Senior Scientist (Respiratory Infections)

Job summary

The Acute Respiratory Infections team is located within UKHSA’s TARZET division at Colindale. The remit of the team includes providing specialist epidemiology and surveillance, coordinating the investigation of national outbreaks, advising government on the risks posed by various acute respiratory pathogens and responding to international health concerns.

The postholder will be a member of a team working on the surveillance, epidemiology and investigation of acute respiratory infections. The postholder will develop, manage and maintain surveillance databases.

The postholder will also provide specialist scientific support for a range of national and international surveillance programmes, research projects and outbreak investigations. This will include the design and development of new surveillance and data management systems in response to developments in microbiological typing methods in collaboration with other epidemiologists and relevant specialists, conducting complex statistical analyses to produce surveillance outputs.

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

Surveillance

• Develop, manage and maintain the surveillance databases
• Manage existing national surveillance systems and co-ordinate the development of new surveillance systems for acute respiratory and to supervise and advise junior scientific and administrative staff in the maintenance and development of integrated or enhanced surveillance datasets
• Conduct complex statistical analyses of data on respiratory pathogens drawn from a variety of surveillance sources in response to ad hoc enquiries from Government agencies (DHSC, APHA, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [Defra]), international agencies (ECDC WHO) public health practitioners, academics and members of the public
• Advise scientific and administrative staff conducting routine analyses of surveillance datasets for standardised outputs and ad hoc enquiries
• Supervise junior scientific colleagues and the administrative team in the production of surveillance reports and publications
• Help coordinate the activities of scientists in partner institutes involved in collaborative surveillance programmes
• Provide technical advice and assistance to public health practitioners on the design, maintenance, analysis and interpretation of surveillance databases
• Assist in the design and development of new surveillance and data management systems in response to developments in the application of microbiological typing methods including contributing to the drafting of Standard Operating Procedures
• Write or contribute to the drafting of scientific papers for publication in peer reviewed journals and detailed reports for UKHSA or Government departments

Outbreak Investigation

Manage the technical and analytical aspects of outbreak investigations, under the supervision of the Consultant lead, by:

• Designing outbreak databases
• Liaising with relevant specialists to collect epidemiological data
• Coordinating and advising incident teams
• Interviewing clinicians and patients to collect clinical and risk factor data during incidents
• Overseeing data entry and ensuring quality control of databases
• Collating and interpreting epidemiological and microbiological data drawn from a variety of sources
• Conducting complex statistical analyses of datasets;
• Providing statistical analyses for government agencies, health protection units and environmental health departments
• Writing briefing notes and situation reports
• Presenting epidemiological data to Incident Management Teams
• Contributing to the production of outbreak reports and subsequent publications

Research

• Contribute to the development of research proposals
• Coordinate the collection and collation of data from collaborators based in specialist
• Laboratories and other institutions throughout the UK
• Conduct statistical analyses of epidemiological and microbiological data for grant funded research projects and UKHSA programmes

Professional Development

Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attend internal and external training events. Participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.

Key Working Relationships

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of
individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA.

This will include:
a) Medical, scientific, IT/bioinformatics and administrative colleagues within the National Infection Service;
b) Staff in other departments of UKHSA, especially colleagues in Laboratory Services;
c) Colleagues in the UKHSA Statistics Unit, Field Epidemiology Services, Local Health Protection Teams and the Communications Dept;
d) Food Standards Agency (FSA);
e) Department of Health and Social Care;
f) Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA);
g) European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC);
h) Local government;
i) Devolved administrations (Health Protection Scotland, Public Health Wales);
j) Other clinical, public health, scientific and academic staff in NHS Trusts, national, regional and local institutions within and outside the UK;

Please note this list is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Main duties of the job (continued)

Surveillance (continued)

Essential Criteria

• First degree in a science subject
• Higher degree in Epidemiology, Public Health or an allied subject
• Postgraduate work/study in public health, epidemiology or an allied subject
• Interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data, using Access/ SQL databases, spreadsheets, statistical and graphics packages to an advanced level
• Statistical analysis of large and complex epidemiological datasets
• Managing epidemiological studies and outbreak investigation
• Writing scientific papers and/or project reports
• Ability to work independently and take responsibility for own technical work and time and to work as an effective team member
• Ability to analyse, summarise and interpret complex epidemiological data
• Communicate ideas and methods clearly and succinctly to include excellent oral and written communication skills
• Identify and solve day-to-day practical problems
• Ability to work on several separate tasks at the same time, whilst keeping to agreed deadlines
• Ability to analyse very complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources
• Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and decision making
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable Criteria

• Having a thorough understanding of recent advances in the epidemiology and microbiology of respiratory infections and presenting scientific papers at national and international conferences
• Experience of creating and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders and an ability to liaise with a range of health professionals and scientific specialists

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,310, UK Health Security Agency contributes £13,416 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

Competency Based

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 15 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

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

1500 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 1500 words. We will not consider any words over 1500 words.

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

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• 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:

• Interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data, using Access/ SQL databases, spreadsheets, statistical and graphics packages to an advanced level
• Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and decision making

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

Competency Based

You will be invited to a single remote interview.

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

Please note you will be required to complete an R-based data science test on the day of your interview.

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 London (Canary Wharf). 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 disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as a minimum, with a willingness and capability to work towards Security Check (SC).

You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years to obtain Security Check (SC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting at this higher level and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Eligibility Criteria

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.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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

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 : Tom Geldeard
• Email : Tom.Geldeard@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: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk