About the job

Job summary

Epidemiologist - Indoor Air Quality

SEO Inner London - £42,716 - £48,068

SEO Outer London - £40,721 - £46,231

Can either be based in Canary Wharf or Chilton

Permanent Contract

 

Join the Environmental Hazards and Emergencies (EHE) Department, a leading authority delivering scientific insights to governmental agencies, healthcare institutions, and other organizations on the public health consequences of chemical exposures and various environmental threats.

Structure of the EHE Department:

Specialist Units: Operate across four distinct regions, offering expert guidance on the public health ramifications of non-infectious environmental exposures, both acute and chronic.

Dedicated Groups: The Air Quality & Public Health and Noise & Health groups are at the forefront, providing advanced consultation on the health effects of air and noise pollution on a global scale. Engage in groundbreaking research, supported in part by the National Institute of Health Research Health Protection Research Units. The Air Quality & Public Health Group also collaborates with the DHSC’s Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) to assess the medical implications of air pollutants.

Role Overview:

As a member of the Air Quality and Public Health (AQPH) Group, you will play a pivotal role in advancing the Air Quality and Public Health initiative. Your contributions will be instrumental in refining the evidence surrounding air quality, enhancing the communication of air pollution’s health effects, and fostering behavioural changes at all societal levels. Your expertise will guide the understanding of the health effects associated with both indoor and outdoor air pollution, as well as the evaluation of measures designed to elevate air quality standards. A particular focus of your role will be to expand our capabilities in assessing and improving indoor air quality.

Join us and make a difference in shaping a healthier environment.

Location

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working – this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. UKHSA have office locations across the UK. 

Role available at Canary Wharf or Chilton only

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.* 

Working Pattern – Full Time, Flexible Working,

Job description

The bulk of the work will support and, where agreed, lead on delivery of key tasks including:

• Contribution to capacity building, communication and training, both internally and externally, by developing and disseminating the evidence base to reduce the health impacts of indoor and outdoor air pollution.
• Review and communication of the scientific evidence to support the UKHSA’s indoor air quality work, ensuring evidence-based advice on air quality and built environment issues.
• Contribution to research projects on indoor and outdoor air quality as required and in collaboration with other RCE departments / UKHSA directorates and external partners.
• Writing of and contribution to peer-reviewed publications related to the post holder’s area of scientific work.
• Support UKHSA staff in EHE dispersed Units and Health Protection Units in their role by providing advice on air pollution on a site-specific basis and during incidents.
• Providing input to and reviewing appropriate consultation documents on government policy, issued by other agencies and government departments, on an ad hoc basis.
• Respond to requests from the Department of Health and Social Care, other Government departments, the public and other stakeholders for advice on the effects of indoor and outdoor air quality. This will encompass contributions for letters to the public, briefings and responses to Parliamentary Questions.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Please see job description attached for full list of duties and competencies associated with the post.

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1250 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

 

Essential

• Relevant PhD qualification in indoor air pollution, environmental epidemiology, environmental science or similar, or equivalent experience
• Good understanding of the health effects and regulation of air pollutants
• Experience of undertaking research and development, especially on air quality modelling (R coding)
• Ability to critically assess technical papers on air pollution and health and make judgements on the basis of complex and uncertain information.
• Ability to undertake quantitative health impact assessments
• Capable of managing own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales

 

 

Desirable

• MSc qualification in environmental epidemiology, environmental science, or air pollution
• Good understanding of issues on both physical and built environment
• Good understanding of environmental issues on both local and global scale

 

Please ensure that your statement of suitability does not contain any personal identifiers such as Name, Gender, Location, Marital Status, Sexual Orientation or Religion. The UKHSA operates a fair and open recruitment policy.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,721, UK Health Security Agency contributes £10,994 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

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. 

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

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an interview by video. 

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.  Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 5-minute presentation to the panel.  This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment.  The presentation will be designed to assess each candidate’s experience in line with the requirements of the role.  Full details will be provided prior to the interview.

The Competency-based framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  The following will be used at the interview:

Competency based questions around experience, knowledge and skills

 

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 23rd April 2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Shortlist: TBC

Interviews: TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

 

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)

Nationality requirements

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.

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.  Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.  People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Please Note

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/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

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. 

 

 

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.