Trainee Biomedical Scientist / Biomedical Scientist at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is a world-leading centre for research and postgraduate education in public and global health. Our mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education, and translation of knowledge into policy and practice. 

We are seeking to appoint a Biomedical Scientist/Trainee Biomedical Scientist to join our busy Parasitology Reference Laboratory in the Teaching and Diagnostic Unit within the Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. 

The post-holder will be part of a small team that provides a highly specialised laboratory service. The laboratory comprises the UKHSA Malaria Reference Laboratory (MRL) and the LSHTM Diagnostic Parasitology Laboratory (DPL). The MRL offers both a confirmatory and surveillance service for cases of imported malaria into the UK. The DPL offers a parasite reference service which includes the diagnosis of intestinal parasites, Acanthamoeba spp from ocular material and the diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi. Biomedical scientists in the laboratory are responsible for the diagnosis of parasitic diseases by the application of a range of diagnostic methods including microscopy and nucleic acid detection. 

The post-holder will assist the Principal Biomedical Scientist with the day-to-day provision of the diagnostic service. The main focus of the role will be to support the work of the molecular team. They will perform molecular methods on blood samples for the diagnosis, resistance monitoring and surveillance of imported malaria in the UK and also assist in the collection, curation and storage of malaria isolates from samples received at the MRL.

In addition, the post-holder will perform appropriate molecular methods for the diagnosis of Acanthamoeba spp in ocular specimens and on blood samples for the diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi.  They will assist the other staff in the Diagnostic Laboratory with general housekeeping duties including specimen reception, data entry, preparation of media, reagents and waste disposal. The post-holder will be required to work under their own initiative with supervision available as necessary.

The successful applicant will have a degree or equivalent in a science subject and ideally hold registration with the HCPC, experience of working in a routine diagnostic/clinical research laboratory and be familiar with molecular methods of diagnosis, have excellent communication and organisational skills and be able to comply with the continuing professional development requirements of HCPC registration. A trainee position and pre-registration training would be available for the right candidate. Further particulars are included in the job description.                   

The post is full-time and funded by LSHTM until 31^st March 2026. Salary is on the Professional Support salary scale Grade 4 in the range £32,303 to £36,567 per annum (inclusive of London Weighting). The post will be subject to the LSHTM terms and conditions of service. Annual leave entitlement is 30 working days per year, pro rata for part time staff.  In addition to this there are discretionary “Wellbeing Days”. Membership of the Pension Scheme is available. The post is based in London. 

LSHTM have a newly implemented Hybrid Working Framework, which alongside agreed service requirements, enables teams to work more flexibly (if the role allows), promoting a greater wellbeing and work/life balance.