Job summary
Applications are invited from proactive, motivated, enthusiastic, HCPC Registered Specialist Biomedical Scientists to join the Microbiology Department, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Candidates for the specialist role are required to hold an IBMS specialist portfolio in microbiology.

The post holders would be working 37.5 hours/week over 7 days, out of hours and on-call. Participation in the discipline specific on-call service will be required. Rostered Late shifts (12:00 20:00), Saturdays, Sundays and Bank holidays (08:00- 16:00) rota as required.

The Department provides Microbiology services (including Serology and Molecular) to the population of Worcestershire.

The Microbiology Department receives approximately 690,000 specimens per year. The department currently uses the Clinsys Winpath computer LIMS system and iPassport QMS.

This is a modern well equipped laboratory, with a range of automation including the Biomerieux MALDI-TOF, Vitek, and Virtuo Blood culture analysers, the Sedimax Urine analyser, Mast Urisystem, the VIDAS 3, COBAS 6800 and Cepheid GeneXpert system.

The Department has UKAS accreditation. It is approved by the IBMS as a training laboratory. The Department has a proven track record in training and is committed to further education and personal development of staff through CPD and post-registration training.

Main duties of the job
Amongst other duties will include:

• To be responsible for the work carried out in the designated section, supervising Biomedical Scientists, associate practitioners and MLA staff, ensuring work is completed in line with service requirements
• To perform pre-analytical preparation of specimens including matching of specimens and data entry of patient and specimen information into the Laboratory IT system with accuracy.
• Analyse potentially infectious samples using a range of highly specialised laboratory procedures, by either manual or automated techniques, to produce results of a quality consistent with excellent patient care. Undertakes these duties in all areas of the Department.
• Carries out troubleshooting and preventative maintenance on highly complex automated systems. Ensures appropriate records are kept and liaises with senior staff and service engineers where appropriate.
• To handle potentially highly infectious material and known highly infectious material, containing Hazard Group 2 and 3 pathogens, in order to perform subjective interpretation of diagnostic investigations and be responsible for the validity of own results.

About us
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester.

Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

• Being open and honest
• Ensuring people feel cared for
• Showing respect to everyone

We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation, meaning we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

DBS Checks and Costs
Any applicants who are offered posts requiring a DBS check as part of their employment check will have the cost of this check (at the current rate) deducted from their salary. Please see link in Supporting Information section for more details on DBS checks and costs.

Details
Date posted: 29 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: C9365-26-0835
Job location: Charles Hastings Way, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR5 1DD, United Kingdom

Person Specification
Experience - Essential

• Demonstrate post HCPC registration Laboratory experience
• Specialist knowledge in an NHS microbiology Laboratory.
• Participates in CPD maintaining up to date knowledge in microbiology.
• Understands good laboratory practice and laboratory Health and Safety.

Experience - Desirable

• Has participated in out of hours and on on-call
• Experience in Mycology
• Experience in Parasitology
• Good communication skills within the team and users of the department
• Can carry out troubleshooting on equipment or procedures.

Qualifications - Essential

• Registration with HCPC as a Biomedical Scientist
• IBMS Specialist Portfolio Bacteriology

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Microbiology Manager, Ruksarna Hussein-Jackson, Ruksarna.hussein-jackson@nhs.net, 01905760192

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions. Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.