Employer Synnovis Employer type Private Sector Site St Thomas' Hospital Town London Salary £54,320 to £60,981 per annum, dependent on experience Closing 21/02/2025 23:59
Clinical Scientist
Synnovis Pay Band 7
The place to work in pathology
We are looking for top talent to join the UK’s leading and fastest growing pathology company – a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose.
Working in partnership with our service partners, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals, King’s College Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital we aim to set the standard for the future of pathology.
Job overview
Are you passionate about the future of medicine? Do you want to be at the forefront of transforming healthcare through personalized approaches? If so, we invite you to apply for the Clinical Scientist role in the Biochemical Sciences department at St Thomas’ Hospital. Join our innovative team, renowned for ground-breaking research, and help drive advancements in personalised medicine.
As part of our team, you will play a key role in developing and supporting diagnostic tests that enable tailored treatments for patients. Our test repertoire includes drug and metabolite monitoring (TDM) for chemotherapy agents and cutting-edge biologics. You will have the opportunity to work with various platforms, including HPLC, UPLC, mass spectrometry, and iTrack-chemiluminescence.
In addition, you will contribute to pharmacogenomic aspects of patient care, applying genetic testing to guide treatment decisions. This role offers the opportunity to expand your knowledge of genetics and pharmacogenomics, directly influencing patient management.
You will be able to work closely with clinical teams to optimize patient care, be part of a forward-thinking department driving personalized healthcare, learn about pharmacogenomics and genetics, enhancing your professional development, and work with state-of-the-art diagnostic platforms.
We are looking for candidates with a minimum of two years’ experience in laboratory medicine, an interest in pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine (TDM), experience with HPLC, UPLC, mass spectrometry, and iTrack is desirable. Pre-registered Clinical Scientists are welcome to apply.
If you are passionate about scientific discovery and want to impact patient outcomes, apply now to shape the future of healthcare.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking a motivated individual to contribute to the delivery of a high-volume service, processing approximately 50,000 tests annually. You will play a key role in carrying out routine manual assays, troubleshooting, and ensuring the highest standards of quality through active participation in audits, quality control, and continuous improvement projects.
Key Responsibilities:
* Perform routine assays and troubleshoot analytical and clinical issues.
* Develop and implement assays for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM), enhancing patient care.
* Contribute to the development of innovative methods, such as pharmacogenomics using RT-PCR and PCR-Sanger sequencing.
* Participate in the Quality Management System, including error identification, documentation, and audits.
* Mentor and train students, clinical colleagues, and trainees in the lab.
* Ensure compliance with national standards, including UKAS (ISO 15189:2022).
* Be part of the weekend NBS rota, providing essential coverage.
Working for our organisation
Your development and learning:
You will have a suite of learning opportunities available through The Synnovis Way Development programme, the Scientific Learning and Development Fund and the Synnovis Academy through which you can receive funding / support for advanced qualifications.
Through our Innovation Accelerator Fund, you can apply for finance to get that new innovative scientific project off the ground, and participate with the wider scientific community through symposiums, conferences and other peer group meetings.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
At Synnovis, we are currently shaping the future of pathology services by creating a world-leading Hub and Spoke pathology network with our NHS partners. A large part of this modernisation will involve moving 70% of our services to a purpose built, state of the art Hub laboratory in the heart of London. For now, the job you are applying for will be based at one of our hospital sites however, from March 2025 our people and services will start to move to our Hub laboratory in Blackfriars, Southwark, SE1. Please do ask your recruiting manager if you wish to find out more.
Who we are
Synnovis is a partnership between SYNLAB UK & Ireland, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Our organisation brings together the very best in clinical, scientific and operational expertise, and displays in action the core values at the heart of our brand: science for life, collaboration for the benefit of everyone, and innovation and quality.
This role sits within Synnovis Analytics, which is responsible for the provision of Pathology testing services to Synnovis’ patients and customers.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Foundation Trust is a major emergency and specialist teaching Trust which has all the specialties associated with a fascinating and career defining case load including: Women’s Services, Fetal Medicine, Haematology, Oncology, Transplantation, and is also home to the Evelina Children’s Hospital and the Cancer Centre on the Guy’s site.
You will be close to the vibrant Borough Market and the South Bank, which are exceptional London locations; perfect places to work and relax next to such iconic venues as Big Ben, The London Eye and The Shard!
Purpose of Job
This role is key to the delivery of Clinical Science as part of the laboratory team in Synnovis. Reporting to the Principal or Consultant Clinical Scientist, you will have a high level of responsibility, including training, management of EQA/IQC processes and research, to ensure the successful delivery of pathology services, in line with our corporate objectives.
What you will do
You will hold a variety of accountabilities in the laboratory environment. These include, but are not limited to:
* Day-to-day responsibility for the provision of a range of clinical, technical and scientific diagnostic activities, including interpretation and clinical validation of results; communicating complex information and advice that will aid and determine clinical diagnosis.
* Supervise and provide specialised training to less experienced employees, students, trainees and other healthcare professionals.
* Undertake research in your own field under the direction of more senior clinical scientist colleagues, contributing to the development of specialist investigations, identifying better ways of working and finding efficiencies in service delivery.
* Participate in research activities and publications; attend and present at regional, national and international meetings.
* Spend a proportion of time focused on quality and UKAS orientated activities, service development and technical and clinical validation of results.
Key Responsibilities
* Maintain standards of conduct required by the HCPC to practice as a registered Clinical Scientist.
* Perform investigations in line with local Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) including but not limited to result authorisation, ordering follow-up laboratory procedures, initiating actions, escalating results when required.
* Perform necessary action on the Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), ensuring all Information Governance (IG) requirements are met.
* Communicate complex results, including making clinical and differential judgements involving complicated facts or situations that impact on patients. This will include exchanging specialist information with colleagues from your own and other disciplines.
* Provide specialist expertise and technical advice to other laboratory and clinical colleagues as required and within limits of competency.
* Participate in the strategic development and service improvement of the analytical service, being responsible for the implementation of new techniques, equipment, and tests, including all verification and validation work. Where necessary this may include analysing clinical trial samples.
* Keep up to date with new developments by regular literature reviews and attendance at relevant conferences.
* Undertake research projects in specialised area in collaboration or as requested by Principal or Consultant Clinical Scientists. Ensure outcomes from research and development are placed in the public domain by publication and presentation at relevant local, national and international conferences.
* Ensure all incidents and events are correctly reported by junior staff in Q-Pulse quality management database and other relevant software and support them in learning quality procedures and investigations.
* In conjunction with the Quality team, monitor, report and action errors, hazards, and incidents logged in the CAPA module of Q-Pulse. This may include taking part in investigations of incidents and providing expert insight into making improvements based on outcomes.
* Participate in appropriate clinical audits and take part in all Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activity in your area.
* Monitor, and report on EQA and IQC procedures and be responsible for corrective action on problems that have been identified.
* Ensure compliance with all legislative and quality requirements of regulatory directives, accreditation bodies, and local management including:
o Care Quality Commission
o UKAS
o Synnovis policies and SOPs
o Any other body in area of responsibility.
* Prepare statistical reports for use in meetings, quality assurance, and development events.
* Develop, prepare, write, and review relevant documents, including SOPs, COSHH and risk assessments in line with the ISO 15189 standard.
* Provide supervision for employees, including participating in the departmental clinical rota, potentially including out of hours cover.
* Ensure that all Synnovis policies and procedures are implemented and maintained.
* Encourage junior employees in their scientific expertise, knowledge and professional development, including the safe use of highly complex and sensitive equipment.
* Deliver training and supervision of less experienced colleagues in your area of specialism.
* Demonstrate professionalism, patience and empathy when explaining complex subjects, and in particular when communicating with people who do not share same level of knowledge or understanding.
* Attend, and where required, chair regular departmental meetings and contribute to effective communication within the department.
* Work closely with Operations Manager to ensure stock inventory compliance.
* Deputise for the Principal or Consultant Clinical Scientist including attendance at meetings, as required.
* Take part in CPD activities to ensure that your practices and knowledge are always relevant and up to date to your specific area.
* Participate in the weekend NBS rota.
Person specification
Qualifications
* First or second-class BSc degree in Clinical Biochemistry (or a related subject). MSc in Clinical Biochemistry/genetics (or a related subject)
* Registration as a Clinical Scientist (Biochemistry/Genetics) with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
* PhD in related subject
Experience
* Working in a Clinical Biochemistry department, including interpretation and validation of patient’s results
* Performing audits
* Writing SOPs and another lab documentation
* Problem solving/troubleshooting
* Performing IQC performance review
* Experience in chromatographic techniques and mass spectrometry
* Experience in basic molecular techniques
* Performing CQI, lean projects
Skills & Knowledge
* Ability to plan and prioritise allocated work
* Ability to lead, motivate and communicate within the team to deliver effective service
* Ability to communicate scientific and organizational information or instructions in writing
* Ability to communicate technical information and results with other health professionals
* Comprehensive understanding of Clinical Biochemistry
* Analytical and clinical understanding of therapeutic drug monitoring and personalized medicine
* Comprehensive understanding of complex chromatography-based techniques
* Understanding of basic genetic concepts
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. All applicants are welcome to apply regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
Our Bank workers enjoy competitive market rates and flexible contract assignments across all of our sites, dependent on your availability and location.
For our Permanent workforce we offer a competitive benefits package.
All employees are entitled to:
* Contributory pension scheme
* Generous annual leave entitlement
Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
Please apply for this post on-line. If you have problems with using the online process, or need any assistance, please email [emailprotected]
Your e-mail address is important to us. We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis.
Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications.
If you decide to apply for this post but do not hear back from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been short-listed on this occasion.
Thank you for your interest in Synnovis.
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