Assistant Scientific Officer - Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom - Animal and Plant Health Agency

Animal and Plant Health Agency
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Verified Company
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

1 month ago

Tom O´Connor

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Tom O´Connor

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Description

Details:


Reference number:


Salary:

- £23,811
  • Prorata for job share
  • A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
    Job grade:


  • Administrative Officer

  • Assistant Scientific Officer
    Contract type:
  • Permanent
    Business area:
  • APHA
  • Science
  • Surveillance and Laboratory Services Department (SLSD)
    Type of role:
  • Science
    Working pattern:
  • Fulltime, Job share, Parttime
    Number of jobs available:
  • 1Contents
Location

About the job


Benefits:

Things you need to know

Location

  • NewcastleuponTyneAbout the job

Job summary:

Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare?
If so, we would love to hear from you


The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government.

Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.


The duties of a scientist /technician in APHA laboratories will include sample testing in order to establish the diagnosis of animal disease, monitoring animal health, screening for incursion of exotic disease, and performing statutory testing.

A wide variety of tests are undertaken utilising serology, microbiology, parasitology and molecular biology techniques.

All work is undertaken in a minimum of Containment level 1 facilities, with some work being undertaken at the higher containment levels.

The job involves working with pathogens and hazardous samples, and must be undertaken following safe working practices as specified in instructions and safety documentation.

All laboratories perform to ISO 17025 standards, and all work must conform to these standards.

The APHA operate a network of laboratories offering different test portfolios at each site, requiring the job holder to understand the wider role of the department, and how this fits with other departments of the wider agency.


This is a permanent post, and we will provide you with an extensive training and development programme to support you in your role and achieving your career ambitions.

Part of this training and development programme will be to provide you with a fully funded Level 6 Laboratory Scientist Apprenticeship with BSc in BioSciences in conjunction with Middlesex University.


Job description:


Working as part of a cross department team of veterinary, laboratory and administration staff to deliver testing results to internal and external customers.

The work undertaken can be varied and may range from registering submissions on the LIMS IT system, undertaking repetitious tasks, to undertaking testing that requires specialist and demanding technical ability.

Laboratory staff are required to liaise with other agency laboratories and may be required to communicate with external customers.

Laboratory scientists are required to gain a high level of competency in all technical disciplines undertaken at the laboratory and are required to work in different areas of the laboratory involving different disciplines on a rotational basis to provide testing cover where it is needed


Duties include:

Gamma Interferon:

  • Ensure all samples received for gamma testing are processed as efficiently as possible.
  • Stimulation of high volumes of whole blood samples.
  • Carry out ELISA testing.

Media Production:

  • Preparation of solid and liquid culture media.

Salmonella:

  • Ensure all samples received for Salmonella and animal byproducts testing are processed as required.

Animal by products:

  • Ensure all samples received for Salmonella and animal byproducts testing are processed as required.

General:

  • Receipt and despatch of samples on a LIMS system.
  • Recording test data and findings.
  • Housekeeping duties.
  • Preparation of critical test reagents.
  • Disposal of samples and spent reagents.
  • Use of lab equipment, autoclave, pipettes etc.
  • Keeping line management informed of problems/ anomalies.

Health and safety:

  • Contributing to a positive safety culture by following Agency safety policies and procedures.
  • Understanding and following controls in Risk Assessments.
  • Ensuring equipment maintenance duties are carried out in all areas of the laboratory.
  • Participate in contingency exercises and other safety training.
  • Participate in safety audits/ inspections to support the local safety manager.

Quality:

  • Accurate record keeping.
  • Working to Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Working to quality standards (ISO
  • Participate in proficiency testing schemes.
  • Participate in audits to support the local quality manager.

Person specification:


The post holder will be required to:

  • Work to Agency safety and quality standards.
  • Test submissions using scientific techniques used in APHA
  • Provide supp
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