Specialist Biomedical Scientist
At Milton Keynes University Hospital, you will be welcomed into a friendly and supportive environment where teamwork and respect are at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to live our Trust values and behaviours every day, creating a culture where everyone feels heard and valued.
MKUH staff's Motivation and Involvement scores are among the highest in our peer group, showing that our people feel inspired and included in decision-making (Staff Survey, 2024).
Our benefits
We believe in recognising and rewarding the amazing contribution of our staff and that is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, work-life balance, and professional growth, including:
- Free on-site parking including EV charging
- Complimentary refreshments
- Flexible working arrangements
- Discounted gym membership
- Salary sacrifice car scheme
- Generous annual leave, with the option to bank holiday entitlement
- Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme
- On-site nursery (charges apply)
- A wide-ranging staff health and wellbeing programme including EAP
- VIVUP products to support your mental, physical, and financial Wellbeing
Job overview
Specialist Biomedical Scientist
Department Cellular Pathology
Band 6 £39,959 - £48,117 Per annum, pro rata if part-time
Hours Fixed Term Contract, 9 months to cover maternity leave, part time, 32 hours per weekAll MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
IMPORTANT: Suitable candidates must be HCPC registered, possess a BSc in Biomedical Science and have completed the IBMS Specialist Portfolio in Cellular Pathology.
The Cellular Pathology team are seeking to recruit enthusiastic, proactive, and experienced individuals to take up the posts of Specialist Biomedical Scientists. We are advertising one part time 9-month fixed term post (18th of May 2026 to 14th of February 2027).
You will act as a key member of the Cellular Pathology team participating in routine and specialist duties that enable the day-to-day operational delivery of the service. Additionally, you will work as part of a team of scientific and support staff to deliver a diagnostic service that meets accreditation & regulatory requirements to deliver effective patient care.
The successful candidates will be professional with strong technical and troubleshooting skills, and the ability to communicate confidently and effectively with staff at all levels within the organisation.
Interview 18th and 19th May 2026
Main duties of the job
'69.2% feels strongly that their organisation handles staff involved in errors or any incidents fairly and are supported.' ''NHS Survey, 2024''
'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'- To provide a high quality, responsive and comprehensive Cellular Pathology service for the trust and its users.
- To work as part of a team of Biomedical Scientists and support workers, using extensive specialist knowledge and expertise to assist in the provision of all aspects of a Cellular Pathology service.
- Have knowledge and experience of ISO 15189 standards and quality management systems.
- To work with the laboratory management and technical team to ensure compliance with regulatory standards including those of ISO 15189, the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) and screening programmes.
- Help the Cellular Pathology team to meet departmental and trust KPI’s.
- To work in accordance with trust health and safety policy and departmental policies to deliver a safe, high-quality service for its users.
- To comply with clinical governance and risk management policies and ensure all mandatory training is completed in accordance with the trust guidelines.
- Assist with training and education activity.
Working for our organisation
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a “Good” rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards – a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards – and the recently approved Women and Children’s Centre, set to open by 2030.
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Detailed job description and main responsibilities- To establish effective and collaborative working relationships with key staff.
- Always maintain a professional approach to work behaving courteously and with professional maturity.
- To be accountable for your own professional actions and maintain high personal standards of work.
- To organise your daily duties in the provision of a quality service.
- Work in a safe manner in accordance with department and trust health and safety and risk management policies.
- To maintain a high standard of confidentiality and always comply with relevant Trust policies.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Person specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential criteria- HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist
- BSc Biomedical Science or equivalent qualification
- Specialist Portfolio or equivalent
- Specialist scientific knowledge in Cellular Pathology to underpin the technical aspects of service delivery.
- Understanding of ISO 15189 standards for medical laboratories
- Knowledge and understanding of quality assurance.
- Knowledge of professional Health and safety regulations
- Evidence of relevant continued professional development
- Awareness of wider NHS/Pathology initiatives
Experience
Essential criteria- Experience as a HCPC registered BMS in Cellular Pathology
- Extensive experience of routine and specialist histology procedures to include immunohistochemistry.
- Work within scope and limitation of practice.
- Equipment maintenance and troubleshooting.
- Experience of using a LIMS
- Experience of quality management
- Staff training and competency assessment
Skills
Essential criteria- Possess excellent practical skills
- Ability to prioritise and manage conflicting priorities and complete tasks within given timeframes
- Effective team worker
- Good communication and organizational skills
- Proficient IT skills including the use of MS Office software.
- Technical and scientific troubleshooting skills
- Teaching skills
- Use of QMS tools e.g., QPulse
Personal and people development
Essential criteria- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to work under pressure.
- Be confident, diplomatic and have personal & professional maturity.
- Self motivated and patient focused.
- Flexible approach
- Enthusiastic
- Demonstrate reliability and commitment
- Forward thinking
Communication
Essential criteria- Good communication skills including a clear command of written and spoken English.
- Effective listening skills
- Good interpersonal skills.
We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.
By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS.This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.