Microbiological High Containment Lab Manager

Are you passionate about health and safety and facility management, have strong organisational skills and are great at building positive working-relationships? Do you want to play a part in protecting the UK against some of the most serious threats?

We have a vacancy for a Microbiological High Containment Laboratory Manager who will ensure that the research within our high-hazard workplaces is carried out safely and fulfils all applicable legislative and regulatory requirements.

As a Workplace Manager in Dstl you will be suitably qualified and trained to manage the operation of a defined workplace(s), specific activities and their related hazards. You will also role provide the key interface between the setting of work requirements and the implementation into a facility or work area.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

We particularly welcome female and ethnic minority applicants and those from the LGBTQI community, as they are under-represented within Dstl at these levels.

In this role

You will be working alongside our world leading scientists, and in close liaison with facility management providers, integral to ensuring the safety and upkeep of our high-containment (ACDP level 4) laboratory facilities. This will involve working as part of a highly skilled team to ensure compliance with a wide range of regulatory partners and statutory requirements (i.e. HSE, ACDP, SAPO, ACGM and HTA).

You will be a part of the wider management team responsible for safe systems of working.

You will allocate work space in microbiology laboratories to scientists and ensure these spaces are safe and fit for purpose.

You will ensure that all defects and breakdowns relating to the workplace and building infrastructure, are reported to the facility management provider in a timely manner.

You will liaise closely with the facility management provider to ensure that all reactive and preventative maintenance is closely co-ordinated to ensure both the safety of all personnel, whilst minimising down time.

You will ensure hazards and risks arising from the activities are as low as reasonably practicable. This includes assuring that users and visitors are proficient to work, and ensuring that waste is stored and disposed of correctly.

You will be responsible for ensuring the laboratory equipment is safe to use and fit for purpose.

In liaison with the facility management provider, you will make certain that statutory and internal inspections are completed at specified intervals and any identified actions are addressed.

You will act as the point of contact within the workplace for Health, Safety, Environmental, and Security issues.

You will be required to support out-of-hours emergency call-out cover as required (subject to additional payment).

Knowledge, Skills & Experience Required:
Essential

Extensive experience of working within microbiological high-containment ACDP level 3 or 4.

Experience of hazard management, risk assessment and risk management at high-containment ACDP level 3 or 4.

Experience of providing advice on Health, Safety and Environmental matters.

Desirable

NEBOSH/IOSH accreditation; where the applicant does not hold this qualification they must be willing to study for and obtain it within 12 months.

ISTR Biosafety Practitioner Level 1

Experience of regulatory inspections and licensing. 

Personal Qualities:
Ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders
Ability to influence and lead others
Ability to collate and translate information from a range of areas
Ability to work with others as part of a team

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Qualifications

NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety / IOSH Managing Safety.  Where the applicant does not already hold this qualification they will be required to study for and obtain it within 12 months.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits 

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

• Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.

• Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).  Note this WPM post requires a daily physical presence in the laboratory therefore the options above are limited but can be discussed at interview.

• Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.

• Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.

• Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.

• Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid

• Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.

• Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.

This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.

Job contact :

• Name : Dstl Recruitment Team
• Email : dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk