Genetic Technologist

Employer The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site The Royal Marsden - Sutton Town Sutton Salary £45,953 - £54,254 Pro rata per annum including outer London HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 28/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

The Royal Marsden is a world-leading cancer centre, recognised for excellence in patient care, research, innovation and education. We are proud of our reputation for advancing cancer treatment and improving patient outcomes.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Genetic Technologist to join the Molecular Diagnostics team within the Clinical Genomics department. Based in the Centre for Molecular Pathology, the department is part of one of seven national Genomic Laboratory Hubs delivering cancer genomic testing in England and supporting personalised cancer treatment through molecular diagnostics, clinical trials and research.

The successful candidate will contribute to a timely and efficient ISO 15189-accredited Clinical Genomics Service. Duties include molecular diagnostic testing and analysis, validation of new techniques, support for new assays including NGS and ddPCR technologies, and associated administrative tasks.

You will also support quality assurance, equipment maintenance, data management and staff training while working independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Applicants must hold a relevant BSc degree in Biological Sciences, Genetics or a related subject, with postgraduate experience in molecular diagnostic techniques. Science Council (RSci) registration is desirable but not essential.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your career within a specialist genomics service at the forefront of cancer diagnostics and personalised medicine.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will undertake technical, analytical and administrative duties required to support the scientific teams in the provision of an effective and high quality molecular diagnostics service to patients. This will require detailed theoretical and practical knowledge. They will be responsible for carrying out analytical molecular diagnostics investigations. There will be occasions when the post holder takes sole responsibility for their work. The range of tests available will be in continuous development and the post-holder will be responsible for the validation and verification of new techniques and tests, including the provision of NGS and ddPCR for molecular diagnostics in haematological and solid tumours. They will collaborate and plan complex activities with other members of the team to achieve an effective and reliable service. The post holder will be expected to assist in training of new staff members and visitors as well as to contribute to IT development and data management relating to the technical aspects of the molecular service In addition the post holder will be required to support activities such as quality, including compliance with laboratory accreditation standards, equipment maintenance and participate in the departments training programme.

Working for our organisation

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information please refer to the job description and personal specification

• 1.1 To be responsible for own work and that of junior members of staff under the direction of senior scientific staff/clinical scientist. This will include all aspects of the clinical scientific & technical work, staff, equipment and quality system.
• 1.2 To ensure the timely and efficient provision of core and technologically complex analytical/diagnostic services, including but not limited to PCR, RQ-PCR, sequencing, NGS and ddPCR.
• To take day to day responsibility for the quality of technical and analytical work produced.
• To ensure that clinical requests are met according to agreed policies on availability of tests and priorities in accordance with user guide.
• To ensure that work is carried out in line with Standing Operational Procedures and/or Departmental policy.
• To monitor quality control of all the tests performed.
• To assist in the preparation of SOPs and other documentation.
• To assist with the day-to-day working of the laboratory.
• Maintain reagent records, both paper and electronic, as part of section stock control system.
• To provide cover for routine lab tasks including DNA/RNA preparation, maintenance of solutions, reagents and chemicals.

Qualifications

• BSc in Biological Sciences, Genetics, or related discipline
• Evidence of CPD or postgraduate training
• MSc in Genetics, Molecular Biology, or related subject
• Voluntary registration (e.g. RSci) or willingness to obtain

Experience

• Proven extensive laboratory experience in molecular diagnostics or a related field
• Independently performs advanced molecular techniques (e.g., NGS, ddPCR, qPCR, PCR)
• Ability to follow SOPs, maintain lab records, and ensure QC
• Familiarity with laboratory information systems and software
• Experience in equipment maintenance or troubleshooting
• Experience supporting assay validation and quality documentation
• Experience supervising or mentoring junior staff, students, or trainees

Skills & Abilities

• Understanding of molecular genetics techniques and their clinical use
• Awareness of clinical implications of lab findings
• Knowledge of ISO 15189, EQA/IQA processes, and audit support
• Clear verbal and written communication
• Able to present technical information accurately
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work across disciplines
• Experience supervising or training junior team members
• Able to prioritise and coordinate lab tasks to meet turnaround times

Personal Qualities

• Well-organised, detail-focused, and proactive
• Works independently and collaborates effectively
• Adapts well to new methods and changing priorities
• Committed to quality, learning, and patient-focused service
• Maintains professionalism and performance under pressure

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Please ensure your information is accurate to avoid errors with processing your application

All applicants will be contacted by email to the address supplied on your application. Applicants are advised to check their email accounts regularly and to ensure that email filters are set to allow our emails.

Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.

The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the upmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient-facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.

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