Senior Epidemiologist (ID4420)

Job summary

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions. We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.

We are responsible for identifying, managing, and controlling incidents and outbreaks of endemic and exotic diseases and pests in animals, plants and bees, as well as carrying out research. We provide unique capabilities and an evidence base for UK Government, together with international reference centre responsibilities.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated epidemiologist to join our Department of Epidemiological Sciences (DES). Epidemiological Sciences is a nationally important, multidisciplinary department with expert skills in epidemiology, statistics, risk analysis, modelling and data science. The successful applicant will play a critical role leading and generating evidence to help tackle the most pressing animal health problems in GB livestock including endemic and exotic disease threats. Endemic and exotic disease threats of relevance in our work are bovine tuberculosis, salmonella, antimicrobial resistance, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, and avian influenza, among others. They will also be consultants, providing advice to other epidemiology activity within the team and across APHA.

Job description

You will be a senior analytical epidemiologist in the Epidemiology workgroup in the Department of Epidemiological Sciences, providing high quality epidemiological consultancy and analytical project leadership. Networking with your own and other disciplines to share expertise and building capability in other staff. Leading and co-ordinating epidemiology research projects and provision of advice within the epidemiology workgroup. Promoting APHA science and epidemiology at national and international meetings and conferences by presenting and publishing in reports and peer reviewed journals.

Providing national and international consultancy, collaborating within APHA and outside APHA on areas of expertise as required at meetings and conferences. To support and deputise for the Epidemiology workgroup leader and the Lead Analytical Epidemiologists as required in management and capability building activities.

Key areas of responsibility will include:

• Leading epidemiological surveillance and research studies within the Department of Epidemiological Sciences (DES) in collaboration with colleagues across APHA.
• Lead the study design and conduct of descriptive and multivariable analyses on large and complex datasets of populations and disease.
• Design and evaluation of surveillance systems, as well as applying epidemiological skills to analyse and interpret surveillance data to produce new, informative outputs.
• Integrate epidemiological outputs to provide scientific evidence to stakeholders characterizing uncertainty and bias
• Communicate results and findings in national and international peer-reviewed scientific journals and present at national and international conferences
• Manage the delivery, financial and staffing requirements of projects
• Maintain an up to date understanding of epidemiological approaches as well as pathogens and populations demographics relevant to the work of the team
• Lead the writing of bids for further funding
• Support the wider APHA Science programmes
• Support preparedness and response to exotic animal disease outbreaks including participation in the Duty epidemiologist rota (vets only, out of hours, allowance given) and analytical epidemiologist rotas within the National Epidemiological Emergency Group as required.

Person specification

Experience and skills:

We'll assess you against these skills and experience during the selection process:

• Experience of leading and supervising epidemiological studies including study design and complex analysis (including risk factor analysis) of large datasets is expected
• A high level of competence in software packages for epidemiological analysis such as STATA or R
• Publishing research as a first author in peer-reviewed journals
• Knowledge of GB livestock systems and endemic and exotic disease threats.
• Experience of project leadership and people management
• A high level of experience with Microsoft Office products particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint is expected

Security clearance
The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government’s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all postholders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicantsmust be currently resident in the UKhave at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated. CTC is only required if based at APHA Weybridge.

Workplace Arrangements

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home.

The post holder must work from one of the locations listed in the Locations section of the advert. Subject to office capacity, the specific location can be discussed during the interview process.

If not based at APHA Weybridge, regular travel to the Weybridge site will be expected at least 4 times per year.

Some travel will be required to attend training courses and meetings. You must have a valid driving licence or be able to call upon suitable alternate means of transport. Periodic travel within the UK and EU will be required and this could include farm or abattoir visits as part of on-going research.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

Staff may be required to work weekends, Bank Holidays and occasional evenings in the event of an incident or disease outbreak. In the event of this you may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment. APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements.

Health Clearance

The post will require Health clearance. You will be expected to complete a questionnaire on your general health. This will be arranged by the Health Team in Weybridge.

