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Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic EQA Scientist to work within a friendly, professional and busy team dedicated to providing External Quality Assessment (EQA) programmes to Hospital Laboratories.

Birmingham Quality (UK NEQAS) provides External Quality Assessment (EQA) Services for Clinical Chemistry laboratories within the UK and worldwide. Clinical Chemistry specimens are prepared in-house at Birmingham Quality and then dispatched to hospital laboratories. Birmingham Quality is based at Birmingham Research Park and is very close to both the old and new Queen Elizabeth Hospitals and is adjacent to the new University train station and the National Blood Service on Vincent Drive.

This is a unique position and even experienced users of our services would benefit from speaking to the Scheme Organisers before making an application as there are not many jobs like this in pathology.

This post has the potential for progression for a suitable candidate.

The hours are full time, notionally between 08:30 and 17:00, and the position is permanent.

If this post interests you then you are welcome to come and visit Birmingham Quality, to see the variety of work performed and to meet other team members.

Please contact Holly Tuite, Operations Manager on 0121 414 7300.

Birmingham Quality is proud to be part of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

Main duties, tasks & skills required

Are you a qualified scientist with significant experience in a laboratory or similar setting?

Are you an enthusiastic, self-motivated individual with excellent attention to detail, a strong commitment to quality and willing to take responsibility for the completion of tasks?

Are you adept at manipulating data within Microsoft Excel or similar software packages to produce clear graphs and tables?

Do you think logically and have good troubleshooting skills at both the theoretical and practical level?

Do you have excellent written and oral communication skills?

Do you have extensive experience of working with computer databases and Microsoft Office software packages?

Do you have excellent data presentation skills and the ability to produce scientific posters and papers?

As a position within a department that has 'Quality' in its title, you must always work to a very standard.

The experience and qualities that you would require to fully perform at this level are not common and we would expect the successful applicant to make a meaningful contribution from the outset.

About us

We are recognised as one of the leading NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK. Our vision is to Build Healthier Lives, and we recognise that we need incredible staff to do this.

Our commitment to our staff is to create the best place for them to work, and we are dedicated to:

Investing in the health and wellbeing of our staff, including a commitment of offering flexible working where we can;
Offer our staff a wide variety of training and development opportunities, to support their personal and career development objectives.

UHB is committed to ensuring that our staff are treated fairly and feel that they belong, by creating a kind and inclusive environment. This is about equity of opportunity; removing all barriers, including discrimination and ensuring each individual member of staff reach their true potential, achieve their ambitions and thrive in their work. This is more than words. We are taking action. Our commitment to an inclusive culture is embedded at all levels of the organisation where every voice is heard, driven by our diverse and active staff networks, and at Board level by the Fairness Taskforce led by our CEO. We nurture a culture which empowers staff to challenge discriminatory behaviours and to enable people to bring their 'whole self' to a kinder, more connected and bold place to work.

Job description

*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Numeracy and literacy, equivalent to A-level standard
• 1st or 2nd class honours degree in a relevant science subject with commitment to obtaining a postgraduate qualification
• CPD portfolio relevant and appropriate to the post

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of appropriate software and IT systems, and their use across a range of situations
• Ability to work in an organised environment
• Ability to work as part of a team

Additional Criteria

Essential

• Ability to undertake research: obtaining, interpreting and applying information to solve problems
• Demonstrable analytical and critical appraisal skills in respect of numeric data and the scientific literature
• Highly self-motivated
• Practical scientific and manipulative skills
• Ability to communicate effectively face-to-face and by telephone, email, and in writing
• Advanced IT skills with appropriate working knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, relational database and presentation software
• Ability to design and deliver clear presentations
• Ability to undertake self-directed learning to broaden own knowledge as required
• Working knowledge of healthcare delivery and laboratory medicine, including understanding of quality management and the role of the diagnostic industry
• Working knowledge of document control and office procedures
• Understanding of the need for confidentiality
• Commitment to high quality working at all times
• Takes responsibility for completing work
• Willingness to learn and undertake self-directed learning to extend own knowledge as required
• Commitment to attention to detail
• Highly organised approach to project work
• Motivated and supportive of management
• Flexible in working relationships
• Reliable attendance record
• Commitment to participating in out-of-hours work including a requirement to travel in own time when attending meetings, conferences etc.
• Commitment to travelling to regional, national and international meetings which on occasion, will involve being away from home for several days

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.