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NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is one of the largest healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 40,000 staff across a wide range of clinical and non-clinical professions and roles. We deliver acute hospital, primary, community and mental health services to a population of over 1.15 million people, and to a wider population of 2.2 million when regional and national services are included.The RoleSpecialist Biomedical Scientists (BMS) in Virology provide specialist services and are responsible for the performance of scientific procedures used for screening purposes and in the investigation and diagnosis of viral infection. A variety of the most up to date scientific methods and technologies are used to examine various sample types, including highly specialised serological and molecular techniques, such as antigen, antibody detection, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing. The post is based at the Virology Laboratory at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary Hospital, Glasgow which is a state of the art facility, processing around 500,000 specimens per annum. Many of the tests employed use highly complex analysers such as the Abbott Alinity i and Alinity M platforms, Roche extraction platforms and Roche Light Cyclers, Applied Biosystems real time PCR, Diasorin Liaison and BioMérieux analysers, and Sanger & Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) equipment, The laboratory holds UKAS accreditation for ISO 15189 standards.Duration, Location, and Working Pattern: Glasgow Royal InfirmaryThe Virology Department operates an out-of-hours 24/7 operational service, and the post holder will have a contractual requirement to participate in the rota for the out-of-hours serviceThis involves working 36 hours over 7 days, with hours worked at evenings, weekends, and public holidaysParticipation in the emergency on-call service working between 8pm and 8am, Monday to Sunday as part of the out-of-hours rotaKey ResponsibilitiesDeliver an efficient and high quality Virology service that directly supports effective patient carePerform routine and specialist virology investigations in line with departmental procedures and quality standardsSupervise, instruct, train and act as a mentor to less experienced biomedical scientists and support staffProvide specialist advice and guidance to service users on available tests and analytical processesEnsure accurate recording, validation and reporting of results using laboratory information systemsContribute to service improvement, quality assurance and audit activity within the departmentMaintain safe working practices and comply with all health, safety and infection control requirementsKnowledge, training, qualifications and/or experience required to do the job: IBMS accredited BSc Honours degree in Biomedical Sciences or equivalentRegistration with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Biomedical Scientist or near completion of HCPC registrationKnowledge and experience of working in a virology or diagnostic laboratory environmentAbility to train, support and mentor colleagues and contribute positively to team developmentStrong analytical skills with excellent attention to detail and accuracyEffective communication skills with the confidence to provide specialist advice and guidanceCommitment to continuous professional development and delivering high quality patient focused servicesWhat We OfferWe offer a wide range of supportive policies designed to enhance your employee journey, including a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, Cycle to Work Scheme, bursary scheme and extensive learning and development opportunities.As an NHS Scotland employee, you will be entitled to:A minimum of 27 days annual leave, increasing with length of service, plus public holidaysMembership of the NHS Pension Scheme, including life insurance benefitsSalary Sacrifice Car Benefit Scheme Development opportunities including study bursaries, e-learning and classroom-based coursesEnhanced pay for working public holidaysNHS discounts on a wide range of goods and servicesConfidential employee support and assistance, including counselling and psychological therapiesInterested?If you would like to find out more, we would love to hear from you.For An Informal Discussion, Please ContactLaboratory Manager, Pamela Saunders, Pamela.Saunders@nhs.scot, 01412429646Details on how to contact the Recruitment Service and the Recruitment Process: Information for candidatesThis post may close early due to the volume of response. Please submit your application form as soon as possible. Due to the volume of applications that we receive, we will not be able to provide shortlisting feedback. AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application, but your answers must be your own.Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you, not an AI tool.NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) recognises the importance of work-life balance and is committed to offering a range of flexible working options where service needs allow. For roles where less than full-time hours can be accommodated, and where the tenure is listed as “various”, we encourage applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements. Flexible working will be included as a topic for discussion during the recruitment process.NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde encourages applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and are proud of the diverse workforce we employ.By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, NHSGGC has pledged its commitment to being a Forces Friendly Employer. We welcome applications from across the Armed Forces Community and recognise military skills, experience and qualifications throughout the recruitment and selection process.For application portal or log-in issues, please contact the Jobtrain Support Hub in the first instance.
