Senior Biomedical Scientist - Dissection Specialist

Job summary
Senior Biomedical Scientist - Dissection Specialist
Department: Cellular Pathology
Band 7: £49,387 and £56,515 Per annum, pro rata
Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
The Histopathology department at #TeamMKUH have recently had a business case approved to expand our workforce due to our popular and growing services. As the demand for pathology services increases, we are investing in our workforce, welcoming talented Biomedical Scientists, Assistant Technician Officers, administrator staff and other registered healthcare professionals who bring fresh expertise and innovation to the department.
Interview date: W/C 24th of August 2026

Main duties of the job
The Cellular Pathology department is seeking to recruit an enthusiastic, proactive, and experienced individual to take up the post of Senior Biomedical Scientist Dissection Specialist in our professional and friendly team.

The individual will be a key member of the Cellular Pathology management team assisting in the day-to-day operational delivery of the Cellular Pathology service, working closely with the Cellular Pathology Operational and Laboratory Managers and Consultant Histopathologists. You will have experience of performing specimen dissection, RCPath categories A - D and will assist in leading and developing the BMS dissection service.

The successful candidate will be a professional with strong technical, troubleshooting, and decision-making skills and the ability to communicate confidently and effectively. Additionally, you will assist in directing a team of scientific and support staff to deliver a diagnostic service that meets accreditation & regulatory requirements to deliver effective patient care and resource management.

About us
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. We have just opened the Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards.

Further investment is underway, including the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.

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Job responsibilities
NHS Staff Survey: Our Health and Safety Climate score outperforms the national average, showing our commitment to creating a safe, healthy, and supportive environment for all.

In conjunction with the other Senior Biomedical Scientists Leadership / Management

• To establish effective and collaborative working relationships with key staff including the Consultant Histopathologists.
• Lead by example.
• Always maintain a professional approach to work behaving courteously and with professional and emotional maturity.
• To be accountable for your own professional actions and maintain high personal standards of work.

Please refer to attached Job description for further information.

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.
MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once enough 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.
Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.

Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential

• HCPC registered Biomedical Scientist
• BSc Biomedical Science or equivalent in a relevant field
• MSc or equivalent postgraduate qualification in a relevant Biomedical Science field
• Comprehensive specialist scientific knowledge in Cellular Pathology to underpin the technical aspects of service delivery
• Extensive knowledge of ISO 15189 standards for medical laboratories
• Knowledge of laboratory training and competency requirements
• Knowledge of quality assurance
• Knowledge of professional Health and Safety legislation / requirements
• Knowledge of GDPR requirements
• Evidence of relevant continued professional development
• Awareness of wider NHS/Pathology initiatives

Desirable

• Membership of the IBMS
• Hold the IBMS Diploma of Expert Practice in Histological Dissection
• Management qualification

Experience
Essential

• Post HCPC registration experience as a Specialist Biomedical Scientist (Band 6) within Cellular Pathology
• Experience of performing histological dissection of specimen categories A-D
• External assessment by UKAS
• Experience as a trainer / mentor
• Experience in quality audits
• Incident investigation

Desirable

• Experience as a team leader at Band 7

Skills
Essential

• Ability to manage conflicting priorities and complete tasks within given timeframes
• Be able to organise the workload of the laboratory
• Excellent practical and technical skills in Cellular Pathology laboratory techniques
• Experience of performing Category A-D specimen dissection
• Ability to troubleshoot problems under pressure
• Ability to manage difficult situations and pressures
• Proficient IT skills including the use of MS Office software.
• Use of QMS tools e.g., QPulse
• Technical and scientific troubleshooting skills
• Change control / management skills
• Ability to analyse complex laboratory results and provide appropriate advice to service users

Personal and people development
Essential

• Proven leadership / management skills
• Motivational skills
• Self-motivated and patient focused
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Be confident, diplomatic and have personal & professional maturity.
• Flexible approach
• Enthusiastic
• Demonstrate reliability and commitment
• Commitment to service development and quality improvement

Desirable

• Perform annual joint review
• Forward thinking

Communication
Essential

• Good communication skills including a clear command of written and spoken English
• Good interpersonal skills
• Effective listening skills
• Effective trainer, modifying the approach as appropriate
• Able to present complex information to colleagues with differing knowledge and ability levels

Desirable

• Effective communication with auditors
• Customer care / service user skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.