About the job

Job summary

Scientific Lead - Aerobiology

G6 National - £65,302 - £75,129

Based at UKHSA Porton Down – Lab-Based

Permanent Contract

Are you interested in working on the frontlines of infection control and vaccine development? Do you have expertise in aerobiology and biosafety? If so, you might be the perfect candidate for this role.

As a senior scientist, you will lead a team of researchers who study how pathogens spread through the air and how to prevent and treat aerosol infections. You will work on two main areas: diagnostics and pathogen characterisation (DPC) and vaccine development, evaluation and preparedness (VDEP).

DPC involves identifying and characterising pathogens and developing diagnostics for them. You will oversee projects that require aerobiology skills, such as measuring airborne transmission and testing air sampling methods.

VDEP is part of the UKHSA’s Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre (VDEC), which aims to develop and evaluate vaccines for emerging and re-emerging diseases. You will provide scientific guidance to activities that require aerosol infection models, such as testing vaccine efficacy and safety in pre-clinical studies.

You will collaborate with other experts across different directorates, divisions, and teams, such as the High Containment and Biological Services (HCBS), to provide aerobiology advice and support.

This role is an exciting opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills to important public health challenges and to contribute to the UKHSA’s mission of protecting the nation’s health.

 

Based at UKHSA Porton Down – due to the nature of the post, you will be expected to be based on-site

 

*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, Flexible Working,

Job description

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

1. To provide scientific direction to DPC/VDEP on aerobiology studies, and the development and implementation of pre-clinical aerosol infections models, to meet VDEC, Science group and UKHSA strategic goals.
2. To take the lead in maintaining and enhancing a research capability for aerobiology to support pathogen characterisation, pre-clinical model development and countermeasure evaluation, and to ensure projects are resourced and accommodated properly.
3. To drive innovation and foster collaborations within and outside of UKHSA leading to grant applications and/ or new business proposals in order to establish an annual income and expenditure budget.
4. To co-ordinate commercial negotiations with customers in order to achieve project aims ensuring appropriate protection of IPR where necessary and to act as a key point of contact with customers to ensure establishment, operation and completion of projects to customer’s satisfaction.
5. To develop and maintain a strong national and international profile and networks through presentations, high impact publications, membership of committees and boards.
6. To contribute to the quality of science and scientific strategy at UKHSA by promoting and enabling collaboration within VDEP/Science Group and across UKHSA to enhance the science base and capability development.
7. To take responsibility for all people management issues, including to lead, train, mentor and support the development of scientists within VDEP.
8. To perform any other duties required by the Line manager commensurate with grade.
9. To interact appropriately with regulatory authorities (e.g., HSE, HO, MHRA) and to ensure that the project team undertakes work in accordance with UKHSA's Code of Safety Practice and any applicable Quality Systems.
10. To comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures.

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.

See job description attached for full list of duties and responsibilities

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1500 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

• PhD in appropriate discipline and extensive experience in a research environment
• Internationally recognised expert with publication record in high impact journals, membership of expert panels and strong national and international collaborations and networks
• Experience of working with in vivo aerosol infections models and the use of different analysis methods including molecular biology, immunology, and transcriptomics to characterise them
• Experience of characterising aerosolised pathogens
• Extensive experience of research with ACDP HG 3 pathogens
• Able to present information at internal/external meetings

 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £65,302, UK Health Security Agency contributes £17,631 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

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 in-person interview

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.

 

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  The following behaviours will be used at the interview:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

 

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 31st December 2023 – 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: 12th January 2024

Interviews: w/c 22nd January 2024

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

 

Eligibility Criteria

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

Nationality requirements

Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.  Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.  People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

 

Complaint process:

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website. 

 

 

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.