About the job

Job summary

Are you someone who can lead and manage change in a challenging and dynamic environment?  Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare? Then we would be interested in hearing from you.

You will be responsible for working independently to provide scientific and management leadership of the Salmonella Genomics Team within the Department of Bacteriology. The team collaborate with other teams across the Agency to deliver work commissioned under research projects and surveillance contracts involving the investigation of Salmonella of significance to food safety and public health. In particular, the Team Lead will provide critical support and guidance for outbreak investigations and delivery of Salmonella ‘serotyping’ using whole genome sequencing (WGS), with overall responsibility for a bioinformatics pipeline developed for this purpose.

Job description

You will:

• Provide scientific and managerial leadership for the Salmonella Genomics Team
• Develop, deliver and report on strategically relevant funding applications that meet the needs of both internal policy customers (Defra) and external stakeholders
• Overall responsibility for the UKAS accredited Salmonella pipeline developed for automated, in silico serotyping of Salmonella spp using WGS generated data, meeting performance standards for operational delivery, maintenance and troubleshooting, as well as data archiving and quality assurance requirements
• Be a test consultant for Salmonella WGS based diagnostics
• Horizon scan for continuous improvement of bioinformatics analysis of large genomic datasets including the UKAS accredited bioinformatic pipeline for typing Salmonella
• Provide leadership in the enhancement of the developed Machine Learning (ML) models for source attribution of Salmonella
• Provide leadership in the refinement and application of the developed ML models for phage-typing replacement
• Work with internal and external partners to ensure that the best and most robust bioinformatic methods are utilized, keeping abreast of all relevant developments, ensuring all new/novel tools selected for analysis are the most appropriate ones which are validated in a rigorous manner
• Provide oversight and guidance in development of searchable databases integrating NGS data with metadata from surveillance and research to enhance usability, interpretation, and generation of automated reports
• Be responsible for writing and delivering cutting-edge high impact manuscripts, reports and presentations to stakeholders at all levels
• Manage competing priorities, organising workload and requests from internal and external stakeholders at all levels
• Work to ensure that the team is appropriately resourced and equipped
• Provide leadership on the management, deployment, and storage of data, especially within the cloud - considering costs, accessibility, and legislative implications
• Work with internal teams across the Bacterial Characterisation Workgroup, Department of Bacteriology and Department of Epidemiological Sciences, as well as external collaborators, to integrate data analysis and data visualisation platforms from across the Department and other institutions into the work stream
• Manage good working relationship with UKHSA in relation to Salmonella
• Provide direct and functional management of scientists / bioinformaticians within the Team, with responsibility for performance monitoring, mentoring and development
• Develop own profile as a national and international leader in the application of genomics for characterisation of Salmonella of veterinary origin

Person specification

You will need experience and skills in the following:

• Management, providing oversight and direction of two HSOs and a SO within the Team
• Design, delivery and reporting of Defra funded research work in a timely fashion
• Running and maintenance of Salmonella serotyping bioinformatics pipeline
• Working across Bacteriology, in particular the Bacterial Characterisation and Field Epidemiology Workgroups, and with Epidemiological Sciences to deliver BAU activities and rapid response to Salmonella
• An interest in new and novel computing technologies and their application to challenging problems
• Scientific knowledge and experience in food borne pathogens
• Good organisation skills and the ability to work on multiple projects and prioritise workloads
• Experience of taking a leading role on projects undertaken as part of a development team
• Ability to motivate and direct staff with differing skills and needs in science and bioinformatics to increase proficiency
• Demonstrated expertise in the management and analysis of large datasets
• Experience of writing manuscripts for publication, with a good publication record
• Proven understanding and experience in high-throughput data analysis and data processing in the field of genomics
• Experience in programming in high level scripting languages (e.g. R, python, NextFlow etc)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,577, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £11,495 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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV,  personal statement & a Behaviour statement.

For the personal statement, please write up to 500 words demonstrating how you meet the skills and experience detailed in the job description.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. 

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Behaviour "Communicating & Influencing". Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Sift and interview dates as well as the interview location to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your technical skill, experience & behaviour statements.

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed. Further information will be provided if invited to interview.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

As part of the pre-employment process, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is 'National' the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Salary

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

This post offers the successful candidate the opportunity to receive an additional pay supplement of up to £5,000 (pro rata) based on candidate's annual competency assessment.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Full Time Only

This post is full-time, we may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. The post is based at the Weybridge APHA laboratories. Attendance at the laboratories is essential and therefore the post holder needs to be able to work from the APHA Weybridge site.

Higher Security Clearance

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government’s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason all postholders based at the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the CTC residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have a minimum of 3 years continuous UK residency. If you cannot meet this criteria CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.