About the job

Job summary

This vacancy presents an exciting opportunity for a Consultant Epidemiologist (1.0 FTE) to join the UKHSA Field Service North West team on a permanent basis.

The Field Services Division (FS) was established to provide a national comprehensive service which is geographically dispersed and integrates epidemiological, microbiological, infectious diseases and data science capacity and expertise to deliver high quality surveillance, outbreak investigations and operational research.

FS provides an effector arm for UKHSA, supporting the translation of evidence into practice as well as having a role in strengthening surveillance through closer links with the NHS and other partners. It also provides valuable links to academic centres and effective leadership and coordination of the UKHSA field epidemiology training function.

The post-holder will contribute to the local and national UKHSA surveillance, epidemiology and outbreak control function, supported by information, administrative, and scientific staff within the both the local FS North West team and the wider national Field Services Division. Specific lead areas and work portfolio will be agreed with the head of team and Deputy Director of Field Services.

Job description

The postholder will have the following duties and responsibilities: 

1. The consultant will take a lead role in the daily reactive on-call service with Scientists, Information Officers, Epidemiology Fellows, Specialist Registrars in Public Health Medicine / Specialist Trainees and administration team.
2. The consultant will be expected to lead and complete major incidents or outbreaks across the team locality and national incidents where required
3. To provide epidemiological advice and support to Regional Deputy Directors of Health Protection, Consultants in Health Protection, Directors of Public Health and others involved in the control of communicable disease and infection and the management of regional and national incidents/outbreaks
4. To undertake the surveillance of communicable disease and infection, both in hospitals and the wider community, at local and national level where required, to ensure that timely and accurate information is available to those involved in the surveillance, prevention and control of communicable disease and infection at local, regional and national levels
5. Other duties as agreed by negotiation between the post holder and the Deputy Director of the Field Service.

Person specification

At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our mission is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards.  We are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We will work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work.

Creating our working culture is an ongoing process which we are developing by listening and learning together, hearing and acting upon diverse voices and opinions to develop a common sense of identity and effective ways of working.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £83,571, UK Health Security Agency contributes £22,564 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

• Option 3 – External - Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)

Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the Person Specification of the Job Description as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria.

The successful candidate will be appointed to the point of the Consultant salary scale appropriate to their years of seniority or if from a background other than medicine to NHS Agenda for Change Band 8d.

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.