Biomedical Laboratory Assistant (known as HHTO) - #186659

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Job Summary

As a Higher Healthcare Technical Officer, you’ll play a vital role in supporting safe, highquality diagnostic and therapeutic services within our RCI laboratories. Working as part of a dedicated team, you’ll carry out a range of routine and nonroutine laboratory tasks that help ensure accurate testing, efficient sample handling, and reliable results for patient care.

You’ll prepare samples and reagents, operate laboratory equipment, contribute to environmental monitoring, maintain accurate records, and support colleagues by sharing knowledge and demonstrating procedures. This is a handson, varied role where your attention to detail, initiative, and commitment to high standards will directly support safe patient outcomes. It’s also a great opportunity to develop your skills and contribute to continuous improvement across our service.

Main duties of the job

Required

In this role you will be working in the Red Cell Immunohaematology (RCI) Laboratory, you will be required to participate in a range of routine clinical, technical and scientific activities in preparing and testing blood samples from Hospital Patients, with the support of your supervisor and other team members. Your responsibilties will include:

• Handling blood samples and a range of equipment and carrying out routine tasks on a regular basis
• Providing support during the routine opening hours of the laboratory
• Manually handling equipment / reagents on a daily basis, occasionally weighing up to 13 kgs, with or without mechanical aids, with appropriate training
• Supporting and training less experienced staff in some instances
  
  

About You

Experience and Knowledge (Essential only)

• Experience of working as part of a team.
• Experience of using computers and basic IT programs.
  
  

Qualifications And Training (Essential Only)

• NVQ Level 3 qualification e.g. ‘A’ Levels OR National Diploma in a relevant subject area OR extensive experience working in a logistics/supply chain environment OR equivalent extensive experience of routine NHSBT procedures and understanding of non routine procedures.
• Demonstrate committment to own Continued Professional Development (CPD)
  
  

About Us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.

Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do.

By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.

You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

What We Offer

• Flexible working options we promote flexible working where the role allows. We’re happy to discuss what flexibility might look like for you.
• Generous annual leave - 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
• Inclusive pension scheme - the NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns). Further details and outline of benefits can be found at:
• Supportive learning culture - we’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role.
• Health and wellbeing support we offer confidential services including occupational health, employee assistance programme, and wellbeing resources. Our support is available to all colleagues and we endeavour to provide tailored workplace adjustments where possible.
  
  

As a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applications from disabled candidates. We will talk with you to explore any adjustments that may help you during the recruitment process.

You can find more information about accessibility, our culture, and how we support applicants on the NHSBT Careers website:

To learn more, please see the job description and person specification. These can be accessed via the link below, or by clicking ‘Apply’ if you are viewing this advert on another site.

Next steps

This vacancy will close at 23:59 on Wednesday 20 May 2026.

This vacancy may close sooner than the advertised deadline if we receive a high volume of applications, so we recommend applying early.

The assessment process for this role will include a single interview. Further details will be shared with you closer to the time.

Interviews are anticipated to be held at Newcastle Blood Centre on Friday 29 May 2026 - subject to confirmation.

For informal enquiries please contact David Bruce, Head of Laboratory, RCI Newcastle, via email at