About the job

Job summary

This post is within the Healthcare Associated Infection, Fungal, Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Utilisation & Sepsis (HCAI & AMR) 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 postholder will be a senior member of the scientific staff of the HCAI & AMR Division and work within a multidisciplinary team including epidemiologists, microbiologists, public health specialists, bioinformaticians, behavioural scientists, data managers, statisticians, IT specialists, and operational and administrative staff.

The Division is responsible for a range of national surveillance programmes that collect epidemiological data on a number of healthcare associated infections (HCAI) and invasive bacterial infections; monitoring resistance to and usage of antimicrobials; providing specialist epidemiology; coordinating the investigation and cause of national outbreaks; advice to government. In addition to epidemiological focused work the division also includes national reference laboratory for HCAI and AMR related pathogens.

Location

Home based or based from one of the UKHSA locations with hybrid working.

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.

*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, Hybrid Working

Job description

Responsibilities section: 

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties: 

Surveillance and Data Analysis

• Identify surveillance needs (including horizon scanning), create surveillance system specifications, conduct complex statistical analyses and interpret surveillance data, making appropriate recommendations, and translating it into public health action, develop automated routines and solutions and supervise / assure on the preparation, quality and delivery of routine and ad hoc surveillance reports.
• Authorise /manage complex or sensitive data requests and in the development of outputs and statistical analysis.
• Responsible for planning, implementing and maintaining a high level of surveillance and high quality epidemiology to meet needs, providing expert technical advice to PH practitioners on the design, analysis and interpretation of surveillance databases and data whilst assessing the current and future political /economic /scientific /technological /legal /environmental influences on team work.
• Experience of using Stata and / or R

Outbreak Support and Epidemiological Investigations

• Lead and manage the technical and analytical aspects of epidemiological outbreak investigations including advising on study design, writing protocols for analytical studies, overseeing questionnaire design and study database development, training interviewers, preparing outbreak reports and supervising and supporting investigations into exceedances.

Audit, Quality and Governance

• Evaluate existing surveillance systems (acting on results) and the acute response to incidents and outbreak, ensuring that it is used to improve standards and consistency across the team, evaluate teaching sessions and undertake and supervise audits as part of the team audit programme.

Research

• Identify research questions, project manage a research study, analyse datasets with appropriate methodology to answer research questions, and translate results into public health action.
• Perform systematic reviews of literature, co-author grant proposals/applications (including applying for ethical approval), present at scientific conferences, programme area meetings and other fora, and publish and present scientific papers on public health surveillance, outbreaks and infectious disease control in collaboration with health, public health, academic and other partners.

 Management / workforce / HR

• Effectively manage others and yourself: lead, supervise and motivate scientific and information staff; effectively appraise, manage performance, and address HR/disciplinary issues for staff line managed; be recruiting manager for posts, update JDs, be responsible for managing own workload, including developing objectives and reviewing progress against these.

 Teaching/Training

• Teach colleagues and stakeholders on surveillance and epidemiology, supporting ongoing training activities within the department, develop teaching material and courses, assess teaching requirements of team and colleagues and supervise MSc and other short term team attachments.

 Strategic thinking / partnership working

• Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders and partners, manage delivery of agreed work programme including timely reporting to stakeholders and work in partnership to ensure needs of stakeholders are met.

 

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.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

We are looking for an exceptional Principal Scientist.

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1000 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

• MSc in Epidemiology, or allied discipline or equivalent experience/education
• Completion of Field Epidemiology Training Programme or equivalent training and experience
• Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance, including data management, data transmission, data security, data quality, data analysis including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting
• Experience of interpreting and evaluating complex epidemiological data, sensitive health data analyses and performing analytical epidemiology and concepts in outbreak situations
• Demonstrable experience of public health, health protection or epidemiology including epidemiology for outbreak investigations
• Knowledge of health and social care environment, and roles and responsibilities within it including information flows in the NHS and allied services
• Experience of effective line management
• Proficient and/or expert in common statistical/ database/mapping tools such as Stata, R, GIS, network analysis, SQL, etc.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with proven presentation and scientific report writing skills
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, engender trust and confidence and demonstrate integrity in the provision of advice and support whilst working to tight and often changing timescales
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relati

 Desirable 

• PhD or equivalent publication record in relevant subject

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 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.  

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.

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline: 

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 14th January 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 22nd January 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.