SYNLAB Pay Band 5
Main area: Biochemistry
Grade: SYNLAB Pay Band 5
Contract: 11 months (Fixed Term)
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: REQ6
Site: Basildon Hospital
Town: Basildon
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 per annum depending on experience
Closing: 16/11/2026 23:59

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.

Job overview
We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Biomedical Scientist in Clinical Biochemistry to join our Blood Sciences team.

Synlab Essex operates over four sites using a hub and spoke model. Our hub site offers a high throughput service for our non-urgent community work, and specialist testing for specific proteins. Our three hospital laboratories at Southend, Basildon and Broomfield provide urgent testing for acute admissions and inpatients. This role is mainly based in Basildon but will involve rotating across sites. Our laboratories receive approximately 1.2 million clinical biochemistry requests per year, on which we do approximately 12 million tests. The main analyser platforms are Beckman Coulter, fully tracked at the hub laboratory, backed up with Roche. The hospital repertoire includes CO2, lactate, osmolality, ammonia, bile acids, troponin T, BNP, xanthochromia, haematinics, therapeutic drugs, thyroid hormones, procalcitonin, prolactin, BHCG and cortisol. The hub laboratory repertoire is more extensive with three different immunoassay platforms. The main IT platform for all sites is Clinisys WinPath Enterprise.

You will need to be flexible to fit in with our multi-site, around the clock shift pattern (unsocial shifts attract additional payments). The environment is fast-paced offering a one-hour turnaround time to acute users, two hours for inpatients and four hours for community requests. You will require specialised knowledge and experience of laboratory techniques, analyser platforms and associated equipment. As a Biomedical Scientist you will independently validate all clinical biochemistry investigations. You will have a role in the training of less experienced employees, and you will be involved in quality management including auditing and document review. You will need to be conversant with the main laboratory information management system and middle-ware applications. We will consider supporting suitable employees through the IBMS specialist diploma.

Main duties of the job
As a Biomedical Scientist you will be responsible for the organisation and functioning of the laboratory and ensuring that the correct procedures are performed. Working a 37.5 hour week, you will be expected to assist with the day-to-day operation of the laboratory as well as maintaining the high standards of quality and current working practices, including technical problem solving of analytical equipment. Participating in the out-of-hours service, which operates 24/7, is essential.

Working for our organisation
SYNLAB UK & Ireland work closely with clinicians, hospitals, occupational health providers and clinical researchers to deliver comprehensive pathology services.

We thrive in diverse environments, which is mirrored in our workforce, clients, customers, suppliers, communities, and partners. We believe that an inclusive workplace culture is essential for attracting and retaining talented individuals, and for building a sustainable, high-performing workforce.

Our staff are crucial to our mission of making a positive impact on healthcare. We foster a culture of continuous personal development, providing scientists and staff with the support and resources needed to acquire new skills and advance their careers through learning and development opportunities, coaching, and clear career pathways.

SYNLAB UK & Ireland is committed to equal opportunities and does not unlawfully discriminate based on any status or condition protected by applicable UK employment law.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key Responsibilities

• Perform and interpret routine and specialist biomedical investigations by participating in regular daily workloads, as directed by management, in line with your skills, experience and competencies.
• Maintain standards of conduct required by the HCPC to practice as a registered Biomedical Scientist.
• Provide technical advice to clinical colleagues as required and within limits of competency.
• Process specimens and handle sensitive information with care and due diligence, such as patient results, in line with local SOPs.
• Propose and implement changes to SOPs, policies and work practice as required.
• Participate in development of new tests, as directed, including alignment with accreditation bodies and local management processes. Where necessary this will include analysing clinical trial samples.
• Participate in verification and validation work when required.
• Observe all safety regulations and ensure others are doing the same. This includes holding people to account when standards fall short of expectations and raising concerns about safety in the laboratory.
• Ensure compliance for your area of work with all legislative and quality requirements of regulatory directives, accreditation bodies, and local management including Care Quality Commission, UKAS, Synlab policies and SOPs, and any other body in area of responsibility.
• Participate in quality management activities including inspections, audits, EQA and IQC procedures as required.
• Utilise the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), Q-Pulse quality management database and other relevant software to ensure high quality reliable data capture and entry.
• Complete data entry accurately to record sensitive patient information, requiring frequent, long period of concentration whilst maintaining patient confidentiality and following Information Governance (IG) guidelines.
• Work closely with colleagues in the quality team to identify best practice and embed a culture of high quality and performance across your area.
• Report all incidents and adverse events to management and enter the information in the CAPA module of Q-pulse in a timely manner as directed, supervising and assisting junior colleagues with the process.
• Demonstrate ongoing laboratory-based competency against training plans.

Person specification
Qualifications (Essential)

• BSc (Hons) IBMS accredited degree or equivalent
• HCPC State registration as a Biomedical Scientist

Experience (Essential)

• 3 years minimum experience of working within a Blood Sciences Laboratory

Skills (Essential)

• Able to work independently, implements and proposes changes to procedures for own work area
• Demonstrates a sound understanding of the physiology, pathology, and scientific principles relevant to specialism
• Demonstrates a high degree of skill and knowledge where interpretation of results can be highly subjective
• Well-developed physical skills, demonstrable ability to use precision equipment and consumables

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
• Ground breaking development opportunities

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 recruitment@synlab.co.uk

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 SYNLAB.

Applicant requirements
This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.

Further details / informal visits contact
Name: Sally Burrows
Job title: Principal BMS
Email address: Sally.burrows@synlab.co.uk

If you have problems applying, contact
SYNLAB, Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Telephone: 01629 702342