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Job summary

The Pre-clinical Evaluation Team is a translational research group within the Countermeasures Evaluation, Development and Preparedness (CDEP) division at UKHSA Porton Down, focused on high-consequence human pathogens. Research includes pre-clinical evaluation of countermeasures, development of in vivo models, assay development to support vaccine testing, and exploration of organ-on-chip technologies.

We seek an experienced scientist to lead and contribute to projects developing and applying assays to samples from pre-clinical models. These include established, emerging, and innovative in vivo systems aimed at reducing animal use. The role involves close collaboration with the Scientific Lead, Head of Department, and Senior Project Team Leaders to ensure alignment with organisational strategy and strengthen capability across CDEP.

Applicants should hold a PhD (or equivalent experience) in immunology, cell biology or virology, with proven ability to apply a range of immunological techniques to characterise pre-clinical models. Strong communication, organisation, and documentation skills are essential, along with experience managing teams, collaborating externally, and working to high-quality standards (ISO9001: 2015,GxP). Containment level 3 experience is desirable. The role requires flexibility, technical leadership, and the ability to guide a small team to deliver project objectives.

Job description

• Lead the management and development of pre-clinical models and other relevant immunology-based projects to ensure targets are met.
• Lead and develop capacity building collaborations to ensure project targets are met, working with the Scientific Lead to maintain the engagement of stakeholders.
• Lead on other externally funded projects as assigned, meeting targets in line with sponsor requirements, engaging with collaborators and networks as required.
• Identify, bid, and lead on internal and external funding with a focus on pre-clinical models/immunology and develop the group in line with departmental objectives.
• Provide reports and data as required by the Scientific Leads/Head of Department and external stakeholders as required.
• To build external links with collaborators and similar groups to the benefit the project(s) and/or department
• To give internal/external presentations, develop, draft, and submit manuscripts on work for peer-reviewed publications.
• Take lead responsibility for ensuring that junior staff allocated to the projects(s) are adequately supervised and trained. the supervision and training of junior staff allocated to the project(s).
• Lead the project team/area to identify, evaluate and adapt new approaches where appropriate and to ensure that the project operates to a high scientific standard using current methods.

This list is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• PhD, or equivalent years’ experience, in relevant subject e.g., Immunology, Cell biology or Virology etc.
• Experience of working with the development of pre-clinical models, including establishment and subsequent use for intervention testing
• Experience of working in immunology, including assessment of humoral and cellular responses, assay development and hands-on flow cytometry experience.
• Experience of leading projects/project teams and training junior members of staff.
• Experience of performing in-vivo studies or in-vitro assay to a higher quality standard (ISO9001: 2015,GxP)
• Clear communicator with excellent writing, report writing and presentation skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for diverse audiences
• Evidence of success in efficient and effective project and programme participation/management
• Skills for communication on complex matters and difficult situations, requiring persuasion and influence.
• Ability to analyse and interpret information, pre-empt, and evaluate issues, and recommend and appropriate course of action to address the issues
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands

Desirable criteria:

• Experience in virology, especially experience in “wet” virology techniques (e.g., plaque assay, virus isolation, propagation)
• Knowledge and experience of practices and principles of working at ADCP containment level 3.
• Skills for nurturing key relationships and maintaining networks.
• Strategic thinking – ability to anticipate
• Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where they may be a number of courses of action
• Skills for troubleshooting data analysis pipelines

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 (opens in a new window).

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

• 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 is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success profilesSuccess Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 10essential 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 over1000words.

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 that 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:

• PhD, or equivalent years’ experience, in relevant subject e.g., Immunology, cell biology or virology etc
• Experience of working in immunology, including assessment of humoral and cellular responses, assay development and hands-on flow cytometry experience.
• Experience of leading projects/project teams and training junior members of staff.

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 profilesSuccess Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be invited to a single face to face interview at our Scientific Campus in Colindale, London.

When face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours will be tested at interview in the form of questions.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Lead Behaviour - Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communication and Influencing

Interview dates are 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.

Please Note - 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.

Eligibility Criteria

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

Location

This role is being offered as lab based at our Scientific Campus in Porton, Wiltshire. Please note that hybrid working is not available for this role

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic 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.

When based at our scientific campus, you will be required to have 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.

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. Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.

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 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

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 : John Inglis
• Email : john.inglis@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 the UKHSA Complaints team via email at: 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 for further information: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk