About the job

Job summary

Job Title – Bioinformatician

Profession- Bioinformatics

Directorate – Specialised Microbiology and Laboratories

Full Time equivalent - 37.5 hours

No of Roles – 1

Contract Type – Permanent

Location – Colindale / Hybrid

UKHSA operates 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 Colindale. Specialist or regional roles will be based at the appropriate UKHSA site. For certain roles, some additional flexibility may be possible, which will be agreed upon with the hiring manager based on individual requirements and business needs.

Working Pattern – Full Time / Part Time / Flexible Working / Hybrid Working / Job Share

Grade & Salary – Grade SEO. Inner London – £42,716-£48,068 per annum

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

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/.

Closing Date – 14/07/2024. 23:55pm. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered

Interview Date – 31/07/2024 Please note, these dates are subject to change.

Job description

The appointee will be responsible for supporting scientists throughout the Virus Reference Department (VRD) in the application of bioinformatics and genomics. Maintenance and development of molecular sequence databases and web interfaces for storage and analysis of viral sequence data will be a key activity, including in support of the World Health Organization’s Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network. The appointee will be expected to develop and maintain these web resources and work closely with colleagues within VRD and across the WHO laboratory network. The increasing use of Illumina and Nanopore sequencing technologies within VRD also requires the initiation of both database and analysis platforms for a wide range of viral pathogens, including Influenza Virus, HIV, Hepatitis A-E Viruses, Polio Virus and others. The appointee will also be required to develop analytical processes that inform clinical activities such as viral drug resistance determination and public health activities such as inferring virus transmission networks.

 

 

 

Communication and key working relationships

Internal

• Laboratory scientists and bioinformaticians within VRD
• Bioinformaticians in other groups throughout the organisation

External

• World Health Organization’s Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network comprising of many laboratories around the world
• Academic collaborators typically via Health Protection Research Units

 

Job Overview

You will work in the Virus Reference Department (VRD) located in Colindale, London, which is part of Reference Services within the Specialised Microbiology and Laboratories directorate of UKHSA’s Science Group. Microbiology reference laboratories undertake complex and highly skilled techniques which often require nationally or internationally unique capabilities or facilities. Reference laboratories are required to provide authoritative, final and validated analysis for complex clinical or food microbiological problems and be innovative in driving microbiological methodology developments and standards. They have a key role in provision of expert advice to government and other national and international agencies, risk assessment for new and emerging microbiological threats and play an important role in teaching and training organism-specific and subject matter expertise to all grades of professional medical, nursing, scientific and technical staff. Design of national microbiological surveillance programmes and sampling strategies and outbreak detection and control are part of the day-to-day work of reference laboratories.

The VRD comprises of several units, most of which apply bioinformatics and genomics to provide assays for the molecular detection of viruses of public health importance. VRD’s work embraces both reference functions supporting the NHS and public health activity and has particular expertise in the detection and characterisation of sexually transmitted and blood borne viral pathogens and enteric and respiratory viruses. It hosts a Global Specialised Laboratory within the World Health Organisation’s Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, that provides an online global genomic surveillance platform to assist in monitoring of the WHO’s Measles and Rubella Virus elimination programmes.

Your role will be to provide bioinformatics support, alongside the Senior Bioinformatician, to scientists throughout VRD and so the work will encompass a diverse group of pathogens in various healthcare contexts. You will help to grow the expertise in sequence analysis throughout the VRD units by working in close collaboration with growing numbers of bioinformatics-focused microbiologists. Surveillance sequence data are continuously deposited in the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network’s online surveillance platform. Your role will include maintenance and further development of those databases and websites, and to support the WHO network scientists around the world who submit and analyse data on the platform. You will help to design, implement and validate bioinformatics analytical pipelines to generate high quality genome sequence using the latest technologies, contributing of the growing array of whole genome sequence assays provided by the VRD.

 

Main Duties of the Job

BIOINFORMATICS

• To be responsible for reviewing developments in bioinformatics and, in collaboration with scientists, implementing new technology in the laboratory.
• Undertake whole genome analyses of pathogen data to address evolutionary and epidemiological questions.
• Contribute to the design of routine high-throughput sequencing assays.
• Contribute to the implementation of substantial, scalable informatics solutions for collection, storage, analysis of, and web-based access to clinical and molecular data.
• Develop bioinformatics solutions to allow comprehensive and appropriate interaction between central and local databases.
• Provide expert and specialist advice on scientific and technical solutions for bioinformatics.
• Responsible for the secure handling, storage and retrieval of sensitive data.
• Troubleshooting/fault-finding on software programmes specific to bioinformatics needs.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

• In conjunction with system managers and laboratory managers, ensure the validity of information generated from the laboratory information systems and design, organise and participate in data quality audits.

• To be involved in the development of web-based strategies for dissemination of information at directorate and local UKHSA level and act as a Web Administrator for such web sites.
• Online database maintenance.

Other

• The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by the directorate.
• The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation.

Professional development

You should pursue a programme of continuous professional development in accordance with any relevant professional registration or statutory requirements, while maintaining appropriate awareness of service provider requirements.

 

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality 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.

 

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• A Higher Degree in Bioinformatics, Computer Science or related subject or equivalent experience.
• Experience of processing Illumina or Nanopore datasets to yield high-quality data.
• Experience using bioinformatics software for sequence assembly, editing, alignment and analysis.
• Expertise in large-scale analyses of molecular sequence data.
• Evidence of programming experience in the Python language e.g., in publicly accessible source code repositories or peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience using a Linux-based or other POSIX-compliant computing platform.
• Ability to work independently and take responsibility for own technical work and time.
• Ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to liaise with a range of health professionals and/or scientific staff.
• Experience of creating and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and decision-making.
• Demonstrated capability to plan over short-, medium- and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly.
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems.

 

Desirable Criteria

• A PhD in Bioinformatics, Computer Science or related subject or equivalent experience.
• Experience in developing web-database applications and web-analysis platforms for sequence data.
• Experience of developing databases to compile large amounts of information from activities such as high throughput whole genome sequencing.
• Good knowledge of web technologies HTML, CSS, JavaScript, AJAX, XML etc..
• Proven skills in database design, architecture and implementation on a variety of platforms.
• Expertise in web application frameworks in any programming language.
• Experience of successfully operating in a politically sensitive environment.
• Experience of high-quality written communications e.g., briefing papers or peer-reviewed publications.
• Evidence of continued professional development.
• Demonstrated experience in a Healthcare environment.
• Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures.

 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,716, UK Health Security Agency contributes £11,533 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Stage 1: Application & Sift

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Statement of Suitability in no more than 1000 words. This should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the experience criteria or the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section). Be sure to clearly address how you meet each item in the essential criteria. Consider using sub-headings to thematically group your evidence in support of one or more related criteria.

You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.

Note: both your Statement of Suitability and Employer/ Activity history sections will be scored with equal weight in the sifting process. You must complete both to progress. If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview

 

Stage 2: Panel Interview

All applicants that progress to interview will be assessed on behaviours / experience / technical / ability through Success Profiles.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving

 

The specified Success Profile Behaviours and Strength will be assessed via interview questions. To assess technical and communication skills, the candidate will be asked to deliver a brief presentation on an analytical project they have been involved in, including some source code they contributed to, after which there will be some follow-up questions from the panel.

Reserve List:

Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be contacted if similar roles become available.

If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

Benefits

• Alongside your salary of £38,724, UK Health Security Agency contributes £10,455 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/joining-the-pension-scheme/benefits-of-the-pension-scheme/
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Range of health and wellbeing support

 

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.

 

 

DBS - People working with government systems must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks which includes a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed for this role is BPSS however there may be a requirement for this role to be SC cleared and you should familiarise yourself with the criteria of security clearance.

 

This role is Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants. Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Government baseline personnel security standard

It’s important to note that there are currently exceptions to applications being considered if your conviction relates to any of the following:

• life sentences
• arson
• sexual offences
• hate and terror offences

Some departments will also consider the specific offence against the nature of the business, i.e., a conviction for fraud may rule you out for a finance role

 

Complaint process:

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: Complaints1@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.

 

Contact Details – Sophie.Rigney@reed.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.