Job overview
Healthcare science is one of the most exciting and dynamic areas to work in. Join a unique team who are inspired to apply their exceptional scientific knowledge and skills to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease and the rehabilitation of patients.
Excellent training opportunities are offered within the Scientist Training Programme (STP) which is a national postgraduate training programme located in hospitals and health services throughout England. This is a 3 year postgraduate programme and successful candidates will be employed by an NHS trust or other healthcare provider for the duration of their training. Trainees are also enrolled for a fully funded part-time vocational master’s degree in their chosen specialty.
Posts due to start in September 2026
Main duties of the job
* Carry out complex scientific and clinical roles, including those working directly with patients.
* Analyse, interpret and compare investigative and clinical options.
* Make judgements, including clinical and differential judgements, involving complicated facts or situations that impact on patients.
* Initiate and undertake innovation, improvement and R&D and be involved in the education of healthcare science trainees and other learners in the workplace.
They will be expected to complete all work-based training and assessment alongside the academic master’s course to exit the programme with eligibility for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and use of the protected title of Clinical Scientist.
Trainees must meet the HCPC’s standards for training, professional skills, behaviour and health.
* d in accordance with Health and Safety policies.
* Participate in risk management procedures including risk assessment and the investigation and reporting of adverse incidents.
* Participate in internal and external audit processes and quality systems.
* Undertake R&D within the department as an integral part of training and acquire relevant skills to undertake clinical audit.
Assist with supervision and training of support staff, students and new appointees, and participate in departmental seminars and scientific meetings to disseminate knowledge acquired through study or research
Working for our organisation
At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. Services are provided from two main sites, the Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital. We employ over 7,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.
As a Trust we are committed to Continuous Professional Development and you will be encouraged to attend relevant professional Courses and Conferences. The Cardiology Department provides regular departmental meetings with training attached. In house training and competencies will be provided.
We are a large diagnostic team providing a variety of investigations.
We are a forward thinking, progressive department and you will be supported to further develop your expertise.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The trainee will undertake the full training programme in order to progress through the modules of the training scheme. In so doing they will learn how to perform and interpret clinical and specialist scientific processes underpinned by theoretical and applied knowledge and practical experience and will learn how to:
* Carry out complex scientific and clinical roles, including those working directly with patients.
* Analyse, interpret and compare investigative and clinical options.
* Make judgements, including clinical and differential judgements, involving complicated facts or situations that impact on patients.
* Initiate and undertake innovation, improvement and R&D and be involved in the education of healthcare science trainees and other learners in the workplace.
They will be expected to complete all work-based training and assessment alongside the academic master’s course to exit the programme with eligibility for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and use of the protected title of Clinical Scientist. In addition, they will be expected to undertake work-based experience to enable them to communicate complex technical, scientific and sensitive information to colleagues within their department in both verbal and written forms.
Trainees must meet the HCPC’s standards for training, professional skills, behaviour and health.
* Undertake a range of clinical and scientific investigations as appropriate to the role. These may include the performing investigation on patients, direct clinical measurements on patients, and procedures involving radiation.
* Acquire and maintain a high level of professional competence in the performance of all tests, investigations and measurements carried out.
* Interpret and act upon results of tests, investigations and measurements in accordance with departmental policies, procedures and quality systems.
* Comment and advise on new proposals and protocols, especially for service improvements.
* Assist in the provision of advice to medical, nursing and other healthcare staff on the optimal and safe use of scientific procedures and highly complex equipment, including assisting in the design of new facilities.
* Assist with the procurement, acceptance and use of medical devices and consumables.
* Be responsible for the safe use of complex scientific and medical equipment, including recording all maintenance and calibration procedures performed and any corrective actions undertaken.
* Use reagents, consumables, hazardous materials and equipment safely and in accordance with Health and Safety policies.
* Participate in risk management procedures including risk assessment and the investigation and reporting of adverse incidents.
* Participate in internal and external audit processes and quality systems.
* Undertake R&D within the department as an integral part of training and acquire relevant skills to undertake clinical audit.
Assist with supervision and training of support staff, students and new appointees, and participate in departmental seminars and scientific meetings to disseminate knowledge acquired through study or research
Person specification
Application Form
Essential criteria
* Applicants must have a 1st or 2.1 either in an undergraduate honours degree or an integrated master’s degree, in a pure or applied science subject relevant to the specialty for which they are applying.
* A committed, in depth interest in scientific practice and its application to direct clinical care of patients in a clinical environment.
* Understanding of quality control and management assurance in a science or work based context.
* Ability to develop proficiency in the performance of routine and complex techniques currently in use where they are training (ability to follow Standard Operating Procedures accurately) and the ability to develop and validate new techniques.
* Ability to identify problems associated with scientific equipment, inappropriate testing, incompatible results and to investigate these, plan corrective action confirming appropriateness with senior colleagues and follow up. (Ability to use, maintain and troubleshoot scientific equipment.)
* Understanding of the role of their chosen specialty in healthcare and disease and its application in a healthcare setting
* Good IT skills and knowledge of common computing packages for word processing, spreadsheets, presentation packages and databases.
* Ability to analyse complex information comprising laboratory or workshop data, images and clinical details. Knowledge acquired through study and experience to formulate appropriate advice and judgements
* Flexibility
* Ability to work underpressure
* Ability to travel
Desirable criteria
* Demonstrable ability to lead others
* Previous Clinical Cardiology Experience