Veterinary Lead for Avian Endemics (Virology) – National Reference Laboratory (NRL) (ID4440)

Job summary

Do you want to be part of a team safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare? If so, why not join us and make a difference.

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.

The Virology department is a multi-disciplinary team with a statutory remit in named reportable, endemic, notifiable and exotic diseases for the delivery of research, diagnostic services and surveillance programmes. As the Veterinary Lead for avian endemics, you will provide leadership, expertise and development within the area of avian virological diseases. You will lead the NRL for endemic avian viral diseases and provide subject matter expertise and significant stakeholder engagement for avian diseases of significant concern to industry or the competent authority. You will provide consultancy both inside the agency as well as to national and international stakeholders on avian viruses, particularly but not exclusively those of UK endemic importance such as Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV),Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT), Duck Viral Enteritis (DVE),and Duck Viral Hepatitis (DVH); and will lead the NRL for these diseases. In this role, you will work closely not only with colleagues in avian virology but also with the Surveillance Intelligence Unit’s Avian Expert Group and provide support for the characterisation of new and re-emerging avian viral diseases and escalation of threats to the Veterinary Risk Group. In addition, you will provide strategic veterinary support and consultancy in times of outbreak of notifiable avian diseases.

Job description

Main areas of work will include:

• Strategic leadership, management, coordination and delivery of the work of the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Endemic Viral Poultry Diseases. Strategic veterinary leadership and development of science and surveillance activities for endemic viral diseases of poultry including characterisation of new and re-emerging viral threats. Oversight of team delivery for notifiable avian disease (NAD) business as usual activities including international trade testing and commercial testing. Oversight of NAD wild bird surveillance and the poultry survey for NAD through linkages to the outbreak response team. Associated advice/support to government including sharing the role of disease consultant for NAD with the workgroup leader and senior management cadre within the Influenza and avian virology team.
• Leadership and management of the avian virology Endemic Viral Poultry Diseases NRL team, working to required staff performance, quality (UKAS 17025, ISO9001), Home Office, HSE/Safety, Health and Well-being (SHaW) standards and requirements, and within agreed financial budgets/resources.
• Maintain and proactively develop relevant veterinary and scientific knowledge and expertise, networks and collaborations, including multi-disciplinary approaches within and outwith APHA to assist in the development and delivery of work of the Endemic avian viral diseases reference laboratory. Critical links into frontline statutory NAD response. Strong ability to flex between endemic research and surveillance activities and frontline NAD outbreak response as necessary.
• Support the Workgroup leader, through deputising and delegated tasks; contribute to strategic planning.
• Communication of science through participation in internal and external meetings, but also to ensure a high quality programme of scientific approaches.
• Maintain and enhance links across the national and international avian stakeholder community through provision of expertise and influencing, particularly in the area of IBV.
• Provide consultancy to stakeholders such as Defra, Devolved Administrations and the industry.
• Supervise and provide training for members of staff, students, and visitors in the workgroup.
• Work closely and collaboratively across organisational boundaries, to ensure development and delivery of early warning threat detection and laboratory capacity and capability. Actively build professional networks within APHA and elsewhere to identify collaborators that will support characterisation of avian viral disease threats.
• Work closely with APHAs Heads of Departments, Lead Scientists, other NAD Disease Consultants and Discipline Champions to maintain and develop capabilities in the field of avian viral diseases.
• Promote joint working with collaborators and contribute to the design, development and implementation of national policy initiatives, reforms relevant to the operational aspects, and the development of Government strategies.
• Provide support to the strategic development of avian virology surveillance, working closely with the Surveillance Intelligence Unit (SIU)’s Avian Expert Group to achieve this.

