Senior Surveillance Scientist
Job summary
This post in the Immunisations Vaccine Preventable Disease Division will contribute to enhanced surveillance systems, programme monitoring and evaluation, epidemiological assessment, and research studies of viral respiratory diseases, leading and supporting on data collection and validation, and production of routine surveillance intelligence.
The successful candidate will:
- Analyse and interpret surveillance data, develop automated routines and solutions, and oversee and respond to more complex or sensitive data requests.
- Apply their expertise in epidemiology, data(base) management, analysis and statistics, using relevant tools, including web tools, and information/data science approaches.
- Contribute to public health scientific analyses and writing reports on specific projects, regular and ad hoc publications and peer reviewed publications.
- Contribute to response to incidents including outbreaks of infectious diseases, supporting others across the directorate, local Health Protection Teams and in collaboration with other partners. This may include the design, implementation, analysis and interpretation of analytical studies, including case contact studies in a variety of settings, and supporting and managing team members carrying out these tasks.
- Contribute to the professional development of other staff as well as liaising with colleagues across the Chief Medical Advisor Group, wider UKHSA and NHS colleagues at regional/local level.
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
Surveillance, analysis & research
- Develop, manage, and enhance infectious disease surveillance systems and databases including data management/quality processes.
- Contribute to the development of protocols and research/surveillance proposals.
- Coordinate data collection and management with partners.
- Analyse and interpret complex statistical data from surveillance/research datasets to deliver routine and ad hoc outputs.
- Provide expert advice on data interpretation and analytical approaches.
- Produce scientific reports and peer reviewed publications.
- Supervise junior scientific/administrative staff in the production of surveillance reports and publications.
Supporting immunisation programmes
- Lead epidemiological investigations of vaccine impact and effectiveness, adverse events and vaccine-related research relevant to the division.
- Lead evidence generation in support of introduction of new immunisation programmes or changes to existing programmes.
These activities will inform Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) deliberations and decision-making on programmes.
Surveillance and Data Analysis
- Lead, develop, manage and maintain existing national surveillance systems and contribute to the development of new surveillance systems for acute
respiratory viral infections including testing, implementation, and contributing to the drafting of SOPs - Conduct complex statistical analyses of data on respiratory viruses drawn from a variety of surveillance sources in response to ad hoc enquiries from
Government agencies, international agencies, public health practitioners, academics and members of the public. - Present complex epidemiological data and findings to a range of audiences internally and externally, including at scientific conferences.
- Write scientific papers for publication in peer reviewed journals and detailed reports and briefings for UKHSA or Government departments to a high standard.
- Supervise and advise junior scientific colleagues and the administrative team in the production of analytical outputs and surveillance reports.
Vaccine Programme Support
- Develop and lead on data collection and analyses to support vaccine programme introduction, monitoring and evaluation, and decision making. Analyses may include assessment of disease burden, severity, vaccine effectiveness, impact, and safety.
Incident Response
- Support the technical, operational and analytical aspects of outbreak investigations, under the supervision of Senior Scientists and Consultant/G6 leads
- Support drafting of internal and external briefing notes and reports
Research and Data Governance
- Contribute to or lead the development, implementation, analysis and communication of research studies.
- Ensure compliance with research ethics, information governance, data protection, and security standards.
Teaching and Training
- Contribute to the training for new members of staff on the epidemiology and surveillance of respiratory viruses.
- Contribute to teaching and training activities both internally and externally.
Professional Development
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of epidemiology, surveillance methods and scientific developments.
- Identify and address personal training and development needs.
- Participate in mandatory and relevant internal/external training.
Strategic Working and Partnerships
- Contribute to the design, development, and improvement of analytical tools, scripts, documentation, and processes to enhance efficiency, reproducibility,
and quality assurance. - Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders across UKHSA, government, academia and partner organisations to support delivery of
surveillance and research objectives.
Time Management and Leadership Responsibilities
- Manage own workload effectively, prioritising tasks to meet deadlines.
- Provide support, guidance or informal supervision to colleagues as appropriate, including line management responsibilities.
Key Working Relationships
The post holder will develop working relationships with a wide range of internal and external individuals to UKHSA including:
- Medical, scientific, technical, and administrative colleagues within UKHSA such as laboratory staff, data scientists, Health Protection Teams, and
communication specialists. - External partners from DHSC, local government, devolved administrations, NHS Trusts, national, regional, and local institutions within and outside the UK.
Other duties
- Present findings to a range of audiences including national and international conferences.
- Contribute to divisional teaching activities.
- Contribute to the training of new staff members.
- Support analytical and operational aspects of incident and outbreak response.
- Build effective relationships across UKHSA, NHS and partners.
- Undertake additional duties aligned with organisational priorities.
Person specification
Essential criteria
- First degree in STEM or social science subject
- Masters or PhD in Epidemiology, Public Health or allied area
- Postgraduate work or equivalent experience in public health, epidemiology or allied area
- Extensive experience interpreting, evaluating and analysing epidemiological data
- Extensive experience writing code, ideally R, with knowledge of R Markdown and SQL
- Experience managing research studies and databases; writing scientific papers/reports
- Understanding of epidemiological surveillance and information governance
- Proven ability to interpret complex information and make decisions based on incomplete information
- Good organisation skills and ability to work independently to meet deadlines
- Effective relationship-building with colleagues and stakeholders
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
Desirable criteria:
- Knowledge of infectious disease surveillance, and the UK health and social care environment
- Understanding of respiratory virus epidemiology, with experience presenting to varied audiences
- Experience of line management
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 (opens in a new window).- 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 11 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 will 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 will conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:
- Extensive experience interpreting, evaluating and analysing epidemiological data
- Experience managing research studies and databases; writing scientific papers/reports
- Extensive experience writing code, ideally R, with knowledge of R Markdown and SQL
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications or 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 at UK Health Security Agency - Colindale, 61 Colindale Ave, London NW9 5EQ.
If face to face interviews are planned, 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 technical assessment on respiratory virus surveillance. Candidates will be given a document to review for 30 minutes before being asked questions about it during the 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.
Qualifications and Registrations
For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale. 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 campus.
Based at our scientific campus, you will be required to have a minimum of a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a basic enhanced 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 Counter-Terrorist Check.
Eligibility Criteria
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:Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers
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 UKHSA Hub , Civil Service Careers
alary 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.
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.
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
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/8143509
Salary range
- £46,310 - £52,113 per year