Clinical scientist, immunology

Clinical scientists working in immunology play a critical role in diagnosing and managing immune system disorders

You'll conduct tests on patients with a range of immune system disorders, analyse the results and report them to requesting clinicians, advising on further testing where necessary.

These disorders include:

• allergies
• autoimmune disorders - where the body's defence system attacks itself (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)
• primary immunodeficiency - where part of the immune system is missing or doesn't function as it should
• antibody deficiency.

You'll combine your expertise in laboratory science and clinical practice to research the causes of any problems and to contribute to patient care, working closely as part of a healthcare team that includes medical doctors specialising in immunology and biomedical scientists (immunology).

Doctors who specialise in immunology follow a very different qualification route. For more information on this career path, see hospital doctor.

Responsibilities

As a clinical scientist working in immunology, you'll need to:

• request complex immunology tests for clinicians
• receive and prepare samples for analysis
• analyse samples using computer-aided and manual techniques
• interpret, verify and validate results and report findings to the requesting clinician to help guide diagnosis and treatment
• make decisions on further immunological analysis and recommend additional tests where appropriate to help with the diagnostic process
• collaborate with doctors and other medical professionals to discuss patient tests, patient responses to therapies and treatment plans
• advise on specific types of treatment for individual patients
• produce quantitative data in the form of reports and provide key information to medical staff about a patient's condition
• help colleagues to interpret test results
• select appropriate techniques for different types of immunological analysis
• undertake research in order to better understand immunology-related diseases
• develop and implement new diagnostic tests and methodologies to improve patient outcomes
• ensure compliance with clinical and laboratory standards, including quality assurance protocols
• keep accurate and detailed records of test results and patient data.

At a senior level, you may also need to:

• train and supervise immunology students, laboratory technicians and junior staff
• apply for and manage departmental and/or laboratory finances and resources
• take responsibility for working towards targets
• liaise with immunology colleagues on a regional or national basis.

Salary

• Jobs in the NHS are usually covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay rates consisting of nine pay bands. Trainee clinical scientists are usually employed at Band 6, starting at £37,338. 
• Once qualified, you're likely to be employed on Band 7 - £46,148 to £52,809. 
• Salaries for principal and consultant clinical scientists can range from £53,755 (Band 8a) to £121,271 (Band 9), depending on your skills, experience, training and qualifications. 

Those working in London and the surrounding areas may receive a high-cost area supplement of between 5% and 20% of their basic salary. 

Salaries for clinical scientists working for private companies, universities, government bodies and other organisations may vary.

AfC pay bands differ across the four countries of the UK. Pay negotiation happens annually at different times, so salaries will change when each country agrees their new pay award. Check your country's AfC scales for the most up-to-date NHS salary information. 

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

You'll usually work a 37.5-hour week, which may include shift work.

Opportunities for part-time work are available.

What to expect

• If you're working in a laboratory-based role, you'll liaise closely with medical and other hospital staff. In a clinical role you'll have more direct contact with patients and their families, as well as other clinical professionals. In addition to clinical immunology, you can also work in academic settings and in industrial research.
• Jobs are available in hospitals throughout the UK although you may need to relocate to progress your career as there are only a few dedicated laboratories in each NHS region.
• The three-year training programme can be challenging, and you'll need to be highly organised from the very start. Make the most of any opportunities to develop your skills and make sure you keep a healthy work-life balance.
• During your NHS training, you'll work in different hospital laboratories to get a range of experience. You may need to travel to training centres in other parts of the country as part of the programme rotations, so may have to stay there for a few weeks at a time. You'll also have to travel to university to complete an accredited part-time Masters degree. 
• Once qualified, you may sometimes visit other hospitals or clinics and will also travel to attend or present at national meetings and events.

Qualifications

To become a clinical scientist in immunology, you will usually complete the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP), a three-year, full-time, work-based learning and training programme that also includes academic study at Masters level. 

Entry requirements include a first or 2:1 undergraduate degree or an integrated Masters degree in a relevant physiological sciences subject, such as:

• biomedical sciences
• biology
• immunology
• microbiology
• genetics
• biochemistry.

You can also apply if you have a 2:2 undergraduate degree in any subject and have a higher degree in a relevant subject.

Getting good academic results, relevant research experience through a Masters or PhD, and relevant work experience is helpful for all applicants. 

Applications to the STP are made via Oriel, the online application portal for postgraduate healthcare science training programmes. Recruitment takes place annually, usually in January. There is only a short application window, and late applications are not accepted.   

You must pass all stages of the recruitment process, which includes an online situational judgement test (JST), online application and a panel interview. Sample questions for the JST are available on the Pearson VUE website.  

You can only apply to one specialty, so do your research before applying to ensure it's the right specialism for you. Not all specialties are recruited to each year and depend on NHS needs. 

If successful, you'll be employed by an NHS Trust (or in some cases by an NHS private partner or private healthcare provider) as a trainee clinical scientist on a fixed-term contract for the duration of the programme and paid a salary. The first year of training is spent on rotation in a range of settings before specialising in years two and three. 

Training includes: 

• a programme of workplace training 
• fully funded, part-time study for an approved and accredited Masters degree specialising in blood sciences - clinical immunology
• a final assessment of competence. 

If you already work for the NHS, you can apply to the STP as an internal candidate. 

Upon completion, you will receive a Certificate of Completion for the Scientist Training Programme (CCSTP) from the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS), allowing you to register with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a clinical scientist.  

The NSHCS website has more advice on how to apply, including competition ratios for each specialism. 

