Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) Architect (CR769) in Crewe

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government.

Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for the benefit of the environment and economy. APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions. We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes. Surveillance and Laboratory Services Department (SLSD) is one of the departments that makes up the Science Directorate. SLSD provides a range of diagnostic testing and surveillance services on behalf of Defra and the devolved governments.

The APHA Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is used across the APHA Science Directorate, primarily within SLSD, both as a conventional LIMS and as a key data asset. It underpins Defra’s animal disease management capability by enabling efficient, timely, and accurate testing for animal diseases and pathogens. This ensures outbreaks can be contained, UK agriculture remains protected, imports and exports of live animals are biosecure, and confidence in the UK’s disease-free status for food and farming is strengthened.

The Grade 7 APHA LIMS Architect will oversee the direction of and the scientific architecture within APHA’s extensive and complex LIMS system. This role will work closely with APHA Science and technology leaders and with colleagues from Defra’s IT department Digital Data Technology Security (DDTS) to create an ambitious vision for APHA’s LIMS system as well as a realistic and deliverable roadmap that delivers on this vision. This role will prioritise investing in APHA’s current LIMS system to ensure it is more resilient and secure, accelerating the digitisation and transformation of the way APHA carries out its Science and improving the scientific services we offer to internal and external customers.

LIMS Architecture

• Refine APHA’s scientific and business requirements and translate them into architectural patterns and solutions within the LIMS system.
• Collaborate with APHA’s IT delivery teams to ensure these solutions are developed, ensuring resilience, performance, efficiency, and supportability.
• Align work with other architects and technical professionals to maintain consistency across systems.
• Establish and communicate architectural principles, patterns, and constraints to ensure technically sound implementation.

Roadmap and backlog management

• Align roadmap with strategy: Ensure the LIMS roadmap supports organisational objectives, industry best practices, and long-term value.
• Architectural oversight: Assess impacts of roadmap and backlog changes, balancing priorities, risks, and opportunities to minimise downtime.
• Integrated backlog management: Govern feature and engineering backlogs holistically, linking near-term delivery with strategic roadmap goals.

Strategy for the “Future LIMS”

• Craft an ambitious vision for APHA’s future LIMS, incorporating new technologies, automation, and digitisation opportunities for enhanced efficiency and scientific service delivery.
• Support strategy development that aligns with organisational goals, challenging assumptions, and identifying new opportunities.

Quality Assurance

• Ensure all LIMS system developments align with accreditation standards (e.g., ISO17025, GLP) through robust system testing and documentation.

Cross-Government and Industry Alignment

• Build relationships across government, academia, and the private sector to share best practices and knowledge in LIMS system management.
• Monitor technology trends to identify improvement opportunities for APHA’s LIMS.

Supplier Liaison

• Lead communication with external suppliers for service improvements or system upgrades, providing architectural insight to guide effective collaboration.
• Minimise time spent on technical discovery by aligning suppliers’ contributions with APHA's needs.

Scientific Awareness

• Develop and maintain awareness in APHA’s science, representing scientific needs to IT departments, governance boards, and forums.
• Actively network within the APHA community to align strategic goals with technical and scientific requirements.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Build the architecture and design framework for APHA’s LIMS.
• Define strategy and play a central role in assuring services.
• Ensure and assure the continued alignment of LIMS solution development & delivery with APHA’s, Defra’s, and broader government’s strategic objectives.
• Ensure and assure the continued alignment of LIMS solution development & delivery with APHA’s legal, regulatory, and compliance obligations.
• Regularly collaborate and find agreement with senior stakeholders, providing direction and constructive challenge.
• Contribute to the overall management of technical and operational risk in relation to the APHA LIMS systems & service.
• Contribute to the overall management of business continuity in relation to the APHA LIMS systems & service.
• Contribute to the overall management and improvement of performance in relation to the APHA LIMS systems & service.
• Be proactive in identifying problems and translating these into non-technical descriptions that can be widely understood.
• Act as a mentor and coach to junior colleagues and may also be required to functional manage on a project basis, though no direct line management responsibilities apply.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme.