Main area Pharmacy Production Services Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (37.5 hours per week) Job ref 216-AM-C7234518
Employer University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Derriford Hospital Plymouth, Pharmacy Dept, Level 5 Town Plymouth Salary £24,937 - £26,598 £24,937 - £26,598 Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 18/08/2025 23:59
Senior Assistant Technical Officer – Pharmacy Aseptics Quality Control
NHS AfC: Band 3
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and self-motivated band 3 Assistant Technical Officer to work in our Pharmacy Quality Control department at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. To undertake quality duties to support the pharmacy aseptic unit. You will need to have:
* Good proven knowledge of environmental microbiology
* Demonstrable experience in an aseptic or a quality assurance/control environment
* Proven understanding of COSHH and health and safety legislation
* Good proven knowledge of Good Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Laboratory
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘ Priority ’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
To coordinate and complete the routine environmental monitoring of the aseptic suite and the radio-pharmacy department. Coordinate the routine validation of aseptic operatives and ensure that processes are completed in good time against a defined schedule. Accurately incubate, read and interpret microbial plates, samples and validations. Record the results and draw attention to results outside of action levels and other spurious or unusual data. To record environmental data into a variety of computer systems. To inform and liaise with the aseptic team about outstanding validations and cleaning requirements, ensuring compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice.
To follow safe and efficient systems of work in accordance with relevant legislation e.g., Good Manufacturing Practice, Good Laboratory Practice,
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and Standard Operating
Procedures. Ensure that temperature monitoring is carried out, and that temperature monitoring system and cold stores, refrigerators and freezers are working appropriately. To ensure that non-compliance issues are escalated appropriately to the lead technicians/deputy. To obtain certificates of analysis from product suppliers for purchased raw materials, consumable items and unlicensed medicines. To complete pre-release checks and approve for use or otherwise raw materials, consumables, components and previously received unlicensed medicines.
Please see attached job description for a full list of duties.
Working for our organisation
We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.
If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100.
We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams.
It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
* To coordinate the organisation and complete the routine environmental monitoring of the aseptic suite and the Radiopharmacy department, including settle plates, surface sampling, active microbial sampling, air flow measurements and air particle monitoring.
* To coordinate the routine validation of all aseptic operatives and ensure that all processes are completed in good time against a defined schedule.
* To accurately incubate, read and interpret all microbial plates, samples and validations. To record the result and draw attention to results outside of action levels and other spurious or unusual data.
* To record environmental data into a variety of computer systems with a high degree of accuracy.
* To inform and liaise with the aseptic team about outstanding validations and cleaning requirements, to ensure compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice.
* To follow safe and efficient systems of work in accordance with relevant legislation e.g., Good Manufacturing Practice, Good Laboratory Practice, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and Standard Operating Procedures
* To complete personal operator validations in order to work in the aseptic suite.
* To line manage the rotational aseptic/QC ATOs on a day-to-day basis, allocating duties according to service needs.
* To mentor and be responsible for conducting individual performance reviews in liaison with the senior technicians for Assistant Technical Officers to ensure continued professional development
* To supervise, train and complete competency assessments of aseptic and QC personnel under the supervision of the training technician
* Undertake annual appraisals of aseptic/QC ATOs
* To ensure that temperature monitoring across the department is carried out, ensuring that the temperature monitoring system and all cold stores, refrigerators and freezers are working appropriately. To ensure that any non-compliance issues are escalated appropriately to the lead technicians/deputy.
* Assist the quality assurance specialist technical officer with temperature mapping across the pharmacy department.
* To obtain certificates of analysis from product suppliers for purchased raw materials, consumable items and unlicensed medicines.
* To complete pre-release checks and approve for use or otherwise raw materials, consumables, components and previously received unlicensed medicines based on in-house specifications and in accordance with procedures.
* To carry out routine housekeeping duties within Quality Control, to include stock checks, stock rotation and expiry date checks.
* To report and be responsible for raising a permit to work form for any maintenance issues within the aseptic and surrounding areas.
* To be responsible for the dispatch, monitoring and reading of samples sent out to external laboratories for testing
* To complete, maintain and file all relevant, documents and reports
* Prepare laboratory reagents and label them in accordance with GLP and COSHH
* To prepare master documentation such as product specifications and standard operating procedures under the supervision of the senior technicians
* To partner the senior technicians in the recruitment and selection process for Assistant Technical Officers
* To assist in the induction and training of new members of staff under the supervision of the training technician.
* To assist with stock control to include performing rolling stock checks, expiry date checking, removal of expired stock and investigation of discrepancies
* Assist in dealing with enquiries from wards, e.g., regarding medicines which have been subjected to temperature excursions or defective medicines
* Undertake general housekeeping duties including defrosting refrigerators and freezers, cleaning the laboratory and surrounding areas and equipment, as necessary.
* To report all errors and near misses using the aseptic error reporting scheme
* To participate in weekend, bank holiday and late-night rotas as required.
* To participate in annual personal appraisal process
* To attend such study days and updating courses when necessary.
* To undertake any other reasonable duties deemed necessary by the Director of Pharmacy.
For further details please see attached JD&PS
Person specification
Knowledge and Experience
* Proven knowledge of Good Manufacturing and Laboratory Practice
* Proven knowledge of environmental microbiology
* Demonstrable experience of inputting and interpreting data into Microsoft Excel and Access
* Proven knowledge of COSHH and health and safety legislation
* Previous demonstrable experience in an aseptic environment
* Familiar with laboratory and environmental equipment
Qualifications
* 5 GCSEs grade C/ 4 or above in English, Maths and 3 other subjects. Or equivalent demonstrable experience in a pharmacy aseptic/ quality assurance/control environment
* NVQ level 2 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent demonstrable experience
Aptitude and Abilities
* Good written and oral communication skills
* Ability to prioritise workload and to self-motivate
* Confidence in dealing with others
Attitude and Motivation
* Ability to use own initiative and take personal responsibility
* Able to maintain high level of accuracy within a busy, high-pressure environment
* Ability to work evenings, weekends and bank holidays on rota
* Comfortable handling hazardous substances including cytotoxic drugs, chemical and biological hazards
* Willingness to wear specialist cleanroom clothing
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.
If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.
We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.
We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included .
It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.
Please note that if you are successful in your application & accept the position you agree that the Staff Health and Wellbeing Department can access your health records from your current/previous employer in order to check the status of your inoculations & screening tests. This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.
For Doctors Roles:
Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details
University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.
We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.
In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.
We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.
Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.
Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.
In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Name Mel Priston Job title Healthcare Scientist Email address melpriston@nhs.net Telephone number 01752437452 Additional information
Please contact Mel Priston, email - melpriston@nhs.net or telephone 01752 437452 for further information or to arrange a visit to site.
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