Senior Epidemiology Scientist

Job summary

The UKHSA national Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team (ReSST) is part of the National Field Services Division. ReSST is comprised of consultant epidemiologists, senior scientists, a statistician, information analysts, administrative support and trainees. The team is responsible for leading, developing and delivering a national real-time syndromic surveillance service (systems currently composing GP in and out of hours, emergency departments, ambulance and NHS 111). The aims of the service are to provide: early warning of infectious and non-infectious incidents; to provide situational awareness in the event of an incident; and reassurance of lack of public health impacts as appropriate in the event of a mass gathering.

The ReSST Senior Epidemiology Scientist post will provide senior scientific support for syndromic surveillance with the primary objective of leading developments that will strengthen the pandemic preparedness of the syndromic surveillance service. The post holder will also lead routine surveillance activities across the real-time syndromic surveillance service, including routine outputs, evaluating and responding to national, regional and local needs. The post will also lead the epidemiological investigation of incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases, supporting National, Field Services and local Health Protection Teams and in collaboration with other partners.

The interface with local, regional and national colleagues, the UKHSA Pandemic Surveillance Oversight Group, as well as with external stakeholders, will be an important feature of this role, including building and maintaining strong relationships with colleagues across Field Services and wider UKHSA and external colleagues including the NHS, local authorities and academia.

The post holder will also take a lead role in public health scientific analyses and writing reports on specific syndromic surveillance projects including pandemic preparedness, regular and ad hoc publications and peer reviewed publications.

Job description

Surveillance and Data Analysis

• Contribute to the delivery of the UKHSA syndromic surveillance service, providing quality reassurance and further developments of systems and outputs to strengthen pandemic preparedness.
• Identify surveillance needs within syndromic surveillance (including horizon scanning), create syndromic surveillance system specifications, conduct complex statistical analyses and interpret syndromic surveillance data, making appropriate recommendations, and translating it into public health action, develop automated routines and solutions and supervise/assure on the preparation, quality and delivery of routine and ad hoc surveillance reports
• Authorise /manage complex or sensitive data requests and in the development of outputs and statistical analysis
• Responsible for planning, implementing and maintaining a high level of surveillance and high quality epidemiology to meet local and regional needs, providing expert technical advice to PH practitioners on the design, analysis and interpretation of surveillance databases and data whilst assessing the current and future political /economic /scientific /technological /legal /environmental influences on team work

Outbreak Support and Epidemiological Investigations

• Lead and manage the technical and analytical aspects of epidemiological outbreak investigations

Strategic Thinking and Partnership Working

• Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders and partners across the National Infection Service, wider PHE and NHS colleagues at regional/local level as appropriate to role
• Identify and/or provide subject matter expertise and utilise effectively the various forms of engagement available to develop comprehensive stakeholder relationships
• Manage delivery of agreed work programme including timely reporting to stakeholders and work in partnership to ensure needs of stakeholders are met. Forge close working relationships across team/department/directorate boundaries to facilitate an effective matrix style approach to delivery of workstreams identifying areas of interdependency and forging links as appropriate

Audit, Quality and Governance

• Evaluate existing surveillance systems (acting on results) and the acute response to incidents and outbreak, ensuring that it is used to improve standards and consistency across the team, evaluate teaching sessions and undertake and supervise audits as part of the team audit programme

Research and project management

• Identify research questions, project manage a research study, analyse datasets with appropriate methodology to answer research questions, and translate results into public health action
• Perform systematic reviews of literature, co-author grant proposals/applications (including applying for ethical approval), present at scientific conferences, programme area meetings and other fora, and publish and present scientific papers on public health surveillance, outbreaks and infectious disease control in collaboration with health, public health, academic and other partners

Management and Leadership

• To be a visible, positive and competent role model and motivator, monitoring team professional standards. Adopt a senior leadership role for scientists within Field Epidemiology and represent Field Service at PHE and external scientific fora
• Be member of Field Service national and team senior management teams, with involvement in business planning and development of surveillance, research and training strategies. Support senior managers to ensure day-to-day operational delivery of the epidemiology service, its responsibilities and resources are fully equipped and fit for purpose. Deputise where appropriate, using leadership approaches and skills
• Provide consultant level representation for Field Service for a named Region and for a Field Service defined programme area
• Effective line management of staff

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Educated to degree level in a biological, microbiological or health science related subject or equivalent experience
• MSc in Epidemiology, or allied discipline or equivalent experience/education
• Completion of the Field Epidemiology Training Programme or equivalent training and experience
• Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance and syndromic surveillance, including data management, data transmission, data security, data quality, data analysis including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting
• Experience of interpreting and evaluating complex epidemiological data, sensitive health data analyses and performing analytical epidemiology and concepts in outbreak situations
• Demonstrable experience of public health, health protection or epidemiology including epidemiology for outbreak investigations
• Knowledge and experience of common statistical tests, modelling and analyses and interpret results appropriately, including for research purposes.
• Experience of teaching epidemiology and/or surveillance and able to facilitate a learning culture
• Experience of effective line management
• Able to build and maintain effective relationships with co-workers and key stakeholders, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
• Understanding of information governance including data protection and confidentiality requirements
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with proven presentation and scientific report writing skills
• Proficient and/or expert in common statistical/ database/mapping tools such as Stata, R, GIS, network analysis, SQL, etc.
• Proven capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
• People supervisory and leadership skills that empower, support, and develop teams to encourage high performance and enable team members to reach their full potential.
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, engender trust and confidence and demonstrate integrity in the provision of advice and support whilst working to tight and often changing timescales
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable criteria

• Experience of research activities with a suitable publication record (3+ papers including 1+ first author) and grant writing experience
• Experience of using advanced epidemiological and statistical software packages

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,185, UK Health Security Agency contributes £16,276 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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 will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (17) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1000 word supporting statement.

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible).

Please do not email us your CV.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 words. We will not consider any words over 1000 words.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we may longlist into 3 piles of:

1. Meets all essential criteria
2. Meets some essential criteria
3. Meets no essential criteria

If used, the following will proceed to shortlisting:

1. Meets all essential criteria

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

• Educated to degree level in a biological, microbiological or health science related subject or equivalent experience
• MSc in Epidemiology, or allied discipline or equivalent experience/education
• Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance and syndromic surveillance, including data management, data transmission, data security, data quality, data analysis including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/large amount of successful candidates.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a single face to face interview. (In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview).

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.

There will be a Presentation the full details will be provided at interview stage. The presentation will be assessing the following:

• Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance and syndromic surveillance, including data management, data transmission, data security, data quality, data analysis including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with proven presentation and scientific report writing skills
• Proven capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly

Interviews dates to be confirmed.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our core HQ in Birmingham.

We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at our office. Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport links and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.

Eligibility Criteria – External

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).

Salary Information
If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Future location
UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're
appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any
reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability
Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs. You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud Check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be
checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub, and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional
circumstances. Currently this is only for external candidates to the Civil Service.

Careers website
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

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.

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.

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

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 : Gurkamal Bhambra
• Email : gurkamal.bhambra@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's
Recruitment Principles.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 the UKHSA Complaints team via email at: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can
contact the Civil Service Commission. Visit the Civil Service Commission website for further information: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk