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Job summary

Main area
Microbiology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 5
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (5 shifts a week across Monday-Friday. Shifts are either 8am-4pm or 1pm-9pm. On-call service participation.)
Job ref
218-HSS-B5-8256163
Employer
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
Town
Coventry
Salary
£32,073 - £39,043 pro rata per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
09/09/2026 23:59
Interview date
28/09/2026

Employer heading

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust logo

Biomedical Scientist

NHS AfC: Band 5

Job overview

Are you an enthusiastic and motivated Biomedical Scientist looking to develop your career within a busy and progressive Microbiology service?

We are seeking a highly motivated Biomedical Scientist with experience in Microbiology to join our friendly, dedicated, and forward-thinking team. The successful applicant will play a key role in delivering a high-quality diagnostic service for patients and service users across Coventry and Warwickshire.

Working within our modern Microbiology laboratory, you will be involved in the processing, analysis, and interpretation of a wide range of clinical specimens, supporting the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. You will work as part of a large and diverse team committed to service excellence, continuous improvement, innovation, and collaboration.

Closing Date: Please be advised that this job advert will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply for this job as soon as you can, if interested.

Successful applicants will be required to provide an immunisation and vaccination report, from either their current UK occupational health provider or their UK GP. 

Main duties of the job

  • Perform daily routine and specialised diagnostic services on patient and environmental samples containing potentially infectious material. This will be done on a rotational basis using manual and automated techniques to exacting medical and scientific standards according to standard operating procedures.
  • Perform daily interpretation of diagnostic investigations. Know how to proceed in the event of technical / analytical nonconformity and when to inform the line manager.
  • Accurate and timely entry of data onto the laboratory computer system and/or automated analysers using a VDU and keyboard workstation.
  • As appropriate record reports for authorisation in electronic form and / or verbally to persons authorised to receive them.
  • Quality check outputs including maintaining necessary internal records
  • Participate in external and internal quality assurance schemes and vertical and horizontal audits as directed by senior staff.
  • Work to meet laboratory performance targets as directed by senior staff
  • Under supervision, develop and investigate new techniques as required by the changing needs of the service.
  • To regularly inform and discuss progress of training towards a post registration specialist competence portfolio, with the laboratory training officer and other senior staff as appropriate.

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, rated as good by the Care Quality Commission, is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the UK.

We are extremely proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do.

Boasting some of the most modern facilities in Western Europe, the Trust is renowned for being at the forefront of research and innovation as part of its blossoming reputation as a worldwide leader in healthcare.

We are proud to be recognised as a Pathway to Excellence® designated organisation – please click the link for further details about this prestigious award. Pathway To Excellence ® - University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire

By joining our exciting journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will be able to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities. There has never been a better time to join our team.

The Trust is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different perspectives available in our diverse society. We want everyone to feel they are respected, valued, can achieve their potential and receive the most appropriate and relevant care. We will create an environment where the equality and human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organisation's core values.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • Microbiology Biomedical scientists are required to process and interpret samples including blood cultures, sterile fluids, tissues, urines, sputum, swabs, dermatology samples and others using a mixture of both manual and automated methodologies.
  •  Scientists are required to problem solve and engage proactively with junior staff, medical staff, senior staff both within and outside Microbiology to provide a quality service to our users.
  • The successful candidate will also be expected to participate in on-going training both for themselves and to develop others. Participate in audits and investigate non-conformances.
  • Maintain their own health and safety and work within the standard operating procedures of the department and with Trust.

For further details please see the attached job description.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • • Biomedical Science degree acceptable to the HCPC. • Current registration with HCPC. • Evidence of CPD. • Completion of Generic Registration Portfolio.

Experience

Essential criteria
  • • Evidence of recent laboratory experience. • Problem solving.
Desirable criteria
  • • Working towards completion of post-registration discipline specific competence portfolio.

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • • Demonstrate a broad based knowledge in Pathology or in required discipline.

Skills

Essential criteria
  • • Be able to speak, receive and issue instructions without risk of misunderstanding. • Be able to follow complex documents such as a standard operating procedure. • High level of accuracy and attention to detail. • IT and keyboard skills.
Desirable criteria
  • • IT and keyboard skills

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

Essential criteria
  • • Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s values. (As detailed in UHCW’s Values in Action document below) • Applicants applying for job roles with managerial responsibility will be required to demonstrate evidence of promoting equal opportunities through work experience

Employer certification / accreditation badges

No smoking policyAge positiveDisability confident leaderImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Pathway to excellenceCare quality commission - GoodPregnancy Loss PledgeHeart Charter

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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Victoria Longthorne
Job title
CWPS Microbiology Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Additional information

Microbiology senior BMS team 02476965509 can also provide information relating to this post. Please ask for Nikki Jones, Simon Davison, Kathryn Griffin, Judy Whitmore or James Greenwood.

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