Genetic Counselor

Position Overview

The Genetic Counselor role involves providing detailed genetic counseling for pediatric and adult patients at King’s College Hospital London, UAE. The counselor guides patients, families, and clinicians through the assessment and explanation of genetic and genomic data to support informed decisions regarding health and reproduction. Duties include evaluating medical and family histories, managing genetic testing procedures, delivering clear test result explanations, and offering emotional support throughout care.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive outpatient genetic counseling for individuals referred for genomic evaluation.
• Gather and analyze detailed personal and family medical information to determine hereditary risk.
• Help patients make informed choices about genetic investigations.
• Communicate complex genomic concepts empathetically and respecting cultural contexts.
• Offer psychological support before, during, and after genetic testing.
• Work with clinicians to create personalized follow-up and management plans.
• Assist with the hospital’s newborn genome screening program including pre- and post-test education and coordination of follow-ups.
• Support clinical genomic services for rare diseases by aiding investigation selection and interpreting reports with clinical geneticists.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and stay updated on genomic medicine advances.
• Provide genetic counseling in oncology regarding hereditary cancer risks and facilitate family screening processes.
• Advise on reproductive, prenatal, and women's health genetics including carrier and prenatal testing, supporting relevant clinical teams.
• Engage in proactive genomic screening programs advising on predictive testing and prevention.
• Manage genetic testing logistics, liaising with labs and ensuring accurate consent and documentation.
• Collaborate across specialties such as pediatrics, neurology, oncology, obstetrics, fertility, cardiology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology.
• Deliver educational programs to healthcare providers and contribute to service development and clinical guidelines.

Education, Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

• Master's degree in Genetic Counseling, Medical Genetics, Genomics, or related disciplines from an accredited institution.
• Licensure with Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
• Certification or registration with recognized genetic counseling bodies (e.g., ABGC, HCPC, GCRB, HGSA, CAGC) is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of medical genetics, inheritance, genomic technologies, and ethics.
• Fluency in English is essential; Arabic proficiency is a plus.
• Minimum of two years’ relevant experience in genetic counseling or related clinical genetics settings.
• Clinical placement or supervised training in pediatric, prenatal, oncology, or genomic medicine preferred.
• Experience in direct patient counseling, education, and multidisciplinary team collaboration is advantageous.
• Familiarity with genomic testing procedures, variant interpretation, and laboratory workflows is beneficial.