About the job

Job summary

The Emerging Pathogen Serology group was established to build a high throughput SARS CoV-2 serosurveillance service during the pandemic but has since expanded to support with the recent Lassa Fever, Mpox, and H5N1 incidents. We are now recruiting for a scientist within the Emerging Pathogen Serology group of UKHSA Porton Down.

This role would be suitable for a candidate with experience in basic laboratory skills and has an interest in infectious disease immunology.

As a scientist within the emerging pathogen serology group, it is expected that you will support the organisation in the event of a public health incident, such as the emergence of
new pathogens, requiring considerable flexibility and responsiveness.

Location

This role will be based at the Porton down site, Manor Farm, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG.  

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 b worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available*

Job description

As a Scientist your main responsibilities will include:

• Involvement in serological techniques (ELISA, Luminex etc), for a range of emerging (Mpox, Lassa, TBEV, and many others) and common pathogens (Influenza, RSV) as a mechanism to understand the immune responses to these pathogens further and to inform on vaccine design
• Using a range of in-house developed assays and commercial kits for a range of serology platforms, such as Roche, Luminex, MSD and many others
• Day-day receipt of new samples under the guidance of the team leads
• Assisting with labelling of samples
• Processing of primary blood
• General laboratory duties associated with sample receipt
• Perform inventory and sample management

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

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 750 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

• Degree or equivalent in biological sciences or related
• Prior laboratory experience
• Prior experience of working within a team

 

 

Desirable

• Familiarity and experience with serology assays and immunological techniques
• Experience of working within a high-throughput laboratory
• Experience of individual research projects
• Working with serology platforms such as Roche e801, Luminex and MSD
• Prior experience in working within a team involved in public health incident and responses

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,967, UK Health Security Agency contributes £7,013 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.

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 which will be held onsite at, Manor Farm, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG.

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. 

Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

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.

 

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
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together

 

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

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 28th 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 29th 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.