Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA)
\*\*This vacancy is only open to those who have been referred by a Local Employability Partner\*\*
This post is a 12 Month Fixed Term
On 1 April 2026, NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) became one national organisation, focused on continuity today and a stronger, more connected service for tomorrow.
As part of this transformation, NSS and NES have joined to form a new organisation: Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland). This new organisation will play a pivotal role in supporting the renewal and ensuring the long\-term sustainability of health and care services across Scotland.
About the Organisation:
PSD Scotland unites expertise from NES and NSS in a way that will allow us to accelerate national programmes to support the NHS to deliver better care, now and in the future. We support staff with education and training, provide the tools and data that improve services, and run vital national functions such as procurement, logistics and blood, tissue and cell services.
The Post:
A vacancy has arisen for a Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) position within the Blood Processing and Distribution Department.
Full training will be given however experience of working within a Healthcare or Manufacturing environment would be advantageous.
The departmental duties will include undertaking tasks, following controlled documented procedures, to manufacture blood components for transfusion from whole blood and apheresis collections and the subsequent distribution of blood components to hospital blood banks throughout Scotland. This will involve working as part of the team processing blood donations, receiving and making telephone calls, manual lifting and moving of stock, record completion and the operation of various IT software applications. The successful candidate will be working with biohazard material (e.g. untested blood) within a Processing environment whilst adhering to the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice.
The Candidate:
Applications are invited from individuals, who are organised and enthusiastic with excellent interpersonal skills, scrupulous attention to detail and excellent written and verbal communication skills. Applicants must be able to work withing a Grade D environment and temperature\-controlled environments such as cold and freezer rooms. Many duties are of a manual repetitive nature.
The successful candidate will be required to undergo a PVG Scheme/Disclosure Scotland check. Any candidate who has lived/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:
Manufacturing suite,
The Jack Copland Centre,
52 Research Avenue North,
Heriot\-Watt Research Park, Edinburgh.
EH14 4BE
Work pattern is up to 36 hours per week Monday to Friday but can be flexible due to the nature of the program.
It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK and have entitlement to work in the UK for the post in which you will be employed.
Benefits:
Our benefits package includes pension scheme, comprehensive range of work life balance policies, occupational health services, learning resource centres and discounted leisure, financial and shopping benefits \- HR Benefits Brochure.
Inclusion:
Public Services Delivery Scotland is a national organisation 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 feel confident about their ability to balance their personal and professional responsibilities. This is supported through Once for Scotland flexible working policies. PSD Scotland has made a long\-term commitment to staff health and well\-being and offers many learning and development opportunities to support and improve our approaches to diversity, inclusion and mental health in the workplace. There are a number of equality staff networks in place which all staff are welcome to join. We are also an equal opportunities employer and as such aim to guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies. As an accredited Disability Confident Leader, it is the aim of PSD Scotland 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@nhs.scot
Further information:
For an informal discussion on the post, please contact Mark Gray, Head of Components at Mark.Gray@nhs.scot
Closing date for completed applications is 18th September 2026
Please note that the majority of correspondence is sent by e\-mail only, so please check your e\-mail regularly (including junk folders).
We are an equal opportunities employer and as committed participant in the disability confident scheme, guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies however, where exceptionally high application volumes make this impracticable, a fair and proportionate shortlisting approach will be applied in line with Disability Confident guidance
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