Senior Scientist

Job summary

The Senior Scientist works closely with colleagues to provide epidemiological and data management support across a number of topic areas; including evaluation and epidemiological science priorities and in collaboration with other partners. This will include supporting and managing the technical and analytical aspects of epidemiological investigations and supporting a team in carrying out these tasks. This could include contributing to the evaluation of Exercise PEGASUS, a National ‘Tier 1’ pandemic preparedness exercise.

The interface with local, regional and national colleagues, as well as with external stakeholders, will be an important feature of this role.

This is an exciting development opportunity to be based in a scientific, project focussed team with a broad UKHSA wide remit. This post may require regular travel within the geographical area of responsibility and travel elsewhere/ nationally.

The Evaluation and Epidemiological Sciences (EES) Division identifies priorities across evaluation and epidemiological science aligned to scientific, research and public health needs, and coordinates activity to address them. It leads and supports urgent, high impact evaluations, provides rapid advice to Incident Management Teams, builds strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, and supports translation of evidence into policy and practice.

Working for your organisation

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

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

Job description

The post holder will:

• Identify epidemiological and evaluation needs in given lead areas.
• Collate, clean and manage datasets, conduct complex statistical analyses and translate findings into clear public health recommendations.
• Lead technical and analytical aspects of epidemiological and evaluation studies and interpret and disseminate results to a range of stakeholders.
• Apply a range of statistical methods and produce reproducible code.
• Be able to use tools such as R and SharePoint and undertake complex analytical tasks to support data extractions, analysis and validation.
• Advise on quality and governance issues, including information security and contribute to the Division’s quality programme, for example through audit.
• Lead and facilitate the delivery of projects.
• Managing research studies, including analysing datasets, with knowledge of how to develop a grant proposal and apply for ethical approval.
• Present at scientific conferences and publish scientific papers.

The role includes leading designated work areas, developing policies and protocols, undertaking line management responsibilities as agreed and supporting teaching and training. They will actively engage in meetings with internal and external colleagues.

The post holder will identify development needs, undertake relevant training and complete all mandatory courses.

This list is not exhaustive.

Data & Epidemiological Analyses

• Identify evaluation and epidemiology science needs within designated lead areas, including horizon scanning.
• Collate, collect, clean and manage datasets with appropriate data governance.
• Conduct complex statistical analyses, interpret findings, make recommendations and translate these into public health action.
• Where appropriate, lead and manage technical, analytical and data management aspects of epidemiological and evaluation studies e.g. write protocols for analytical studies, undertake analyses.
• Interpret, write and disseminate findings from epidemiological and evaluation studies to a wide range of stakeholders, including peer reviewed publications, talks and lay summaries

Statistical and Software Skills

• Apply a range of common statistical tests and algorithms including time trend analysis and translate statistical processes into reproducible code.
• Use common statistical, database, mapping and web tools—such as Stata, R, ArcGIS, SQL, network analysis tools and SharePoint—in routine reports,
  surveillance activities and the development of solutions and undertake complex analytical and programming tasks using common and specialist software packages to support data extractions, analysis and validation

Audit, Quality and Governance

• Advise on quality and governance issues, including information security, evaluating existing systems and supporting improvements to standards and
  consistency across the team.
• Contribute to the Division’s quality programme, including audit activities, and be responsible for the quality of data collected, stored and extracted and transferred

Research and Project Management

• Lead and facilitate project delivery using a framework to ensure they are well planned, efficiently implemented, predetermined benefits are realised and
  associated risks mitigated with senior oversight/input.
• Project manage research studies, applying appropriate methodologies, informed by the systematic review of the literature reviews and knowledge of grant proposal development and applying for ethical approval.
• Present at scientific conferences, programme area meetings and other fora, and publish papers in collaboration with health, public health, academic and partner organisations.

Management and Leadership

• Contribute to agreed quality improvement and governance initiatives.
• Actively engage in meetings with internal and external colleagues, identify potential problems and seek to resolve and take a lead role in specified topics or functions on behalf of the Division.
• Support defined work areas as agreed with the line manager and contribute to developing policies and protocols for use within the team.
• Undertake line management responsibilities as agreed, contribute to the supervision, guidance and training of junior staff and acting as a role model for UKHSA Values and Behaviours.
• Contribute to teaching and training programmes, including developing materials and delivering sessions on evaluation, epidemiology, information
  science, data management, information governance and quality. Support ongoing training needs across the Division.
• Manage challenging or conflicting subject matter issues, escalating to line management as appropriate.

Personal and Professional Development

• Identify, discuss and take forward personal performance, training and development needs through appraisal and development planning. Attend internal and external training.
• Complete all mandatory training as required.

Communication and Key Working Relationships

• The post holder will build effective working relationships and communicate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Educated to degree level in a science subject or equivalent experience of producing scientific outputs and technical experience of epidemiological methods.
• MSc in Epidemiology, Public Health or allied discipline, or equivalent experience of producing scientific outputs and technical experience of epidemiological methods.
• Experience in cleaning, collecting, managing, interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data, including sensitive health data analyses and analytical epidemiology.
• Demonstrable experience in public health, health protection or epidemiology.
• Knowledge and experience of common statistical tests, modelling and analyses, with ability to interpret results appropriately, including for research.
• Experience using epidemiological and statistical software (e.g., R, STATA).
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with co workers and key stakeholders
• Understanding of information governance, including data protection and confidentiality.
• Excellent oral and written communication, including presentation and scientific report writing skills.
• Able to work independently, seek new information and development opportunities, and respond to unexpected demands while remaining calm and professional.
• Understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable role criteria

• Knowledge of surveillance principles and practice, including data management, security, quality, analysis and reporting.
• Experience of research with first author publications.
• Experience teaching epidemiology or surveillance.
• Knowledge of health and social care systems, roles and information flows.
• Experience of effective line management.
• Proficient in tools such as STATA, R, GIS, network analysis and SQL.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,983, UK Health Security Agency contributes £12,162 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

(Competency based)

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge, experience, 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 11 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)

• 750 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 750 words. We will not consider any words over 750 words.

Longlisting:

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

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

If used, the pile ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

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

• Experience of cleaning, collecting, managing, interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data, sensitive health data analyses and performing analytical epidemiology

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Competency Based
You will be invited to a single remote interview.

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

There will be a Presentation:

You are required to deliver a five minute presentation on an epidemiological analysis you have conducted. Please ensure you include a clear, concise description of methods you used and the likely public health impact of the results.

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.

For Fixed Term Posts

If you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term
Appointment. You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant based outside of UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan,which you will need your department to agree. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per UKHSA’s pay policy.

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQs. 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 one of UKHSA's core HQs (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London). 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 standard 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 Baseline Personnel Security Standard.

Eligibility Criteria

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

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

This does not need to be included on EOI adverts. 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.

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.

Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
• £41,983- £48,128 (National)
• £44,148- £50,121 (Outer London)
• £46,310- £52,113 (Inner London)

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 : Charlene Gwekwerere
• Email : charlene.gwekwerere@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 UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: 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 here.

http://www.healthjobsuk.com/vacancy/7987179