TCAT Production Scientist

Job Description

Overview

TCAT Production Scientist

About the Organisation:

National Services Scotland (NSS) is a national NHS Board operating at the heart of NHSScotland, providing support and advice at strategic and operational levels. NSS supports customers to deliver services more efficiently and effectively and offers shared services on a national scale using best-in-class systems and standards. Our priority is to improve the health and well-being of the people of Scotland by partnering with colleagues across Health and Social Care to deliver fit-for-purpose solutions and systems, delivering high-quality services that help stakeholders free up resources for essential services.

The Post

The core purpose of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service is to meet the transfusion needs of patients in Scotland. In support of this, the SNBTS Tissues, Cells and Advanced Therapeutics (TCAT) Directorate is committed to a programme that will enhance the service provided to NHS Scotland in both clinical and operational areas. SNBTS undertakes research and development designed to support the strategic and operational priorities of the organisation, achieve high quality and impact, and add value to broader NHS and Government objectives.

The Candidate

This is an exciting opportunity to join the SNBTS TCAT Directorate as a Production Scientist primarily supporting the clinical Haematopoietic Progenitor Cell Cryopreservation programmes. The successful candidate(s) will be directly involved in the GMP production of a range of tissues, cells and advanced therapeutics at the Jack Copland Centre. The successful candidate must be educated to honours degree level. In addition, the post holder should have demonstrable experience resulting in specialist knowledge of a range of procedures and processes, ideally in the GMP manufacture of tissue and/or cellular therapy products. The post holder must hold a Full UK drivers licence to allow attendance at transplants throughout the central belt.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo a Disclosure Scotland check. Any candidate who has lived or worked overseas for more than 12 months in the preceding 5 years will also be required to provide a criminal record check from the appropriate overseas agency.

Location and Working Pattern

The post will be based at The Jack Copland Centre, Edinburgh.

The work pattern will be Monday to Friday, 37 hours per week. Participation in on-call rota is required.

It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NSS.

Benefits

Our benefits package includes a pension scheme, a comprehensive range of work-life balance policies, occupational health services, learning resource centres and discounted leisure, financial and shopping benefits.

Inclusion

NSS is a national board and, as an anchor institution, it is our ambition to be a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone feels welcome. We recognise that flexible working creates an inclusive workplace where employees can thrive and balance personal and professional responsibilities. This is supported through Once for Scotland flexible working policies. NSS has a long-term commitment to staff health and well-being and offers many learning and development opportunities to support diversity, inclusion and mental health in the workplace. There are equality staff networks in place which all staff are welcome to join. We are an equal opportunities employer and guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for vacancies. As an accredited Disability Confident Leader, NSS aims to offer a fully accessible and inclusive recruitment service that supports applicants on their candidate journey. If you are interested in any reasonable adjustments, please contact the Recruitment Team on NSS.wfrs at nhs.scot

Further information

For an informal discussion on the post, please contact Henry Koenig on henry.koenig at nhs.scot or Gareth Walker on gareth.walker at nhs.scot

Closing date for completed applications is 19 September 2025.

Further information on NSS is available from: nss.nhs.scot

Please note that the majority of correspondence is sent by e-mail only, so please check your e-mail regularly (including junk folders).

NSS is an equal opportunities employer and, as a committed participant in the disability confident scheme, guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.