising

 

  • To adhere to work scheduling as directed.

 

Responsibilities for Physical and / or Financial Resources

 

  • To help supervise laboratory assistants to ensure that established laboratory protocols are followed.
  • To operate set up and check specialised laboratory equipment for correct performance.
  • To maintain stocks of reagents and consumables required for analytical work.
  • To work as economically as is practicable at all times.

 

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development and Implementation

 

  • To contribute to improvements in LEAN work practices.
  • To contribute to Health and Safety improvements within the laboratories.

 

Responsibilities for Human Resources and Leadership

 

  • To assist Laboratory Assistants in the performance of their duties, according to established protocols.

 

Responsibilities for Teaching and Training

 

  • To assist in the training and development of laboratory assistants within the QCNW laboratory.

 

Responsibilities for data and information resources

 

  • To assist in data processing as required.
 
Research, Development and Audit

 

  • To assist in internal audit as required

 

Physical Skills and Effort

 

  • Some light lifting and moving duties are included.
  • VDU work

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and promote safeguarding by implementing the Trust’s policies and procedures, acting promptly on concerns, communicating effectively and sharing information appropriately.

 

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Higher National Certificate incorporating combined or pharmaceutical sciences.
Desirable criteria
  • Scientific Degree incorporating biological sciences.
  • Analytical specialisation

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Knowledge of broad range of microbiological technique.
  • Knowledge of principles of GLP, laboratory H&S and COSHH.
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of broad range of analytical and environmental techniques.

Expereince

Essential criteria
  • Relevant analytical and microbiological experience during training.
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of clean room monitoring.
  • Work in a laboratory operating to similar standards of GLP/UKAS
  • Familiarity with pharmacopoeias

Skills & Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Excellent microbiological practical skills
  • Excellent manual dexterity
  • Numeracy
  • Good record keeping
  • Good team worker
  • Ability to work without direct supervision
  • Keyboard skills
Desirable criteria
  • Able to use environmental monitoring equipment
  • Time Management

Work Related Circumstances

Essential criteria
  • Able to work flexibly to the requirments of clients
  • Willingness to work offsite
  • Flexible to cover occasional out of hours working
  • Able to use own car for off site work
  • Full, clean driving licence

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthNorth West BAMEDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldAccredited Menopause Friendly Employer

Application numbers

The vacancy may close early if it attracts a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Gillian Stokes
Job title
Advanced Scientist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0161 419 5011
Additional information

Jane Dawson 0161 419 5647

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