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Autoclave and Central Discard Supervisor

  • Public sector
  • London
  • 07/02/2025
  • £31,224.00 - £36,176.00 /yearly
  • Full Time & Permanent
Job expired!

Job Overview

Location

London

Job Type

Full Time & Permanent

Salary

£31,224 - £36,176 yearly

Date Posted:

07/02/2025

Expiration date:

23/02/2025

Additional Detail

Job ID

21248

Work Location

Office-based

Job Description

Colindale, London

Job summary

The Media Services department forms part of the Scientific Facilities Division and consists of the Central Technical Discard (CTD) Section and the Production Section.  

CTD is responsible for the provision of a full service for the destruction of all contaminated waste produced on the Colindale site. This service includes the collection of contaminated waste from agreed locations throughout the Colindale building, its transportation to the Media Services central autoclave suite and its thermal destruction. There is also a service for processing of Category 3 waste for a selection of laboratories. The treated material is then processed; glass and other re-cycleable material is washed in the departments wash-up area and waste material for disposal off-site is processed and/or packaged appropriately for collection. In addition to this an equipment washing and sterilisation service is provided for all laboratories on site but particularly the Food, Water and Environmental testing laboratory.   

The Production Section is responsible for the production of ready-to-use culture media and ancillary reagents and distributes pre-poured media to Public Health Microbiology Laboratories.

The Autoclave Supervisor will be responsible for the supervision, and line management, of both the staff and facilities in the Central Technical Discard (CTD) Section, including the sterilisation of internally produced media products and equipment.  Play a key role in writing up safety documents for the department. Co-ordinate team tasks with the Production Supervisor and multi-train in key activities to provide cover.

Working for your 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.  

Job description

  • To participate in the internal and external safety audits.
  • To contribute to the health and safety in the department by carrying out quarterly safety inspection checks for specific areas within the department.
  • Co-operate with the implementation of corrective actions as a result of safety inspections/audits.
  • Initiate remedial actions following safety incidents/accidents.
  • Support Health and Safety Lead in ensuring departmental risk assessments for the department are up to date.
  • Maintain a high standard of work and contribute to developing the services of the department so that service delivery is safe, effective and economical and follows best practice.
  • Contribute to internal and external audit programmes and corrective actions.
  • Assist with the routine standardisation, calibration and testing requirements of the sections equipment and facilities. 
  • Take every effort to suggest quality improvements. 
  • Follow all procedures, policies, rules, regulations and guidelines for all activities to ensure products meet the required standard.
  • Draft and/or review documentation e.g. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and/or work instructions.
  • Complete documentation and records accurately and to a high standard.
  • Work to current regulatory requirements ensuring the section is maintained in a compliant state following SOPs and codes of practice.
  • To deal with customer enquiries.
  • To ensure timely collection and processing of customer discard.
  • To ensure timely processing/delivery of equipment and product sterilisation requests.
  • To process sterilisation requests and generate media re-charges and/or invoices.
  • Train staff in the safe operation and use of autoclaves as required.
  • Develop and maintain good working relationships with staff.
  • Act as line manager for staff in team.
  • Supervise all those working in the area ensuring they work to a safe and quality focused manner.

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

Person specification

Essential criteria - you will be assessed on the below (2) essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.  

  • Education to GCSE level or equivalent experience in aligned field
  • Knowledge of autoclave operation and use
Alongside your salary of £31,224, UK Health Security Agency contributes £9,045 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
  • Learning and development tailored to your role
  • An environment with flexible working options
  • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
  • A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Selection process details

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift 

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (2) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:  

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
  • 800 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.

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 
  • Meets some essential criteria 

Shortlisting:

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

  • Knowledge and experience of autoclave operation and use

All essential and desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates (see attached job description). 

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment  Please do not exceed 800 words.  We will not consider any words over and above this number.  

Feedback will not be provided at this stage. 

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.  

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview at UKHSA Colindale.

Behaviours, technical and experience will be tested at interview. 

There will be a Technical Test at the time of interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

  • Managing a quality service Lead behaviour 
  • Seeing the big picture
  • Leadership
  • Working together 

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  

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

Location 

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

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 must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-terrorist Check.

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. 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.  

Reasonable Adjustments 

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. 

To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. 

An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.  

This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.  

If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:  

Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.  

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/ 

International Police check: 

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check.  This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.   

Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own. 

Careers website: 

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

 



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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Recruitment team

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/

 
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