About the job

Job summary

This post is within the Healthcare Associated Infection, Fungal, Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Utilisation & Sepsis Division (Clinical & Public Health group) of UKHSA. The mission of the division is to protect people from healthcare-associated and antimicrobial resistant infections, through world-leading public health microbiology, outbreak response, surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, modelling, research and interventions.

The post holder, working with Epidemiologists, Scientists, Clinical and operational colleagues, will identify business intelligence and reporting needs and be responsible for ensuring delivery from system specification through to implementation and output production.  This will include the delivery and management of a centralised data storage and reporting solution.

Through the application of advanced analytical and software skills, the post holder will support activities, develop solutions and undertake complex analytical and programming tasks both locally and on behalf of the division.

The post holder will provide information management expertise across the division and contribute to all project management and delivery activities across the study, working strategically with colleagues to ensure effective partnership working.

The role requires an ability to analyse how data is modelled and collected in current systems and identify where common data items and sources are used.  The post holder will be expected to work closely with scientists across the Divisions to identify where there are gaps in data and make recommendations to improve the data flows and models.

Location

This role is based in the UKHSA Colindale office, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ

The UK Health Security Agency (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 (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London).  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.

*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, Part Time, Job Share, Flexible Working.

Job description

Responsibilities section:

As a Lead Data Scientist your main responsibilities will include:

• Maintain and develop data product tools using R, PHP, Python or other languages. Work with colleagues from across the division to produce innovative data reports based on data feeds.  Develop automated and reproducible pipelines for analysis.
• Develop scalable, innovative approaches to extract, manage, and analyse surveillance and outbreak data.

Reporting

• Act as lead data scientist for reporting and visualisation tools, liaising with analysts from across the division to prepare for statistical launches, regular checking and testing of outputs, issue and bug reporting etc.

Technical knowledge

• Support the implementation of Reproducible Analytical Pipelines (RAP), promoting reproducible analysis (i.e. analysis with a clear audit trail that explains how and why it was carried out) and the use of the software methods used to make analysis reproducible.

Community

• Be involved in the wider data science community, identifying good practices to adopt and sharing your experiences, e.g. through blog posts, tech talks at conferences.
• Deliver presentations to audiences with different levels of understanding as and when required.
• Identify obstacles to using data science to improve performance within UKHSA and working to overcome them.

Leadership, management, and workforce development

• Develop and maintain relationships with government stakeholders involved in the Government Data Science Partnership, Virtual Data Science Centre of Excellence, and other partnerships
• Act as a mentor to junior staff and provide training through workshops and other UKHSA events.

 Project work

• Work with and, advise across the division to define the scope of projects and the technical tasks within projects

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 review the job description for a full list of roles and responsibilities.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 500 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, you must review this to produce your statement of suitability):

Essential

• Postgraduate qualification in a field strongly related to data science, i.e. one that involves applied mathematics/statistics and coding or significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist area
• Strong proficiency in applying analytical and statistical techniques using a variety of software/codebases including expert level knowledge of coding including SQL, R and/or Python or other programming languages relevant to data science.
• Ability to construct and effectively communicate data stories using data visualisation techniques and narrative storytelling.
• Proficient to a high level in organisational skills with evidence of scheduling to meet tight and challenging deadlines, managing complex and multiple pieces of work (verbal and written)
• Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.
• Strategic thinking – ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise

 

Desirable

• Evidence of leading on a challenging portfolio containing a mix of policy, strategy and performance priorities, spanning across organisational boundaries

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

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 post 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 5/10-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.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 14th July 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: w/c 15th July 2024

Interviews: TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change. 

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.