About the job

Job summary

You will be joining the Clinical & Emerging Infections Directorate working in the Acute Respiratory Infections unit of the Tuberculosis (TB) Acute Respiratory, Zoonoses, Emerging infection, and Travel health division (TARZET). The mission of TARZET is to protect the public from respiratory, imported, emerging, and novel infections through world-leading public health microbiology and virology, outbreak response, surveillance, research and interventions.

We are a multidisciplinary team delivering surveillance, epidemiology, public health and clinical advice, microbiology and virology, incident and outbreak response, and advice to government. We work closely with NHS England and NHS Trusts, with international agencies and colleagues, and in a fully integrated way with multiple academic partners, with associated research opportunities.

The post holder, based at the UKHSA Colindale site, will take a senior role in providing and developing national surveillance of acute respiratory infections, developing guidance and leading research studies. There are a number of areas of focus within the Unit including but not limited to:

Avian and other zoonotic influenzas, Coronaviruses (other than SARS-CoV2), and Legionella Mycoplasma. The role will involve working in a small team to provide scientific support to the analysis, operation, and development of surveillance systems including development of methodology and directing changes to data capture systems in liaison with system architects and software developers. The role may involve day-to-day management of scientific, technical and information staff within their Section

Location

61 Colindale Ave, London NW9 5EQ or 10 South Colonnade, London E14 4PH 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 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 Principal Scientist your main responsibilities will include:

Surveillance, Epidemiology & Public Health

• Lead and manage the design, development, introduction, audit and continuous improvement of Acute respiratory surveillance systems as required.
• Conduct complex statistical and epidemiological analyses of data on respiratory infections drawn from a variety of surveillance sources. Providing expert technical advice and assistance to public health and clinical practitioners on the design, maintenance, analysis and interpretation of databases.
• Provide expert advice in response to ad hoc enquiries from Government agencies, public health practitioners, academics, media, commercial organisations and members of the public.
• Ensure emerging threats are recognized in a timely manner by the analysis and interpretation of often complex data from a variety of sources to understand the public health significance of the potential risk. Provide epidemiological support to incidents or outbreaks. Ensure the scientific validity and evidence-base of risk assessments, and that findings are communicated to the relevant stakeholders nationally and internationally through situation reports and briefing notes.
• Provide specialist advice on the epidemiological aspects of the prevention and control of Acute Respiratory infections by contributing to the development of guidance, designing data collection systems, interpreting epidemiological data, conducting statistical analyses, and scientific publications.
• Manage scientific and administrative staff in the maintenance, development, statistical analysis, quality outputs and reporting from datasets. Undertake periodic evaluation of surveillance systems including stakeholder engagement exercises.

 Research

• Design analytical strategies and supervise complex statistical analyses of research datasets for the production of project reports, papers for peer reviewed journals and conference presentations.
• Initiate collaborative projects within UKHSA and external collaborators to address public health research questions. This may also include taking a lead on research proposals for externally funded projects and provision of expert advice to academic units and other agencies involved in collaborative epidemiological and microbiological studies.

Management and Planning

To work alongside other members of the TARZET Unit on:

• The business planning process and the development of surveillance/research, communication, training strategies etc
• Compare, analyse and interpret highly complex options for running projects identified as key public health priorities, and communicate this information across organisations and key stakeholders
• Budget responsibility for Section led grants d. Selection and recruitment of staff, including, shortlisting applicants and interviewing candidates selected for interview
• Staff management responsibilities to be agreed with line manager
• Responsible for developing quality control processes, participating in audits and ensuring resilience through maintaining Standard Operating Procedures and business continuity planning.
• Be responsible for ensuring their team’s work complies to UKHSA standards and governance requirements including maintaining confidentiality and security of surveillance information.
• Development of business cases to support system developments, this may include undertaking relevant procurement requirements and management of supplier relationships.
• To deputise for the Section Lead/Lead Epidemiologist as required.

Publications and presentations

• To plan and oversee the development of epidemiological outputs including outward facing publications including annual reports, web pages, writing of scientific papers for publication in peer reviewed journals and to manage junior scientific and administrative colleagues in the development of manuscripts.
• To represent the Unit and Division on expert committees, national and local incident control teams, national/international meetings and conferences. Teaching and Training
• To develop public health capacity by contributing to teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level and by supervising those training and working in public health and epidemiology.
• To contribute to the training for new members of staff on the epidemiology and surveillance of communicable disease.
• To participate in wider scientific activities to maintain professional standards including peer review of manuscripts.

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 1250 words (max 1500) 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

• Educated to degree level in a relevant scientific subject or significant experience of working at a similar level in this field
• Higher degree in epidemiology/ public health/ microbiology or related discipline
• Training in research methods, infectious disease epidemiology, surveillance, prevention and/or public health
• Knowledge and work experience of communicable disease epidemiology
• Broad understanding of and experience of health care systems, public health and the communicable disease function in the UK
• Strong statistical analysis of large and complex datasets, including knowledge and experience with STATA and/or R
• Writing research protocols, grant applications and scientific reports
• Preparing and reviewing standard operating procedures
• Able to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and motivate and encourage team members
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues including problem solving, working to tight and often changing timescales
• Communicate ideas and methods clearly and succinctly
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable

• PhD or equivalent research experience
• Substantial post-graduate experience
• Creating, validating and managing large databases and datasets
• Presenting scientific papers at national and international meetings and conferences and proven peer review publication record
• Experience of working within the NHS or other health-related sectors
• Managing and leading scientific and technical staff including working under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Liaise with a wide range of external collaborators including health service and academic professionals
• Maintain required levels of confidentiality

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

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.

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.

Expected Timeline:

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