Project Team Leader Phage

The Countermeasures Development and Evaluation Centre is based at Porton and has approximately 250 staff, performing a range of research activities, including high containment level work. The department's work covers a broad range of projects involving vaccine and therapeutic discovery, evaluation, development, and research.

The Antimicrobial Development, Discovery and Diagnostics (AD3) team sits in the Countermeasures Development, Evaluation and Preparedness Division in the Public Health Microbiology Directorate within the Chief Scientific Officer Group. Its work focuses on the discovery, development and evaluation of antimicrobial therapies directed at UKHSA priority pathogens, with a particular focus on AMR/emerging pathogens.

The post holder will provide specialist laboratory skills in support of the bacteriophage 'integrated pathway' programme, which is developing a phage service to support clinical use of phage in the UK (including an in house phage library). The post holder will also contribute towards developing novel phages susceptibility testing methods and supporting UK based phage manufacture.

Responsibilities

• Lead the project team or project area to ensure that the project operates to a high scientific standard using current methods.
• Lead the team in developing and validating novel phage susceptibility methods.
• Implement and utilise a range of methods, assays, techniques in support of all activities associated with the project aimed to ensure project targets are met.
• Responsibility for the provision of reagents and consumables required for the project and documented storage of materials generated.
• Establish links and collaborations within and outside the UKHSA as necessary to benefit the project and/or department.
• Take lead responsibility for the supervision and training of junior staff allocated to the project, including line management of junior staff.
• Provide reports through analysis of data using software and databases as necessary, to meet project targets and lead on preparation of presentations and publications.
• Undertake any other duties required by the line manager and the Head of CDEP, commensurate with grade.
• Undertake all assigned work in accordance with the UKHSA Risk Management Systems, policies, and procedures.
• Undertake work in accordance with UKHSA Health and Safety policies and procedures and to work within any Quality Systems that are applicable to the site.
• Fulfil the requirements of UKHSA Behaviours.
• Ensure lab supervisors within team achieve and maintain health and safety competence as lab supervisors in line with UKHSA policy and guidance.
• Achieve and maintain own and team's health and safety competence set out in UKHSA Policies.
• Comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures.
• The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager.
• The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and UKHSA.
• It should be noted that the work of the department is of a confidential nature and must not be communicated to other persons except where required for authorised purposes.

Qualifications

• Biomedical or Biological Science BSc and Relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a microbiological research setting.
• Practical experience in the evaluation of antimicrobial therapies, including phage.
• Experience of working in an ACDP containment level 2 laboratory environment.
• Experience of grant writing.
• Experience of working flexibly and independently within a team.
• Registration (or working towards registration) as a Biomedical Scientist or Clinical Scientist.
• Molecular microbiology skills.
• Experience of working with bacteriophage.
• Experience engaging with external stakeholders.
• Publication record.
• Experience or understanding of working within a regulated environment (e.g., ISO9001, GCP).

About us

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.

Salary and Benefits

£41,983 to £48,128 per annum, pro rata.

Contract

Fixed term.

Duration

36 months.

Working pattern

Full time, Part time, Job share, Flexible working.

Eligibility Criteria External

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

Security Clearance

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter terrorist Check.