About the job

Job summary

UKHSA’s North West Region has three health protection teams covering Cheshire and Merseyside, Cumbria and Lancashire and Greater Manchester. We are seeking to appoint a Data Surveillance Scientist (DSS) on a fixed term basis to backfill the substantive post holder’s loan.

The Data Surveillance Scientist for Health Protection (DSS) works as part of a dynamic analytical community and supports the regional health protection team (HPT) by providing the health protection intelligence function to enable delivery of an effective health protection service. This includes developing and maintaining effective health surveillance databases, developing and delivery of routine and bespoke reports and supporting the use of Case and Incident Management systems e.g. HPZone. (a national UKHSA web-based incident management system).

Job description

Working collaboratively and strategically with both internal and external partners and stakeholders, the main duties and responsibilities of the DSS include:

• Surveillance and data analysis
• Outbreak support and epidemiological investigations
• Application of advanced software and statistical skills
• Audit, quality, governance, and research

Person specification

A full list of duties and responsibilities can be found in the job description. 

Post Location

The successful candidate will be contractually based at one of our North West sites in Liverpool, Manchester or Preston. The role will include hybrid working which allows for staff who can operate remotely at home and in the office, to fulfil their role and responsibilities in line with the team and UKHSA’s policies and guidance. On non-office days, the individual may work from home. Travel across the region will be required.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,473, UK Health Security Agency contributes £8,228 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

This vacancy will use competency based questions to assess criteria detailed in the essential person specification.

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a detailed Personal Statement / Statement of Suitability of up to 1500 words which will be assessed in line with the criteria listed in the person specification.

Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the job description/person specification as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection 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.

In the event a high volume of applications received, an initial sift will be based on the essential criteria: Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance, including data(base) management, data transmission, data security, data quality, data analysis including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting

Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.

Stage 2 – Interview

All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will progress to a single virtual interview and will be assessed on the essential criteria as advertised.  

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed for this role is BPSS 

Interviews are expected be held in April 2024 although this may change if a high volume of applications are received.

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.