Qualifications

Post-graduate qualifications in epidemiology, such as a relevant master’s degree and/or PhD, with further experience of leading epidemiological studies.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,665, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £12,360 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training as inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employer contributory pension (28.97%), staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offeradditional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time –if accumulated), three paid volunteering days per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Application Process

You will be required to complete the following as part of your application:

• A CV-style application submitted through an online tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobs website. There is no requirement to upload your personal CV.
• A 500-word Personal Statement of how you match the details in the Personal Specification – the written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. We encourage you to use the full word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed it.
• A 250-word Behaviour Statement for the following Behaviour: Communicating and Influencing. Please use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your application.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

CV Guidance

Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements and your main responsibilities in each role and be no longer than 2 pages. Your CV will be used to provide further context on your Personal Statement and scored against the essential criteria.

Personal Statement Guidance

When completing your Personal Statement, please read and understand the Person Specification thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Please ensure you evidence the key personal qualities and experiences that align with the criteria. Consider the Job Description and look to demonstrate how your previous experience may align with the expectations and be applicable to the role. The written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc.

Scoring for all criteria of the application is from 1 to 7 – A score of 4 and above in each area will progress to interview unless there is a large number of applications. In this instance, an initial sift will be conducted using the Lead Behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

The panel may agree a benchmark score higher than 4 with a rationale for the decision. Any candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who scores 4 or above on all of the criteria will be offered an interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

For further guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV style application, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV , Civil Service Careers

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake, please contact us via Science.DirectorateHR@apha.gov.uk with the vacancy reference number, your applicant reference number, and the closing date.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview, where you will be assessed on:

• Experience as detailed in the Person Specification section - Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK framework.
• Behaviours (Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace). The Behaviour criteria outlined in theSuccess Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UKframework for SEO positions. Please use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your interview.
• You will also be required to prepare a 10-minute Powerpoint presentation to give during the interview, on an epidemiological study/analysis you have undertaken, followed by 5 minutes for questions and answers. The presentation will be assessed under experience. Full details of the presentation will be given when you are invited for interview.

The interview will be conducted Online via Microsoft Teams.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Near Miss

Candidates who do not meet the criteria for appointment at the advertised Grade, but are considered a ‘near miss’, may be offered a similar post at a Grade lower than the advertised role should one become available.

After the interview

Once all the interviews have been conducted, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. If you are successful at the interview stage, we will be in touch to offer you a role. Offers will be made in merit order.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Candidates intending to be based at Weybridge must undergo additional checks. The level of security needed to be based at Weybridge is Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC). Please note that these checks can take up to 6 months to complete and may delay your start date. See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

Salary

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

This post offers the successful candidate the opportunity to receive an additional pay supplement of £2,500 upon appointment. There is a further pay supplement up to £2,500 which may be offered based on candidate’s annual competency assessment. These allowances do not form part of the Terms of Employment.

Specialist Pay

A specialist pay allowance will be given under the following conditions:

• You must be carrying out a DS science role (as defined in the GSE career framework and assured by the Deputy Director of Scientific Services) in the Science Directorate within APHA, either in a permanent or FTA SSO role.
• Scientists in these posts are eligible for level 0 allowances – on appointment or from the date of implementation of this allowance.

Overview of how the Specialist Pay lead will work:

The assessment framework has three levels of capability, all levels of capability attract an allowance. The capability assessment framework has been developed based on the GSE framework to build the technical skills and capabilities required by APHA at the DS SSO grade. The allowance levels are:

• Level 0 - Emerging (£2,500) - On appointment or basic knowledge and limited relevant experience. You understand how the skill can be applied. You can describe the benefits and importance. Individual is developing within the role, including skills and technical ability. The postholder will be assessed after 3 months in post, and thereafter yearly, to determine whether they can move up to a Level 1 (£3500) or Level 2 (£5000) allowance.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Working Pattern

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying. We may consider two part-time staff on a job share basis if continuity can be arranged.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to Weybridge may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Higher Security Clearance - Weybridge only

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please see our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all staff based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK and have at least three years continuous UK residency in order to start the mandatory Counter Terrorist Check security checks that are required to work at APHA Weybridge. If you cannot meet this criterion, CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Science Directorate
• Email : Science.DirectorateHR@apha.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here

Attachments

SSO Senior Epi_5042_Jan 2026v3_FINAL Opens in new window (doc, 155kB)APHA Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1882kB)