About the job

Job summary

This post is primarily for co-ordination and delivery of food, water and environmental (FW&E) microbiology services to partners in public health. The post-holder will work as part of the team in the FW&E microbiology laboratory and also link in with colleagues in the Field Service during outbreak investigations and in developing preventative strategies.

The post-holder:

• Will liaise with all local partners in health protection both within UKHSA (particularly colleagues within the Field Service and Health Protection Teams) and with those outside UKHSA (e.g. local authorities, port health authorities, NHS Trust laboratories and government bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive, the Food Standards Agency and Animal and Plant Health Agency) for the delivery of FW&E services.

The role includes interpretation of laboratory results and advice on appropriate action, sampling support, inspection of sites, training of partners in health protection, liaison with partners in public health to assist in the regional development of services and collective working with the other out-posted scientists to develop and maintain a consistent service, and coordination of local surveillance activities.

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

Job description

Main Responsibilities:

• Ability to analyse and interpret microbiological testing information.
• Communicate complex information both written and oral, clearly and concisely, liaise with colleagues at all levels within the organisation and work across organisational boundaries.
• Manage a team (if required), to include, recruitment and selection, development, and training of people, planning and allocating and delegating activities and reviewing performance.
• Analyse, interpret and evaluate information when problem solving and making decisions. 
• Use IT systems within an office environment; demonstrate a high level of motivation and commitment to high standards; willingness to travel both locally and nationally.

Main duties of the job

Management

• In collaboration with the local FW&E Unit Head, the Lead Public Health Microbiologist for FW&E Microbiology Services, the Deputy Director for Field Service, and the Consultant in Public Health Infection, assist in the co-ordination of local and wider regional FW&E Microbiology services.
• To assist in the development and direction of local strategies that are aligned with the national strategies of FW&E Microbiology Services, Field Service (FS) and Health Protection Operations as a whole.
• To support the aims and objectives of the FW&E Microbiology Services and Field Service.
• To ensure effective internal communications which result in cascade of information to appropriate staff.
• To take a lead for specific areas of work and represent FW&E Microbiology Services and Field Services at National and International meetings as appropriate.

To view all main duties of the role, professional development and key working relationships, please see the attached Job Description.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

As part of this recruitment campaign we will only be assessing against the below 8 essential criteria's: 

Qualifications:

• Postgraduate qualification equivalent to MSc with a major component of public health, medical microbiology, food water or environmental microbiology.
• Eligible to be a Food Examiner or a Member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health with maintenance of CPD accordingly - To check if you’re eligible, please follow the link to The Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) Regulations 2013 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/264/made

Knowledge and experience:

• Experience in the investigation of infections transmitted through food, water or the environment as well as wider issues of Environmental Health
• Experience of managing and developing effective stakeholder relationships
• Experience of data collection and analysis including that for surveillance of food, environmental hazards, infection and disease
• Experience of presenting data and/or training to groups at different levels

Skills & Capabilities

• Able to liaise with colleagues at all levels within the organisation and work across organisational boundaries
• Willingness to travel both locally and nationally

Desirable Criteria

• Previous health, NHS, or environmental health sector experience and experience of multidisciplinary projects involving investigations, research or development
• Ability to manage a team, to include, recruitment and selection, development, and training of people, planning and allocating and delegating activities and reviewing performance
• Ability to manage projects within given timescales and budgetary requirements, prepared to work flexibly and out of hours when business needs demand
• Demonstrate personal career development

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,799, UK Health Security Agency contributes £15,065 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:  

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths,  Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift  

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• CV/ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1250 word Statement of Suitability.

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.  

The CV and Statement of Suitability will be marked separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered   

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

Please do not exceed 1250 words.  We will not consider any words over and above this number. 

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview 

You will be invited to a face to face interview at Colindale London. 

Behaviours, technical, experience and strengths will be tested at interview. 

As part of the interview you will be required to complete a presentation which will be for 8 minutes followed by a 2 minute Question & Answer.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Seeing the bigger picture
• Making effective decisions
• Communicating & Influencing
• Delivering at pace

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

Location

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 one of UKHSA's locations (61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ).  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.  

Option 1 - External  

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

Disability Confident scheme  

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.  

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.  

Starting salary  

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.   

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment  

All general enquiries relating to your application please contact recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

For all role based questions please contact paula.smith@ukhsa.gov.uk

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.