About the job

Summary

The Culture Collections is a Biological Resource Centre that provides a service maintaining and supplying strains of cultured cells and microorganisms for public health research. It is structured as a fully integrated service, underpinning science with significant scientific, manufacturing and business activities and operates from laboratories across UKHSA and from a specialist cryo-storage facility on the Porton and Colindale site.

Job description

To take delegated duties from NCTC senior staff, following agreed protocols and policies in accordance with the UKHSA policies and procedures, seeking advice where appropriate from senior staff.

Responsibilities

To enable and implement all NCTC laboratory operations including: the cultivation, manufacturing and freeze-drying banking of all NCTC strains; the testing and quality control of manufactured batches; the maintenance of manufacturing and test records; the reception and banking of incoming, new strains.

Also, to support other NCTC operations as required from time to time including materials acquisition; product packaging and shipping and general product and laboratory support.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role

• An environment with flexible working options

• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

• A Civil Service pension

Things you need to know

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement / Statement of Suitability.

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and achievements, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria outlined in the Person specification.

You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history .

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised criteria.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase.

Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase.

Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.

Interview Date

Interviews will be held 7th April 2022. Please note, these dates are subject to change.

Reserve List

Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be contacted if similar roles become available.

Near Miss

If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

You must be a habitual resident in the UK to apply for this role and your home address, from which you would undertake this role if successful, must be in the UK

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals