Senior Tissue Handling Technician - Lab Team Lead

Contract type: Fixed term for 36 months

Hours: Part-time (0.8 FTE)

About the role

We are looking for a Senior Tissue Handling Technician - Lab Team Lead to join the NDS Bioresource and lead the OCHRe laboratory team providing end-to-end histopathology services. This role offers an exciting opportunity to use your advanced microtomy expertise and excellent leadership skills to make a real difference to the functionality and efficiency of clinical research biobanks and to the delivery of research results.

As part of this highly dynamic and varied role, you will be overseeing and providing services for consent checking, sample acquisition, embedding, processing, cutting, and allocation of histopathological material. In addition to your technical role, you will be responsible for the management of a team of tissue handling technicians, providing training and professional development support for the team, and for ensuring the smooth running of the laboratory.

You will work closely with the Governance Manager and Biobank Coordinator to lead technical team meetings and allocate work within your team. You will be based at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust sites; specifically, the John Radcliffe Hospital, with regular travel to the Churchill Hospital. While there will be some opportunity for remote working, it is expected that you would be on site a minimum of 3 days per week.

Your responsibilities will include ensuring the smooth running of the laboratory, coordinating equipment maintenance and resource provision, in addition to maintaining clear oversight of HTA-governed sample storage areas. This will also involve close coordination with the Biobank coordinator and biobanking (fresh tissue acquisition) team. You will be carrying out a variety of histological techniques, including cassetting, tissue embedding, microtomy and cryotomy, block punches and TMA building, and maintain competency according relevant SOP’s and research protocols. You will also be expected to supervise and line manage a team of tissue handling technicians in order to facilitate the delivery of samples in a timely manner.

About you 

An experienced tissue handling technician, you are expected to have advanced microtomy skills and experience training and supervising junior members of staff. The successful candidate will hold an undergraduate degree in biomedical science (BMS) or equivalent experience. You will have exceptional data entry skills and experience of developing and implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and performing Risk Assessments. As the Lab Team Lead it is essential that you have proven work experience in a laboratory performing histological techniques and practical ability in basic molecular laboratory skills. You will also require the ability to plan and manage your own work schedule and those of a team, and remain adaptable to changing priorities.

This part-time post (0.8FTE) is available immediately and is fixed-term for 36 months in the first instance. For a full list of responsibilities and selection criteria please refer to the attached Job Description.

Application Process

If you would like to discuss this role please contact Danielle Fairbrass at danielle.fairbrass@nds.ox.ac.uk.

Applications for this vacancy to be made online. You will be required to upload a supporting statement, setting out how you meet the selection criteria, curriculum vitae and the names and contact details of two referees as part of your online application. Please quote reference NDSA960 on all correspondence. 

Only applications received before noon Tuesday 20 May 2025 can be considered. Interviews will be held Thursday 29 May 2025.

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