Forensic Laboratory Officer

A Forensic Laboratory Officer is required for a PERMANENT role paying £36,529.65 per annum, plus £3,033.56 London Allowance per annum with the British Transport Police (BTP) based in Baches Street, London. 

BTP is the national police Force for the rail network throughout Great Britain, including London Underground, across which we ensure the safety and security of nearly 3 billion passenger journeys and over 100 million tons of freight every year. The world in which we work is fast-paced, operationally and commercially demanding, and constantly changing. As Forensic Laboratory Officer with BTP you will assess and examine exhibits submitted to the Chemical Enhancement and DNA Screening Laboratories in order to obtain the best possible forensic evidence within budget, target dates and using available resources. To ensure mandatory quality standards are applied, maintained and audited within the laboratories. To ensure operational delivery is maintained within the Chemical enhancement and Screening laboratories in line with the Laboratory Services Service Level Agreement.

As Forensic Laboratory Officer you will be required to:

• Ensure mandatory quality standards are applied, maintained and updated within the laboratories and keep abreast of current and new legislation, new quality documentation including those from UKAS and relevant Forensic Science Regulator guidance documents including the Codes of Practice and Conduct, identifying continual improvement opportunities.
• Carry out internal auditing within Laboratory Services and other departments where required, ensuring that the procedures or activities they are auditing are still compliant with the ISO17025 standard, ILAC G19 and the FSR Codes of Practice and Conduct
• Train and mentor other Laboratory Services staff and research students, providing expert guidance. If required, also carry out forensic awareness training/presentations to other colleagues to increase knowledge of processes carried out within Laboratory Services.
• Peer-review of Laboratory Services staff competency, technical decisions, casefiles, results and statements
• Represent BTP at a regional and national level by attending conferences and/or meetings; sharing ideas and information and liaising with other forensic providers in order to maximise the likelihood of securing useful forensic evidence

Further information about this vacancy can be found in the attached job description. The successful Forensic Laboratory Officer will be required to evidence the following:

• Proven organisational, communication and time-management skills
• Intense concentration and meticulous attention to detail to ensure no errors and that documentation and results are recorded promptly, methodically and accurately
• Good interpersonal skills, able to relate effectively at all levels within BTP and externally, including with regulatory bodies
• Proficient in MS Office, Word, Excel and Outlook
• Quality Assurance procedures: ISO9001, ILAC G19, ISO/IEC 17025 and the Forensic Science Regulator’s Code of Practice and Conduct
• Health and Safety procedures and legislation: CoSHH, DSEAR, PPE, Risk Assessment, Waste Management
• BSc science-based degree at 2.2 or above

HOW TO APPLY: 

Please submit CV and Cover Letter as one PDF document outlining the following points below (Please upload this in one single document under the CV upload section)

• Explain what experience you have that fits in with all the requirements of the role as advertised.
• Please add any further relevant experience you have.

If you are interested in applying to this Forensic Laboratory Officer role then please do not delay as interviews will be held as soon as appropriate candidates are highlighted. In return for your experience, we can offer you:

• Salary of £36,529.65 per annum plus £3,033.56 per annum
• Yearly base salary increments
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Family friendly policies including up to 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave
• Bespoke benefits platform and access to Blue Light Card
• Development opportunities including fully funded apprenticeships
• Employee assistance programme and dedicated wellbeing hub
• Pension scheme

BTP is an employer who cares about the impact we have on the environment and the wider challenges of climate change, and as such we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and achieving Net Zero Carbon (NZC) through offsetting by 2035.

At BTP we are proud guardians of the railway and it is crucial that we represent the diverse communities we serve and protect. As ‘One BTP’ across the UK, we know that diversity, inclusion and belonging help us improve our decision making, foster creativity and drive innovation so all our people can thrive.

Our vacancies are open to everyone and all appointments are made based on merit. So that we can become more diverse we encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, women, people who have a disability, those who are neurodiverse and persons who identify as LGBTQI+. We use positive action to encourage potential candidates from underrepresented groups through targeted workshops or advice sessions.  If you have the skills, experience and values that here in BTP we pride ourselves on then we would welcome you to apply.

For more information on Positive Action please click here or email the team on PART-Recruitment@btp.police.uk

If you have any questions about the application process, please email our friendly and helpful team where we will be happy to help you:  RecruitmentTeam@btp.police.uk. If your question related to equality or diversity then you can also contact our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team directly at: PART-Recruitment@btp.police.uk To reassure you, anything you ask us will be in the strictest confidence and will not form part of your application.

In order to apply, you must have the permanent right to live and work in the UK and have been resident in the UK for the previous 5 years. You will be asked these and other questions to determine your eligibility to work for British Transport Police when you start your application and you must answer honestly.

BTP GPP Police Staff Pension Scheme is administered by Royal London and this is a group personal pension plan which is available to all police staff. It’s a defined contribution scheme, offering employees the flexibility to vary their pension contributions from 4.4% to 12% of their salary. For more information, visit the Royal London dedicated pension page or email us at Pension-Queries@btp.police.uk .Please note if you are an existing member of Police Staff in the RPS your pension will not be affected. 

Internal candidates must have completed their probation for their current substantive posting and can only apply in tenure if Head of Department approval is emailed to Recruitmentteam@btp.police.uk prior to the vacancy closing. Internal candidates must confirm that they are not subject to formal action plans for sickness/complaints/discipline or poor performance and that all mandatory training courses have been attended and are in ticket/up to date. A minimum rating of 3 (performing) or a rating of U (no rating) must have been achieved on the last reporting year PDR.