This post is positioned within Reference Microbiology Services on the Colindale site. Reference Microbiology Services is a part of PHE Microbiology Services; the other parts being Operations, Specialist Microbiology Services, Microbiology Research Services, and Development and Production. Microbiology reference laboratories undertake complex and highly skilled techniques which often require nationally or internationally unique capabilities or facilities. Reference laboratories are required to provide authoritative, final and validated analysis for complex clinical or food microbiological problems and be innovative in driving microbiological methodology developments and standards. They have a key role in provision of expert advice to government and other national international agencies, risk assessment for new and emerging microbiological threats and play an important role in teaching and training organism specific and subject matter expertise to all grades of professional medical, nursing, scientific and technical staff. Design of national microbiological surveillance programmes and sampling strategies and outbreak detection and control are part of day to day work of reference laboratories.

The contract ends on the 31/03/2023 with the possibility of further extension