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Job summary

Main area
Microbiology
Grade
Band 7
Contract
Permanent: Shifts and on call
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (shifts)
Job ref
151-SL0523
Employer
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Wexham Park Hospital
Town
Slough
Salary
£50,008 - £56,908 per annum incl HCAS
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
08/02/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Biomedical Scientist

Band 7

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and motivated Biomedical Scientist to take on a senior role within our specialist diagnostic microbiology service.

 As a Senior Biomedical Scientist, you will be responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the laboratory, managing staff and resources to ensure the delivery of a high quality, efficient and cost-effective service that directly supports patient treatment and care.

You will carry out and oversee a wide range of diagnostic microbiology investigations, including the processing and interpretation of complex samples such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, faeces, sputum, tissues, and secretions.

Using a combination of culture-based methods, advanced analysers, and the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), you will provide accurate and timely results to clinicians, applying your interpretive expertise to guide patient management.

In this senior role, you will contribute to quality management, service improvement, and research and development, with responsibility for a designated specialist area such as Quality Facilitation, Training, Workload Management, IT, or bench/section leadership.

You will also play a key role in teaching and training junior staff, ensuring high standards of practice and professional development within the team.

Main duties of the job

  • The role requires validation of new equipment and methods in compliance with CPA/UK AS standards, participation in the on-call rota, and the flexibility to work across all BSPS sites as required. 
  • Given the nature of the work, you will be frequently exposed to biological hazards (including MRSA and TB), unpleasant body fluids, and hazardous chemicals, as well as handling concentrated micro-organisms under strict safety procedures.
  • The post demands precision, excellent hand–eye coordination, and sustained concentration during complex technical tasks such as microscopy, culture interpretation, and report authorisation.
  • This is a challenging yet rewarding position that requires resilience, adaptability, and the ability to manage competing demands under pressure while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and professionalism.

Working for our organisation

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme.

We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available. 

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • HCPC-registered Band 7 Biomedical Scientist providing expert diagnostic microbiology services within an NHS laboratory.
  • Act as a senior practitioner with advanced specialist knowledge across bacteriology, mycology, and parasitology, performing and authorising complex and technically advanced investigations in accordance with UKAS, ISO 15189, and local SOPs.
  •  Use postgraduate-level knowledge and extensive post-registration experience to support accurate diagnosis and clinical decision-making.
  • Provide leadership and day-to-day operational management, supervising, training, and assessing competency of junior staff, trainees, and students.
  • Lead on quality management, audit, and service improvement initiatives, supporting and implementing change to enhance efficiency and patient outcomes.
  •  Manage workload prioritisation and multitasking effectively in a high-pressure environment, ensuring service continuity and compliance with health and safety requirements.
  • Communicate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and contribute to strategic service development.

 

For more information on the main responsibilities of the role please see attached job description and person specification. 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • HCPC Registered BMS
  • High degree (E.g. Masters , IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma or PhD)
  • Willing to undergo relevant training to ensure sound relevant knowledge.
Desirable criteria
  • IBMS Certificate in Expert Practice
  • ECDL
  • Chartered Scientist status
  • Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences
  • Molecular biology technical expertise.

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of training junior staff
  • Post state registration experience in diagnostic microbiology
  • Experience and advanced knowledge of all areas of medical microbiology including bacteriology, mycology and parasitology
  • Able to perform technically advanced procedures where applicable
  • Able to provide judgement on a range of complex problems.
  • Previous supervisory experience.
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of serological techniques.
  • Design and implementation of microbiology computer systems.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Good at multitasking
  • Evidence of strong leadership skills
  • Team working skills.
  • Good at multitasking.
  • Able to communicate complex information to clinicians and other users to advise on tests. performed and results obtained.
  • Well organised.
  • Able to organise workload of less qualified staff. Ability to develop molecular techniques and interpretation skills if not already acquired.
  • Able to use and maintain equipment.
  • Ability to use work processing, and spreadsheet manipulation for data entry and record keeping.
  • Proven problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to work effectively under pressure.
  • Good team member and leader.
  • Good teacher.
  • Ability to work effectively under pressure.
  • Good interpretive skills at bench level.
  • Ability to develop molecular techniques and interpretation skills if not already acquired.
Desirable criteria
  • Lateral thinking.
  • Friendly and interactive in working group.
  • Committed to working in healthcare environment.

Special Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Able to take part in a single discipline on-call rota and shift working when required.
  • Abillity to travel to all BSPS sites.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardWe offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.Disability confident employerWe Work Flexibly

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. We would advise that you complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Preetha Shibu
Job title
Interim Site Lead
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
03006159413
Additional information

Other Contact Leomar Lacsamana  [email protected]

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