Healthcare Scientist Associate in Microbiology in Ashford

Main area Microbiology Grade Band 4 Contract Permanent: substantive Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (To cover core laboratory including early and late shifts, 1 in 4 weekends and bank holidays) Job ref DCB

Employer East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site William Harvey Hospital Town Ashford Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 01/10/ :59

Healthcare Scientist Associate in Microbiology

Band 4

Job overview

**Please note this vacancy is only open to staff currently working in Kent and Medway Pathology Network (KMPN)**

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

Medway NHS Foundation Trust

Applications from candidates in other NHS trusts will not be considered.

We are seeking a motivated Associate Practitioner to join our Microbiology service at William Harvey Hospital. This is a permanent, substantive Band 4 post, working 37.5 hours per week. Applicants will ideally hold a science degree or have equivalent experience working within a laboratory environment.

Microbiology at William Harvey Hospital is recognised for its inclusive, supportive culture and strong sense of teamwork. We foster open communication across technical and diagnostic teams, creating a collaborative environment focused on high‑quality patient care. The department is UKAS accredited and an IBMS training laboratory, reflecting our commitment to quality, education, and continuous improvement.

This role offers an excellent opportunity for professional development. Depending on experience, the successful candidate will be supported to broaden their skills and may undertake specialist training aligned with their interests and career aspirations, within a rewarding and well‑supported environment.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Trust’s Pathology team and play an integral role in supporting and shaping future services.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will provide essential support to Biomedical Scientists within the Microbiology laboratory, assisting with the preparation of biological samples and the operation of laboratory analysers. They will have responsibility for supervising and supporting the development of Senior Associate and Associate Healthcare Scientists (Bands 2 and 3), including training and day‑to‑day oversight.

The role offers opportunities for further development, with additional training provided to enable the post holder to take a lead on defined aspects of service delivery, such as analyser management, Health & Safety, and Quality Management. The post holder will also contribute to more complex scientific investigations and undertake basic interpretive tasks in support of Biomedical Scientists. A commitment to Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is expected to ensure ongoing competence and professional growth.

The laboratory operates 7 days per week, with core working hours of 08:30 to 17:00. The post includes participation in a rota covering a range of shifts, including late shifts up to 19:00, 1 in 4 weekends, and bank holidays. We are happy to consider flexible working arrangements within core hours.

Working for our organisation

We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference’. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It's about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We're looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.

Kent and Medway Pathology Network

Kent and Medway Pathology Network is a formal partnership of seven laboratories across three pathology services in four acute Trusts. Our 1000 colleagues provide services across the health and care sector to a population of nearly 2 million.

We are at an exciting point of our network development with a recommendation to form a joint venture across the four Trusts leading transformation. Our projects including single IT solutions, procurement and digital projects, to ensure our services are able to meet growing demand for our service users, patients and communities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KMPN : You will have a fantastic opportunity to grow your career in KMPN. We are developing a network academy, a platform for all network education and training from apprenticeships to advanced clinical and scientific qualifications with a single faculty making best use of our talented educators and trainers. You will not be expected to work at sites outside of EKHUFT. However, there will be opportunities for collaborative working within the network.

Please scroll down to access the full Job Description and Person Specification located in ‘Documents to download’.

Kindly note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Please note that if you require a Certificate of Sponsorship to work in the UK you must declare this on your application form, even if you currently have a certificate of sponsorship or a work permit for another role and are already working in the country. Please note we are only able to sponsor candidates on a Skilled Worker Visa applying for BMS roles Band 6 and above.

Person specification

Qualifications and training

• GCSE’S A-C, or equivalent in English and Maths, Level 4 qualification or equivalent / above
• IBMS Certificate of Achievement part 2, or equivalent relevant professional experience
• HCS or Registered Scientist, RSci with Science Council or Technician
• Quality qualification

Skills and Experience

• Experience of working with a Quality Management System
• Experience of auditing
• Experience of working in Pathology
• IT skills: Q-Pulse or other electronic QMS, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to organise own time effectively & work to schedules & deadlines
• Effective communication skills with other health care professional, both verbal and written
• Ability to follow set protocols and procedures without deviation
• Experience of compiling reports
• Experience of external assessments
• Experience in change control processes
• Deal with complex and or sensitive information
• Used a range of Microbiology analysers
• Good aseptic technique
• Good basic manual bacteriology and serology skills
• Molecular and PCR skills

Knowledge

• Knowledge of quality management systems
• Knowledge of audit processes
• Basic understanding of Microbiology, laboratory and infection science
• Health and Safety in the laboratory
• An understanding of general developments in the NHS and how these affect pathology services
• Knowledge of ISO 15189
• Basic knowledge of Healthcare associated infections and Infection Control
• Knowledge of training, learning and development processes
• Understanding of COSHH other H&S audits and laboratory legislation
• Knowledge of advances in Microbiology and Pathology practices

Personal / professional attributes

• Be self-motivated and work hard towards objectives
• Ability to work individually and as part of a team and develop effective relationships
• Ability to deal with complex and/or sensitive information
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Receptive and adaptive to change
• Ability to work in an environment where clinical specimens are handled and disposed
• Willingness to undertake further training as required by the role

Other requirements

• To be aware of and demonstrate the Trust’s Vision, Mission, Values and behaviours.
• Ability to work flexibly to meet changing needs of the service

There are lots of great opportunities at East Kent Hospitals, where staff are caring and put patients first, innovation flourishes and you can develop your career. We’re on an exciting journey of transformation. With a local Medical School at the centre of our community, a focus on research, clinical leadership and making our trust a rewarding and friendly place to work,

there’s never been a better time to join us. To find out more about east Kent visit our website . The Trust fully supports the SAS Doctors Charter and is committed to their development through its CPD Framework.

We have a relocation policy for eligible candidates, parking available at Trust sites but we encourage other options, like car sharing or public transport.

The ability to converse easily and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for all customer facing roles.

Most positions require a Disclosure and Barring check and will be exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Posts working regularly or unsupervised with children or vulnerable adults require an enhanced check.

Applicants for eligible roles requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship must meet UK Visas and Immigration eligibility criteria.

We operate a no-smoking policy on all our sites and grounds.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Application numbers

For further details or to arrange an informal visit please contact:-

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