For information on training in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, see:   

• Wales - Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW)   
• Scotland - NHS Scotland   
• Northern Ireland - NI Direct Healthcare Scientist   

Other routes to HCPC registration as a clinical scientist are offered by the:  

• Association of Clinical Scientists - Certificate of Attainment  
• Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) - Certificate of Equivalence.  

If your undergraduate degree (or equivalent degree apprenticeship) is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), and you have completed the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio in an approved training laboratory, you can register with the HCPC as a biomedical scientist. Some biomedical scientists specialise in immunology.

If you don't already have a degree, you can apply for the NHS Practitioner Training Programme (PTP), which provides undergraduate training that leads to a BSc Hons Healthcare Science (Life sciences - Blood sciences). Courses are full time (usually three years) and include both work-based and academic learning.

It's also possible to do a Level 6 healthcare science degree apprenticeship specialising in blood sciences, which combines paid work with part-time study for a degree.  

After graduation you can usually register as a biomedical scientist with the HCPC. Check that your course is accredited by the IBMS or HCPC approved. If you have a 2:1 or above you could also apply to the STP.  

Skills

In addition to your scientific and laboratory skills, you'll need to have:

• excellent communication and interpersonal skills, to pass on findings and give advice on diagnosis to other staff as well as to give formal presentations to colleagues
• the ability to organise and carry out research
• an analytical and investigative mind in order to assess scientific, technical and medical literature
• effective problem-solving skills and the ability to use your initiative and work independently
• strong teamwork skills as you'll be working as part of a multidisciplinary team, including doctors and other healthcare staff
• meticulous documentation and record keeping skills
• attention to detail and the ability to work with speed and accuracy
• the ability to work under pressure and to plan and prioritise your work load
• a high level of self-motivation, emotional resilience, reliability and good self-awareness
• a flexible approach to work with the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, new technologies and techniques
• the ability to make judgements that impact on patients' lives
• the skills to lead and motivate others
• project management skills
• IT skills, as most laboratories are highly computerised
• a commitment to lifelong learning.

Work experience

Entry on to the STP is competitive and there are many more applicants than places available. You'll need to be familiar with the programme, the specialism you're applying to and what you'll be doing.    

To improve your chances, you could: 

• arrange a visit to a local hospital immunology department to find out more about the role and see if you can work shadow a clinical scientist working in immunology (you could speak to your university careers service or academic staff at your university to see if they have any relevant contacts)
• investigate the possibility of short-term laboratory work experience in an immunology department. Contact the consultant or principal clinical scientist in immunology in your local NHS Trust hospital to discuss the career and opportunities for experience
• complete a placement as part of your degree or Masters course  
• get involved in research projects and publications during your studies 
• attend an open day for the audiology specialism to gain an insight into the role and STP programme 
• speak to people on the STP programme to find out what it's like to be an STP trainee so you can show that you understand the role and the commitment involved.   

You may need to think creatively - being active in a university society, having a part-time job or getting involved in youth groups, for example, can also provide you with transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and time management.    

It's good to have a range of life experiences so you can show your range of skills. 

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Most clinical scientists working in immunology are employed in immunology laboratories in NHS hospitals.

Other employers include:

• private hospitals
• independent and academic laboratories within the pharmaceutical industry
• government agencies such as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
• the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
• scientific Civil Service.

You may choose to follow a research career, working in a university or research institute. Alternatively, you could work in industry for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, who employ immunologists to improve their understanding of the immune system and how to apply this to the development of new medical products and therapies.

It's also possible to work in veterinary science, researching animal healthcare and treating animals with infections or immunological disorders.

Look for job vacancies at:

• British Society for Immunology (BSI)
• New Scientist Jobs
• NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT)
• NHS Jobs - (England and Wales) and NHSScotland Jobs
• Jobs.hscni.net - for vacancies in Northern Ireland.

Professional development

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an essential part of continuing your HCPC registration. You must engage in a variety of CPD activities, including: 

• work-based learning, such as in-service training, expanding your role
• professional activities, e.g. being involved in a professional body
• self-directed learning, such as reading articles and published papers
• attending conferences, workshops and lectures
• publication in peer-reviewed journals
• presenting research and papers at conferences
• undertaking work exchanges abroad
• undertaking research at PhD level
• applying for research grants.

You'll usually undertake further study and training with a relevant professional body, such as the BSI, or study for a PhD. Membership of the BSI also provides opportunities to network with fellow professionals and access to advice and support.

Once you've got experience (usually at least one year post-registration), you may apply to train to become a consultant clinical scientist via the Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) programme. This five-year funded training programme includes study at doctoral level in an area related to immunology. You'll also need to achieve Fellowship of The Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath).

Successful completion of the HSST programme leads to the award of Certificate of Completion of Higher Specialist Scientist Training (CCHSST) issued by the NSHCS, which you can use to join the AHCS HSS Register.  

Career prospects

The NHS offers a structured career path and once qualified, you can progress through the grades by gaining experience and completing further training, study and research.

Promotion is based on merit, and you may need to move to other hospitals to make the most of available opportunities.

As your career develops, you're likely to take on a more supervisory role with responsibility for the work of your department. Progression to consultant involves further training via the HSST programme. Promotion to deputy head or head of department is likely to involve the management of a large department or major departmental section. It's possible to gain a senior position by making a significant contribution in your area of expertise.

There are opportunities to move into clinical research and teaching, working for a university or research institute, or to get involved in training and registration assessments.

You can also develop your career by getting involved with professional bodies, taking on external professional roles or moving into advisory roles. Some immunologists choose to work in industry or the scientific Civil Service.