Consultant Microbiologist or Consultant Clinical Scientist

Posting date:	13 May 2026
Salary:	£94,356.00 to £145,478.00 per year
Additional salary information:	£94356.00 - £145478.00 a year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	03 June 2026
Location:	Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
Company:	NHS Jobs
Job type:	Contract
Job reference:	K9919-26-0145

Summary

AccountabilityThe post is professionally accountable to the Clinical Services Director of the UKHSA Laboratory, Cambridge (currently Dr Jenifer Mason) and to the Medical Director of Cambridge University Hospitals (currently Dr Sue Broster) for Trust clinical governance matters. It is managerially accountable to the UKHSA Chief Scientific Officer, via the Clinical Services Director and Deputy Director of the Public Health Microbiology Division. Key Working RelationshipsThe post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include: The UKHSA Clinical Services Director, Head of Laboratory Operations, Network Business Managers, and other senior staff of UKHSA. Consultant microbiologists and virologists, clinical scientists, BMS and other staff employed at the Cambridge laboratory. Consultant clinical staff and medical trainees at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Papworth NHS Foundation Trust and other service users contracting with the laboratory. General Practitioners and other Primary Care staff within the catchment areas of the above hospitals and who may have contracts and service level agreements with the Cambridge laboratory. Infection control nurses and other senior nursing, paramedical and administrative staff in the Trusts and other healthcare providers served by the laboratory. Consultant microbiologists and other health care staff in the wider East of England. Senior NHS public health staff, including Directors of Public Health in the Region EHOs and other Local Authority staff in the Region Local Occupational Health Services Job PlanA formal job plan will be agreed between the appointee and their Divisional Director or agreed delegate, on behalf of the Medical Director, three months after the commencement date of the appointee and will be effective from the commencement date of the appointment. The job plan for the first three months will be based on the provisional timetable shown in the table below. Clinical duties are split between Laboratory-based consultant and ward-based consultant. The Laboratory consultant predominantly provides clinical advice, report validation, trainee supervision and laboratory liaison. The Ward-based consultant predominantly undertakes MDTs and stewardship ward rounds. Opportunities to develop areas of interest can be discussed on appointment. The job plan will then be reviewed annually. The job plan will be a prospective agreement that sets out a consultants duties, responsibilities and objectives for the coming year. It should cover all aspects of a consultants professional practice including clinical work, teaching, research, education and managerial responsibilities. It should provide a clear schedule of commitments, both internal and external. In addition, it should include personal objectives, including details of their link to wider service objectives, and details of the support required by the consultant to fulfil the job plan and the objectives. Desk space in a shared office with a desktop computer will be provided. The hospital and department computer network can be accessed from any computer workstation and remotely from home. Consultants share access to department administrative staff. For full details, please see attached Job Description & Person Specification. ExternalOpen to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants). Application & Sift This vacancy is using Competencies. At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the job advert and attached Job Description & Person Specification. You will be required to complete an: Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application) (up to 1500 number of words) word supporting statement Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1500 words. This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role. You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible) Interview stage (competency based): You will be invited to a face to face/remote interview. If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview. Interviews are planned to be held Friday 7th August, please note this date may be subject to change. During the interview we will assess against the below: KnowledgeExperienceSkills and Abilities Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Successful candidates for this role must pass an enhanced disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed. This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our lab at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month). If based at one of our labs you will be required to have a minimum of a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.