Job summary
- Main area
- 317 Microbiology - Corporate
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 317-2025-38-22-DR
- Employer
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Freeman Hospital
- Town
- 317 01 Freeman Hospital
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 30/09/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 16/10/2025
Employer heading
Healthcare Science Associate
Band 4
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.
We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job overview
The department of Microbiology and Virology is looking for motivated and enthusiastic individuals to join our department.
The successful applicants will work as part of a team carrying out a range of analytical procedures using both automated and manual techniques.
Comprehensive training will be provided and future personal development is actively encouraged.
- Interview Date Thursday 16 October 2025
- 37 Hours 30 Minutes/Week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Main duties of the job
The post holders will support Registered Biomedical Scientists in performing microbiological analysis on a range of patient samples including urine, faeces, MRSA and gynaecological swabs. They will be given the opportunity to rotate through all sections of the department including TB and Virology. Successful applicants will be trained to read basic culture plates and operate laboratory analysers under the direct supervision of the scientific team. They will also be required to assist in departmental quality assurance programmes.
Applicants must have experience working in microbiology and/or virology. They must have effective communication skills and demonstrable leadership qualities. They must align to Trust Values and be flexible and reactive to service needs.
The post holders will be required to work rotational late shifts and weekends following competency assessment. From an academic perspective the post holder must have attained a foundation degree or equivalent in a health care sciences subject. It is important that applicants have the ability to effectively use common IT packages such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.
Working for our organisation
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
- Freeman Hospital
- Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
- Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
- Newcastle Dental Hospital
- Newcastle Fertility Centre
- Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
- Northern Genetics Service
- Cramlington Manor Walks
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- A Healthcare Science Associate is part of a clinical support team whose purpose is to provide timely and accurate high quality scientific information that will assist service users from the hospital and community, in the establishment of a clinical diagnosis and monitoring of patient treatment.
- The Healthcare Science Associate will use practical skills to carry out tasks associated with the pre-analytical preparation of specimens, analysis of cultures on a limited range of culture plates, performing appropriate antibiotic susceptibility tests, within the Microbiology and Virology Department. The tasks undertaken are more advanced than those of a Healthcare Science Assistant (HSA).
Person specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential criteria
- Foundation Degree in Health Care Science or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience as an HSA in a Microbiology or Virology Laboratory
- Knowledge and understanding of the role of Microbiology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease
- Understanding a range of routine microbiology and/or Virology laboratory procedures.
- Understand basic scientific techniques
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge / interest in Biomedical Sciences specifically Microbiology or Virology
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Self-organisation and the ability to prioritise
- Proven communication and leadership skills
- Able to handle Blood and Body samples
- Basic computer and keyboard skills
- Ability to work under pressure and prioritise work
- Good communication skills
- Follow protocols and instructions accurately
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Angela Geering
- Job title
- Deputy Operational Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0191 2448200
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