Senior Healthcare Scientist / Senior Scientist
Band 7
Main area: Division B-Cambridge Cellular Therapy Laboratory
Grade: Band 7
Contract: 12 months (Fixed Term/Secondment until 07 December 2025)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Full Time or Part Time / Flexible working hours may be considered)
Job ref: 180-B-244295
Employer: Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Addenbrookes Hospital-Division B
Town: Cambridge
Salary: £46,148 - £52,809 p.a. pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 04/11/2024 23:59
Job overview
Are you a skilled and motivated Biomedical or Clinical Scientist ready to elevate your career in an innovative environment? The Cambridge Cellular Therapy Laboratory (CCTL) offers a remarkable opportunity for a Band 7 Senior Healthcare Scientist to join our vibrant and expanding team in a maternity cover role.
Situated on the prestigious Cambridge Biomedical Campus—Europe's largest biomedical research hub—CCTL leads the way in cellular therapy. Our accredited laboratory is essential in analysing, processing, cryopreserving, and storing cells for therapeutic purposes. We are at the forefront of Immune Effector Cells and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (AT(I)MPs), including CAR-T cells for diverse clinical applications.
As we grow, CCTL will expand to a new, purpose-built facility in the cutting-edge Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre (JCBC), featuring four advanced cleanrooms and enhanced capabilities for managing Class 1 and Class 2 genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Collaborating with world-class experts and located near two flagship NHS trusts and leading research institutes, you will be part of a mission to deliver transformative therapies that impact lives.
If you are ready to take the next step in your career and help shape the future of cellular therapy, apply today to join the winning team at the Cambridge Cellular Therapy Laboratory.
Main duties of the job
In this role, you will be essential in overseeing the routine stem cell transplantation service, guided by the Associate Operations Manager and the Production Manager. You will champion compliance with regulations set by bodies like the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) and the Joint Accreditation Committee for ISCT & EBMT (JACIE), paving the way for transformative patient care.
Your expertise in Quality Management Systems will be vital as you engage in the reporting, investigation, and execution of Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) in response to quality events. You will lead change management and validation projects, driving innovation and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the laboratory.
In addition, you will:
1. Supervise and mentor staff members, nurturing a positive leadership environment.
2. Support the CAR T service and play a key role in developing new immunotherapies as they emerge.
3. Leverage your theoretical and practical understanding of all phases of stem cell processing, enriching our mission.
4. Manage and oversee operations within the Liquid Nitrogen facility.
5. Work in a cleanroom environment, handling human blood and tissues with unwavering commitment to safety protocols.
6. Contribute to role-specific duties, which may vary based on your registration status with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Working for our organisation
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds, the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
A background in fields such as Cell Therapy, Manufacturing, Pharmacy, Haematology with Transfusion, Immunology, or Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics will significantly enhance your impact in this position.
This is a unique opportunity to assume a leadership role in a cutting-edge facility, directly contributing to the future of cellular therapy and groundbreaking treatments.
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Please note: Internal applicants on permanent contracts can only apply for this post as a secondment and must have the approval of your current line manager before applying.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 4th November 2024.
Interviews are due to be held week commencing 18th November 2024.
What We Offer
1. A progressive and accredited laboratory focused on groundbreaking cellular therapies.
2. Opportunities to engage with advanced therapies and GMOs, including CAR-T cell provision.
3. The chance to be involved in life-changing treatments within an expanding regional facility.
4. A supportive and collaborative atmosphere within a leading biomedical research campus.
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Relevant BSc or equivalent.
* Relevant MSc or equivalent.
* IBMS specialist portfolio, completion of STP training or equivalent Cell Therapy specialist training programme.
* PhD.
Experience
* Experience in a laboratory such as Cell/Gene therapy, Blood Transfusion, Immunology, H&I, Pharmacy, or clinical manufacturing facility.
* Leadership / supervision of junior staff.
* Use of the laboratory information and quality management systems.
* Experience of change management, validation and designing workflows.
* Experience of pre-inspection audits or HTA/MHRA/JACIE inspection preparation and outcome management.
* Experience of a HTA/MHRA licensed laboratory.
* Proven workflow/capacity management.
* Working to cGMP.
* Use of Ultra Low Temperature storage.
* Experience of out of hours working.
* Experience of working in a Clean Room environment or aseptic technique.
Knowledge
* Awareness of Quality Regulations in relation to processing of cells and tissue for human application (HTA/MHRA/JACIE).
* Fully Computer literate.
* COSHH and Risk Assessment procedures.
* Awareness of the Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).
* Understanding of how to effectively manage and implement change.
* Receipt, processing, cryopreservation, storage, issue of products for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
* Q Pulse Quality Management System.
* Flow cytometry.
* Cell/Gene Therapy.
* Awareness of genetically modified organisms.
Skills
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
* Able to supervise and train junior staff.
* Ability to work in an organised manner, to high standards and with a very high level of accuracy and precision.
* Good time management.
* Ability to multi-task and prioritise.
* Ability to concentrate for long periods.
* The ability to problem solve and troubleshoot.
* Evidenced decision making skills with the potential for clinical impact.
* Scientific critical thinking skills.
* Ability to cope under pressure.
Additional Requirements
* The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
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