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Would you like to play a key role in the delivery of the most high profile COVID clinical research projects?

COVID-19 research has become the National and Trust priority for clinical research. To manage the new and growing portfolio of studies providing evidence for pandemic management, the Trust established a COVID-19 research team, and now an exciting opportunity has arisen to add another Clinical Trials Laboratory Assistant (CTLA) to our establishment.

You will be joining an enthusiastic, friendly, and motivated multidisciplinary team in a dynamic teaching hospital in central London working across multiple areas to deliver COVID -19 research as well as an evolving portfolio of vaccine and treatment trials to a high standard.

Closing date: 28th August 2023 at midnight

Interview will be held via MS Teams. The provisional interview date is the 14th September 2023.

If you have experience processing in a laboratory and are interested in clinical research then this role might be for you!

The post holder will undertake study specific training, supporting the preparation, processing, storage and shipping of research samples. The main laboratories you will work in are Containment level 2. The Clinical Trials Laboratory Assistant (CTLA) will work closely with diverse research teams to manage the flow of work coming through the sample preparation laboratories, ensuring that work is carried out in a timely and efficient manner in accordance with all relevant standards (eg SOP’s, policies, GCP etc.). You will receive samples from research participants and will be responsible for the timely processing and transfer of them. You willnotbe performing any analysis, all sample work is pre-analytical only.

You will work closely with the COVID Research Laboratory Team, Research Nurses, Clinical Research Practitioners and Senior Research Staff to ensure a safe and high quality level of care for our patients and their families or carers.

The R&D Department at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GSTFT) is one of the focal points for innovative research in London through its nationally recognised research portfolio and research infrastructure. We are systems leaders in NHS research with strong strategic partnerships across the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) and the Health Research Authority (HRA) and are active members of the organisations such as the Shelford Group, University Hospitals Association (previously AUKUH) and UKRD. Research is a top priority for the Trust which in 2021/22 was the top NHS organisation nationally for the number of NIHR portfolio studies open (417) and was the top recruiting organisation in South London (third nationally) recruiting over 19,000 participants into NIHR portfolio studies. This is approximately over 40% of the total number of participants of research studies within our Local Clinical Research Network in South London. For the financial year 2022/23, the NIHR budget for the R&D Department totalled approximately £25m. We are a the most active research partner in the King’s Health Partners Clinical Trials Office for contract commercial clinical trials with 60% of the commercial trials portfolio in 2021/22 lead by the Trust; we also collaborate in the South London NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC).

Applicants must have experience working within a laboratory environment, using centrifuges, pipetting and following processing instructions. Experience in clinical research within the NHS is desirable but not essential especially if you have a willingness to learn & develop. Candidates must demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and have the ability and initiative to work independently, suggest improvements to the team and manage processing a variety of research study samples.

We will provide a comprehensive induction programme and ensure that all staff have tailored, individual personal development plans with support for further training. Opportunities for developing new research/clinical skills are available and actively encouraged. This role will require you to process some COVID-19 positive samples and will entail some cross-site, out of hours and weekend working on occasion as the design of the trials we conduct evolve.