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Job summary

Main area
Clinical Science
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 4
Contract
1 year (Fixed Term - Covering Maternity Leave))
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
282-CR1808
Employer
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
The Royal Marsden Hospital
Town
Sutton
Salary
£33,262 - £36,027 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
01/09/2026 08:00

Employer heading

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust logo

Junior Biomedical Scientist

NHS AfC: Band 4

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic, self-motivated Junior Biomedical Scientist (no Biomedical scientist State Registration needed)  to be part of our Integrated Pathology Unit team as a maternity cover.

The successful applicant will have a practical knowledge and some experience of histology related lab procedures, including Cutting FFPE samples, staining sections for HE and an understanding of tissue preparation for molecular analyses.  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are essential for the role and advanced computer skills would be an advantage but not essential.       

 
For further information please contact 
Dr Marta Vergnano (Operational Manager [email protected])

Main duties of the job

Histopathology is the basis of cancer diagnosis and a critical part of cancer research. We are recruiting a highly motivated junior biomedical scientist to support all aspects of histopathology related to a range of research projects as part of a multi-disciplinary team in the Integrated Pathology Unit. The role will work alongside a team of fellow Histopathology based junior biomedical scientists.

The Integrated Pathology Unit is mainly based in the Centre for Molecular Pathology on the Sutton site of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. However, the post holder may be required to perform duties at the Chelsea site, but most of the activities are expected to be carried out in the Centre for Molecular Pathology (CMP) in Sutton.

 The holder of the post is expected to perform a variety of tasks that may include, but are not restricted to: 

  •   Sectioning blocks of formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) material
  •  Sectioning for nucleic acid extraction (i.e. DNA/RNA)
  •  Tissue micro-array preparation
  • Tissue embedding
  •  Haematoxylin-Eosin (H&E) staining
  •  Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining

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 more information, please refer to the job description and person specification.

The post will be based in the Centre for Molecular Pathology (CMP) in Sutton.

 The work will include:

·          Sectioning of FFPE blocks and preparation for molecular analyses

·          Tissue Micro-array generation

·          Sectioning for Spatial Genomics

·          H&E staining

·          Quality Assurance and Checks

·          Digitisation of pathology slides

·          Conventional and multiplex immunohistochemistry

·          Other appropriate duties in line with research strategy

Person specification

Skills & Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working in all areas of relevant routine or research laboratory, following SOPs and health & safety policies
  • Ability to conduct work independently, scheduling experiments in a timely manner, according to a protocol.
  • Ability to work in line with deadlines, as necessary, and prioritise workload effectively
  • Detail-oriented and ability to troubleshoot daily problems
  • Good knowledge and practical application of main Microsoft Office packages (Word, Excel, Power Point).
  • Experience and expertise in sectioning FFPE blocks and in H&E staining
Desirable criteria
  • Basic understanding of microscopy, digital image capturing, immunohistochemistry and molecular pathology methods

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • Possess a flexible, responsible and enthusiastic attitude to work
  • Ability to work as part of a team
  • Self-motivated and able to work unsupervised
  • Willing to undergo relevant training if needed as well as keep up with professional development & innovations
  • Displays excellent written and oral communications skills
  • Adheres to agreed working hours and is punctual

Specific Experience

Essential criteria
  • Bachelor’s degree level of education relevant to the role
  • Understanding of need for service quality & compliance with SOP’s and relevant standards
  • Understanding & experience of handling sensitive information

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Trust IDApprenticeships logoLondon Living Wage is a voluntary commitment made by employers, who can become accredited with the Living Wage FoundationArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardDisability confident employerCare quality commission - OutstandingStep into healthMenopause Friendly 2025

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Marta Vergnano
Job title
Research Pathology Manager
Email address
[email protected]
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