Senior Scientist - Wastewater Surveillance

UK Health Security Agency

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in less than 2 weeks

Healthcare

Flexible

£56,185 - £70,566 per year

Job summary

Wastewater based surveillance (WBS) is a critical and rapidly advancing capability supporting the UK’s preparedness for infectious disease threats, population level health protection, and intelligence on emerging risks. Building on the foundations established during the COVID 19 pandemic, the polio incident response programme, and the National Bio-surveillance Network Environmental Surveillance workstream, the UKHSA is strengthening its ability to integrate WBS into routine and emergency public health decision making.

Job description

As a Senior Scientist (G7), you will lead the scientific direction, coordination, and maturation of the UK’s cross-government wastewater surveillance capability for pandemic preparedness. You will be responsible for designing and embedding high quality scientific standards, championing best practice, and ensuring that wastewater surveillance approaches across government are coherent, interoperable, and decision relevant.

A central output of this role is the development of a Wastewater Surveillance Playbook, an evidence-based guide that consolidates protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), operational models, and decision frameworks to support UKHSA’s surveillance function under pandemic preparedness.

This role requires a scientist with strong conceptual leadership, excellent stakeholder engagement skills, and the ability to translate scientific evidence into strategic planning and operational guidance.

Scientific Leadership & Strategy

Lead the scientific vision for wastewater surveillance for pandemic preparedness across UKHSA and wider government, ensuring approaches remain robust, agile, future proofed and grounded in high quality evidence.
Develop, maintain, and embed scientific protocols, best practice guidance, and standardised approaches to WBS, ensuring they align with pandemic preparedness frameworks.
Provide senior scientific expertise on wastewater surveillance during incidents, outbreaks, and pandemic response activities.

Development of the Wastewater Surveillance Playbook

Design, author and continuously refine a wastewater surveillance playbook for the Agency, drawing on learning from:

-COVID-19 wastewater surveillance

-Polio incident response and Business-As-Usual

-The National Biosurveillance Network (NBN) Environmental Surveillance workstream and the Government’s Biological Security Strateg

-Cross-Agency and Cross-Government wastewater surveillance research, development and implementation.

Integrate scientific, operational, analytical and policy considerations into a cohesive guide for use across the Agency.
Ensure the playbook supports consistent, scalable deployment of WBS to meet the needs of the Agency. Cross Government

Government Collaboration

Build, strengthen and manage strategic relationships with key stakeholders including, but not limited to: Cabinet Office, Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Defra/CEFAS, Devolved Administrations, environmental laboratories, 4-nation public health agencies, and academic institutions.
Facilitate alignment of surveillance protocols, data standards, sampling strategies and analytical methods across organisations.
Represent UKHSA at cross-government scientific and technical working groups.

Governance, Quality & Evidence Assurance

Establish new, or build on existing, frameworks for scientific assurance, methodological quality, and ethical use of wastewater data.
Oversee evaluation of surveillance methods, technologies, and lab workflows, ensuring adoption of effective and scalable approaches.
Coordinate horizon scanning activities to identify emerging science and innovation that could enhance capability.

Translation of Scientific Evidence into Policy & Operations

Synthesise complex scientific information into clear, actionable advice for senior leaders, operational teams, and government decision makers.
Support the integration of WBS outputs into public health surveillance systems, risk assessments and incident decision logs.
Ensure that surveillance insights are timely, proportionate, and relevant for policy development and emergency preparedness planning.

Leadership & Team Development

Provide scientific leadership and mentorship to colleagues contributing to wastewater surveillance activity.
Foster a culture of scientific excellence, collaborative working and transparent decision making.
Contribute to the wider leadership of pandemic preparedness surveillance architecture.

This list is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

Significant experience delivering scientific programmes in public health, environmental surveillance, analytical science, or a related field.
Track record of applying scientific judgement in complex or uncertain environments.
Experience developing or assuring scientific protocols, standards, or methodological frameworks.
Proven ability to work collaboratively across government, academia and/or operational partners.
Experience translating scientific evidence into decision relevant‑relevant guidance for senior audiences.
Deep understanding of surveillance science or environmental/public health monitoring.
Ability to act as a senior scientific authority and intelligent client when commissioning external partners.
Strong skills in evidence synthesis, protocol design, and scientific assurance.
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-specialist audiences.

Desirable criteria:

Direct experience with wastewater surveillance or wastewater-based epidemiology.
Knowledge of UK emergency preparedness structures (e.g., PanPrep, EPRR, incident management).
Experience working on national or cross government‑government guidance, frameworks, or principles.

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%

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.

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 and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths & Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed eight 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 CV –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 three 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 :

Significant experience delivering scientific programmes in public health, environmental surveillance, analytical science, or a related field.

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

Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be invited to a single remote interview.

Behaviours, Experience & Technical Skills will be tested at interview.

There will be a Presentation. Candidates invited to interview will be required to give a 5 minute presentation entitled “Understanding the importance of surveillance in preparing for the next pandemic”. Highlighting your experience, skills and knowledge relevant to this topic. More information on the presentation will be sent to candidates who are successful at gaining interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be :

Seeing the Big Picture (Lead)
Communication and Influencing
Working Together
Changing and Improving

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 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 disclosure and barring security check.

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

Eligibility

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

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

Future location

Reasonable Adjustments

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

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.

Civil Service: grade 7

£56,185 - £66,581 (National)
£58,340 - £68,574 (Outer London)
£60,494 - £70,566 (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 : Nigel Poole
Email : Nigel.Poole@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

Salary range

£56,185 - £70,566 per year