Biochemist jobs

Job summary

• Good Honours degree in Biochemistry or equivalent.
• Research qualification / Higher degree such as PhD.
• MSc in Clinical Biochemistry.
• Completion of part 1 FRCPath
• Successful completion of an approved training scheme in Clinical Biochemistry.
• A commitment to Further and Continuing Professional Development.

Main duties, tasks & skills required

To effectively liaise with clinical staff and other healthcare workers to provide advice on the appropriate use of the clinical biochemistry service.

To work and communicate effectively as part of a team.

To promote and maintain close links with appropriate clinical departments and teams including if appropriate attendance at ward rounds and MDT's.

To develop and strengthen existing links between Clinical Biochemistry and its users by providing, receiving and acting on information that may be highly complex.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Job description

Technical

Depending on training needs you will spend time in all areas of the SPS Laboratories pertinent to Clinical Biochemistry to allow competence to be achieved in the following:

To safely handle blood, urine, faeces, other body tissue, and hazardous chemicals.

To ensure that appropriate preventative maintenance is carried out on laboratory instruments and equipment in the specialist sections prior to them being used for patient investigations.

To ensure that reagents are prepared, stored and used according to manufacturer and laboratory procedures.

To perform complex manual, semi-automated and fully automated laboratory investigations.

To be responsible for monitoring quality control of the analytes measured in the specialist sections and ensure that appropriate action is taken where required.

To measure and monitor the accuracy and imprecision of laboratory investigations using appropriate quality control procedures.

To undertake validation of the results from laboratory investigations to ensure accuracy and precision as specified by laboratory quality procedures and protocols.

To investigate and take corrective action when quality control or assurance procedures indicate loss of performance of the laboratory instruments or methods.

In the event of a service failure to take appropriate action to safeguard patient sample integrity, to identify priority work and where necessary to seek alternative arrangements for service provision.

To troubleshoot faults in complex laboratory instrumentation.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Good Honours degree in Biochemistry or equivalent.
• Research qualification / Higher degree such as PhD.
• MSc in Clinical Biochemistry.
• Completion of part 1 FRCPath
• Successful completion of an approved training scheme in Clinical Biochemistry.
• A commitment to Further and Continuing Professional Development.

Desirable

Please see the attached JD

Experience

Essential

Please see the attached JD

Additional Criteria

Essential

Please see the attached JD

UK Professional Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

For help with your application, contact:

Sadie Thomas

sadie.thomas@somersetft.nhs.uk