Laboratory IT Lead
Job reference: 258616
Salary: Band 6 (£43,231 - £52,679)
Job closing date: 15/11/2026
Job Type: Healthcare Sciences
Location: The Balfour
Employment type: Permanent
Hours Per Week: 36
Job posted date: 16/10/2026
Employer (NHS Board): NHS Orkney
Department: Laboratory

About the Organisation:
NHS Orkney is committed to delivering excellent care to our 22,000 residents. Whether you're new to the NHS or bringing experience from elsewhere, your skills will make a real difference.

Our modern healthcare facility, The Balfour, brings together inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient clinics, diagnostics, GP practices and the Scottish Ambulance Service. We're also investing in services across our outer isles, ensuring high-quality care reaches every corner of Orkney.

We are guided by our core values that shape everything we do – Open and honest, Respect and Kindness – from how we care for our patients to how we support each other as colleagues.

About Orkney:
With over 70 islands – 20 of them inhabited – Orkney offers a unique blend of natural beauty, close-knit community and an opportunity for adventure. From dramatic coastlines and rare wildlife to rich cultural traditions and active lifestyles, it's a place where compassion thrives and every day brings something new. Regularly named one of the UK's best places to live, Orkney offers a lifestyle that's both fulfilling and inspiring.

The Position:
As the Laboratory IT Lead, you will be responsible for the strategic management, maintenance, support and ongoing development of the laboratory's information systems, ensuring they operate safely, effectively and reliably to support the delivery of high-quality diagnostic services. You will lead on the management of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and other associated laboratory applications, ensuring systems remain fit for purpose and aligned with operational and regulatory requirements.

Working closely with system suppliers and the NHS Orkney Information Technology Department, you will oversee the optimisation of laboratory IT systems and integrations, driving continuous improvement and ensuring continuity of service across the laboratory. You will act as the principal point of contact for laboratory information systems, providing expert technical guidance and support to users while promoting best practice in system use and governance.

The postholder will be responsible for maintaining and developing Standard Operating Procedures relating to laboratory information systems and will support service improvement through the production, analysis and interpretation of workload, performance and epidemiological data. As the laboratory's lead specialist for digital systems, you will also represent NHS Orkney on regional and national laboratory IT and informatics groups, contributing to the development of future laboratory information systems and helping to shape best practice across NHS Scotland.

The Candidate:
You will be educated to degree level in Biomedical Science, Information Technology or a related discipline, with significant experience of laboratory information systems and the management, configuration and support of complex IT systems. You will have a strong understanding of NHS and laboratory environments, including the use of information to support service delivery, performance monitoring and decision-making.

The successful candidate will have practical experience of database administration and querying, including the use of SQL, alongside experience of IT project delivery, change management and training others. You will be a confident user of Microsoft Office applications and be able to develop clear and effective Standard Operating Procedures.

With excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, you will be capable of troubleshooting complex technical issues and communicating specialist information effectively to technical, scientific and non-specialist audiences. A high level of professionalism, attention to detail and an understanding of data protection principles and the handling of confidential patient information are essential.

Location, Working Pattern and Contract Duration:
This post will be based at The Balfour
The successful candidate will work: Full Time 36 hours per week
This post is Permanent
It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NHS Orkney.

Benefits and Salary:
Did you know NHS Scotland salaries are higher than those in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland?

The salary for this post is Band 6 and if residing on Orkney, you'll also receive a Distant Islands Allowance of £1,719 pro rata per annum, adding extra value to your rewarding career with us.

NHS Orkney also offers an attractive pension scheme, wide range of work life balance policies, employee assistance programme and various discounts to both local and national retailers.

Further Information:
If you share our vision and are ready to be part of Team Orkney, we'd love to hear from you. Your rewarding career starts here!

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during your application. If there are additional requirements you would like to request, please contact ork.recruitment@nhs.scot

For further guidance on the recruitment process and tips for creating a strong application, please refer to our Candidate Application Pack.

To find out more about this opportunity please contact Lorna Wilson, Laboratory Manager on lorna.wilson8@nhs.scot

This post is subject to a Disclosure Scotland check.

NHS Orkney is an equal opportunities employer committed to advancing equality and particularly welcomes applications from groups of people currently underrepresented within the workforce. We are a committed participant in the Disability Confident Leader Scheme and guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for our vacancies.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Candidates should provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools, or other third-party assistance to generate, draft, or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced or altered by AI or similar technologies.

Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the application process.

Please note this advert may close early if sufficient applications are received.