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Job summary

Main area
Undergraduate Placement
Grade
Civil Service: Administrative Assistant (AA)
Contract
Fixed term: 12 months (FTC 15/09/2025 – 28/08/2026)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
  • Job share
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
919-GB-309395-EXT
Employer
UK Health Security Agency
Employer type
Public (Non NHS)
Site
Colindale
Town
Colindale, London
Salary
£26,593 per annnum, pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
24/03/2025 23:59

Employer heading

UK Health Security Agency logo

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science Undergraduate Placement Student

Civil Service: Administrative Assistant (AA)

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:

  • Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
  • Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
  • Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
  • Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
  • Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.

Job overview

UKHSA, Colindale is offering work placement opportunities to second year undergraduates studying an IBMS accredited Biomedical Science or Healthcare Science (Life Science) degree (Hons).

This is an exciting opportunity, offering a 50-week placement in one of the laboratories within Public Health Microbiology, Colindale. During your placement you will have the opportunity to:

  • Complete the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio for the Certificate of Competence, leading to registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Biomedical Scientist. 
  • Attend the in-house tutorial programme, seminars, scientific meetings and courses held on-site.
  • Enhance your scientific and technical skills and knowledge, writing and personal skills such as communication, team working and time-management. 

The placements on offer are positioned within the Reference Laboratories on the Colindale site.

Note: vaccinations will be required for some of these roles, as per the individual job hazard profiles

Main duties of the job

  • Process specimens received and undertake the related tasks in the various sections of the laboratory, leading to the reporting and interpretation of results in accordance with agreed policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) 
  • Contribute to the proper storage and management of the laboratory specimens 
  • Keeping accurate, legible and up-to-date records of work carried out in the laboratory 
  • Contribute to routine maintenance of all equipment, which will include high cost, complex equipment requiring calibration and regular maintenance 
  • To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance as well as the in-house tutorial programme 
  • Daily duties and responsibilities will vary depending on unit

For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, please refer to the attached Job Description. 

Working for our organisation

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.   

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.  

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Essential criteria - you will be assessed on the below (8) essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.  

  • Registered on an IBMS-accredited BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science or Healthcare Science (Life Sciences) degree
  • Currently in second year of study
  • Has an interest in microbiology
  • Has an interest in a career as a biomedical scientist
  • Experienced in using equipment commonly found in a microbiology laboratory
  • Ability to work effectively as part of a team
  • An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust.
  • Able to follow instructions – written and oral

Selection Process Details: 

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience, Technical skills. 

Stage 1: Application & Sift  

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (8) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:  

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) 

  • 750 word Statement of Suitability.  

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.  

The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.  

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of: 

  • Meets all essential criteria 
  • Meets some essential criteria 
  • Meets no essential criteria  

The following will be taken through to the next stage:

  • Meets all essential criteria  

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following:

  • Registered on an IBMS-accredited BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science or Healthcare Science (Life Sciences) degree
  • Currently in second year of study
  • Has an interest in a career as a biomedical scientist
  • Has an interest in microbiology

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment 

Please do not exceed 750 wordsWe will not consider any words over and above this number. 

Feedback will not be provided at this stage. 

Stage 2: Interview 

You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.

Behaviours, technical, experience, and strengths will be tested at interview.  

 

 The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be 

  • Seeing the bigger picture
  • Communicating and influencing
  • Working together
  • Delivering at pace

Interviews will be held week commencing 14th April 2025. Please note, these dates are subject to change. 

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. 

Eligibility Criteria - External  

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).  

Location 

This role is being offered as office/lab based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale.

Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

If based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should 
normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.   

Successful candidates will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as a minimum with willingness and capability to work towards Counter Terrorism Check (CTC clearance. 

You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years to obtain Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting at this higher level and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice. 

Person specification

Application form and statement of suitability

Essential criteria
  • Application form and statement of suitability

Behaviours

Essential criteria
  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Delivering at Pace

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Purple SpaceApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerThe Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei) is the UK's leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion issues in the workplace.Carer Confident -AccomplishedHappy to Talk Flexible Working

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Gurkamal Bhambra
Job title
Resourcing
Email address
[email protected]
Additional information

For information regarding the role please contact - [email protected]

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