Person specification

You will need to demonstrate the following:

• Excellent people leadership skills, particularly of professional staff, scientific and delivery experts
• A strategic thinker with diagnostic technical skills and understanding, analytical and creative problem-solving abilities.
• Well-developed interpersonal, decision-making skills
• Proven ability to provide visionary veterinary professional leadership to and functional management of multidisciplinary team(s) in a complex, uncertain and changing environment mitigating risks and acknowledging tensions and dependencies.
• Evidence of collaborative working across different disciplines and affiliations to achieve successful outcomes
• Proven ability to build, coach and develop high performance in teams and individuals, and support a climate of continuous learning and improvement.
• Maintaining and assuring appropriate levels of quality assurance for scientific evidence and advice.
• Ability to innovate and work in a flexible and agile way making use of current technology.
• Highly motivated, corporate, self-aware with high inner resilience and calm under pressure.
• Builds a learning culture with a strong focus on continuous development and building capability in others
• Able to maintain a customer delivery focus at all times.
• Good project leadership skills.
• Good written and oral communication skills. The post holder will have to be comfortable with communicating across people and groups with a range of scientific knowledge.
• Providing advice to different stakeholders and making recommendations, sometimes with an incomplete evidence base.
• Comprehensive skills, knowledge and ability in applied state veterinary medicine.

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 UK& have 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.

Ways of Working
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 for meetings for example. 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.

Periodic travel within the UK and Europe may be required to attend training courses, conferences and scientific meetings. A valid full driving licence is necessary or access to an alternative means of transport.

Out of hours work may be required. When overtime or out-of-hours work is required, APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements. You may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment.

The successful candidate will need to comply with a number of health protocols and wear protective clothing and Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (RPPE) as required. The work of the post can be physically demanding as it involves long periods of time on your feet working in the laboratory as well as moving around site from one laboratory to another. It also involves repetitive actions e.g. pipetting and lifting of waste containers that may be heavy. A level of physical fitness is required to be able to access biosecure areas, as there is a requirement to wear personal protective equipment, which in some laboratories requires a full change of clothes.

The post will also require Health clearance. You will be expected to complete a questionnaire on your general health and have any necessary vaccinations or health surveillance, including influenza A, skin sensitisers, and tetanus. This will be arranged by the Health Team, Weybridge.

Qualifications

Degree in Veterinary Medicine

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• A good understanding of the poultry industry, including key stakeholder groups, significant diseases and diagnostic processes
• Experience of working with a variety of stakeholders relevant to the role potentially including other avian industry stakeholders
• Some knowledge of research activities including publications and successful grant applications

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,000, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £17,961 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, staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time –if accumulated), three paid volunteering day 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, Experience and Technical skills.

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 Person 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.

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 will progress to interview unless there is a large number of applications. In this instance, an initial sift will be conducted using the CV-style application form. 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
• Technical skills outlined in the advert following theSuccess Profiles: Technical - GOV.UKframework:
  • A good understanding of the poultry industry, including key stakeholder groups, significant diseases and diagnostic processes
  • Experience of working with a variety of stakeholders relevant to the role potentially including other avian industry stakeholders
  • Some knowledge of research activities including publications and successful grant applications
• Behaviours (Leadership, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together). The Behaviour criteria outlined in theSuccess Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UKframework for G7 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 give a 5-minute presentation with slides, followed by questions and answers. This will be assessed under the Seeing the Big Picture Behaviour. Full details of the presentation and the title will be given when you are invited for interview.

Your interview will be conducted face to face or on-line. You will be notified of the location of the interview when you are invited for interview.

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

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.

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

Location
Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location (excluding Northern Ireland) and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

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. For most candidates your hours of work will be a blend of working from an APHA workplace (specific to the team location) with working at home.

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.

This role is based at APHA Weybridge only due to the nature of the role and the duties required.

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

Salary

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

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.

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

Higher Security Clearance
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 required before taking up the post.

Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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 counter-terrorist 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.

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 Recruitment Team
• 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

2293 VI6 G7 Veterinary Lead Avian Virology JD Opens in new window (pdf, 401kB)APHA Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1869kB)