Job overview

The Immunophenotyping Laboratory would like to recruit an enthusiastic, responsible and self-motivated Senior Assistant Technical Officer (SATO) to support the dedicated team within the Southeast Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service (SE-HMDS).  This role carries opportunities to enrich scientific and technical skills as well as gain a plethora of experience in a leading haemato-oncology service.  Training and development is a key focus of the organisation and one that is actively encouraged within the department.  There is an abundance of CPD activities offered on-site at Kings and within Viapath including case reviews, forums, journal clubs, study days and pioneering talks from both internal and external speakers.  There is also a keen interest in service development which is supported by various funds and collaborators as we endeavour to continue to provide a fit-for-purpose service to our patients.  

There is culture of continuous quality improvement that applies to both staff and laboratory development. As part of a fully-integrated diagnostic service, the post holder will work closely with the clinical teams as well as the other laboratories that make up the SE-HMDS; Immunophenotyping, Cytogenetics, Histopathology and Molecular.

Main duties of the job

This role also provides the opportunity to contribute to advanced patient care by supporting the Immunophenotyping Laboratory to provide flow cytometry investigations for a complex spectrum of referral indications. Excellent communication skills, effective time management and a strong work ethic are essential for the role as the post holder will ensure the timeliness of analyses to enable rapid patient treatment decisions. Other key duties include handling and preparation of samples and reagents, stock control, audits, performance monitoring, maintenance of laboratory equipment and assistance with the quality management in maintaining compliance to UKAS standards.  

Working for our organisation

The Immunophenotyping Laboratory at Kings College Hospital,  is a comprehensive haematological malignancy flow cytometry service which provides a broad spectrum of testing for diagnosing, prognosis and monitoring of haematological malignancies and disorders.  It is fully UKAS accredited supported by dedicated quality and clinical teams to ensure the highest standards at all stages of the diagnostic pathway.  The laboratory is staffed by scientists who are specialists in haematological immunophenotyping and have significant expertise in complex next generation flow cytometry. This team also support the preparation and staining of slides for morphological review. SE-HMDS is a regional centre for diagnostic services, covering most of Southeast England and with one of the largest myeloid/transplant practices in Europe. It is actively expanding with year-on-year sample number growth and new referral centres benefitting from the integrated reporting of the service. 

Your development and learning 

You will have a suite of learning opportunities available through The Viapath Way Development programme, the Scientific Learning and Development Fund and the VIAcademy through which you can receive funding / support for advanced qualifications.  

Through our Innovation Accelerator Fund, you can apply for finance to get that new innovative scientific project off the ground, and participate with the wider scientific community through symposiums, conferences and other peer group meetings.