Pre-Registration Science Manufacturing Technician Apprentice
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SUSSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Chichester, West Sussex
Closes in 10 days (Thursday 27 November 2025)
Posted on 17 November 2025
Contents
Summary
Working under the supervision of experienced professionals, you will be involved in Reconstitution of cytotoxic and monoclonal antibody drugs.
- Wage
-
£24,937 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Salary £24,937 - £30,162 Per Annum pro rata (Development role) Salary period Yearly
- Training course
- Science manufacturing technician 2023 (level 3)
- Hours
-
Shifts to be confirmed
38 hours a week
- Start date
-
Thursday 1 January 2026
- Duration
-
2 years
- Positions available
-
2
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Main duties of the job:
- Maintain effective communication with aseptic teams across both sites, as well as with colleagues in the wider Pharmacy Department
- Liaise with the Quality Control team regarding environmental monitoring activities and results
- Communicate regularly with tutors, mentors, and administrators at West Suffolk College, as well as with external training providers, qualification assessors, and quality assurers
- Coordinate with nursing staff on the Day Units and Chemotherapy Ward to ensure timely delivery of treatments
- Engage with other Pre-Registration Science Manufacturing Technicians to share learning and best practice
- Undertake study supported by full-time work experience and structured practical instruction from qualified pharmacy practice supervisors at the base hospital(s)
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
- St. Richards Hospital, Spitalfield Lane, Chichester, PO19 6SE
- Worthing Hospital, Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 2DH
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE
Training course
Science manufacturing technician 2023 (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Review instructions or information to understand the task.
- Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
- Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Apply controlled environment procedures for example, gowning, isolators, contamination control, and sanitisation.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and waste handling.
- Conduct in process or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
- Apply first line maintenance practices.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
- Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
- Perform second person witness and second person checks for critical tasks.
- Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
- Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements and GDPR.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
- Apply standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Select, check, and prepare raw materials for biotechnology process for example, weighing, measuring, control and blending, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
- Conduct pre-checks of hand tools, equipment and machinery for biotechnology process including calibration record where applicable.
- Connect service connections for biotechnology process such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic.
- Operate biotechnology equipment for example, start-up, shut down, or cleaning mode.
- Set and adjust biotechnology process parameters such as agitation revolutions per minute, temperature, pressure, flow rate or time.
- Check calibration and calibrate analytical equipment.
- Conduct at point analysis of the product using laboratory techniques (bench top analysis) for example, pH, conductivity measurement, optical density measurements, and protein concertation.
- Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, conduct parameter checks (size, colour, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Remove and replace disposable components and check functionality for example, break lines, isolators, and tri-clamps and tube welding.
- Conduct aseptic method for example, aseptic technique or aseptic sampling.
- Interpret drawings and graphs.
- Select, check, and prepare raw (incoming) materials for aseptic process for example, weighing, measuring, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
- Conduct pre-checks of hand tools, equipment and machinery for aseptic process including calibration record where applicable.
- Operate aseptic process equipment for example, start-up and shut-down.
- Set aseptic process parameters such as temperature, and pressure.
- Conduct pre and in-process checks such as environmental monitoring.
- Make adjustments to aseptic process parameters.
- Clean equipment and process areas in-between production to avoid cross-contamination.
- Conduct volume checks.
- Calibrate analytical equipment.
- Review instructions or information to understand the task.
- Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
- Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Apply controlled environment procedures for example, gowning, isolators, contamination control, and sanitisation.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and waste handling.
- Conduct in process or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
- Apply first line maintenance practices.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
- Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
- Perform second person witness and second person checks for critical tasks.
- Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
- Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements and GDPR.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
Training schedule
This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post.
Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
As a Pre-Registration Science Manufacturing Technician, you will be fully supervised throughout the two-year training contract and receive structured training to support the development of decision-making skills and professional behaviours.
A key focus of the apprenticeship is understanding your scope of practice and limitations, while building strong technical and professional competencies.
Core Responsibilities:
- Develop awareness of environmental monitoring action limits and the appropriate corrective measures in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and departmental policies
- Support cost-effective and efficient dispensing by identifying opportunities for multiple dispensing of extended treatment regimes, considering expiry dates and vial sharing protocols
- Assess returned cytotoxic and monoclonal medications from wards and departments for suitability for re-issue, following departmental guidelines and SOPs, including accurate documentation on the CMM system
- Contribute to stock wastage reduction by promoting the efficient use and reuse of cytotoxic and monoclonal drugs
- Liaise across sites to optimise the use of stock with short expiry dates.
Ensure adequate stock levels of cytotoxic and monoclonal medications are maintained, and that stock is rotated appropriately to minimise waste
Systems and IT Competency:
- Access and interpret patient prescriptions using Chemocare® and Aria®
- Generate worksheets and labels using Episys Ultimate®
- Use Microsoft Windows and Office applications (Word, Excel) confidently for documentation and communication
More training information
About the Apprenticeship:
Successful candidates will undertake the Science Manufacturing Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship, which includes:
- Attending study sessions and completing distance learning
- Engaging in 20% off-the-job training
- Completing online assignments and preparing for the End Point Assessment (EPA)
- On-the-job training will be provided to support you in developing the skills and competencies required for the role
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C, Grade 4 or above)
- Maths (grade C, Grade 4 or above)
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
BTEC in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Team working
About this employer
At UHSussex we’re proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK’s largest acute Trusts, we’re a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years. We are a vibrant and inclusive organisation with patient care at our core. Our hard-working, talented and dedicated people work together towards a common goal – to always put our Patient First. In fact our mission is summed up by our ‘where better never stops’ motto and no matter the role at UHSussex, you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex. We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our wellbeing programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves. As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do. We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex. In the meantime make sure to check out our Patient First approach that runs through our core as you’ll get to know us better through this, our equality, diversity and inclusion pages which show just why being inclusive is so important to us and how our staff networks help drive change, and our staff wellbeing page that details the many ways in which we invest in your wellbeing.
https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/careers/current-vacancies/#!/job/v7505860 (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
Blue light card. Wellbeing programme.
After this apprenticeship
- Science Manufacturing Technician
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000000967.
Apply now
Closes in 10 days (Thursday 27 November 2025)
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