About the job

Job summary

We are excited to offer an opening for an epidemiologist / public health surveillance scientist to work on high profile areas of infectious disease surveillance.

The post is based in the Public Health Programmes Directorate of UKHSA, working between the Immunisation & Vaccine Preventable Diseases Division and the COVID Vaccines and Epidemiology Division.

The post holder will be a core member of the SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) Watch team monitoring hospitalisation for COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and be the epidemiologist responsible for serosurveillance of COVID-19 and other vaccine preventable diseases, including the coordination of data collection, analysis and reporting of population SARS-CoV-2 immunity. You will work closely with the full time senior SARI surveillance scientist.

The role will include

• Taking a lead in serosurveillance across COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases,
• Liaison with NHS Trusts participating in the SARI Watch hospitalisations surveillance programme,
• Surveillance of SARI Watch critical care admissions, cross-covering other areas of ARI surveillance.

 Location

This role is based at the UKHSA Colindale office, 61 Colindale Ave, London NW9 5EQ

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 of the above UKHSA locations (Colindale) as this is considered a specialist role.

*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 Senior Epidemiologist your main responsibilities will include:

• Lead sero-epidemiological surveillance across COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Contribute to surveillance of SARI Watch critical care admissions and other aspects of SARI surveillance.
• Contribute to regular routine and ad-hoc reports and peer reviewed publications on the surveillance and epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases.
• Create and review surveillance system standard operating procedures and protocols, and identify and support further developments (where appropriate).
• Respond to complex or sensitive data requests.
• Conduct complex statistical analyses of surveillance data.
• Interpret surveillance data, and make appropriate recommendations.
• Manage/supervise and train scientific and information staff in the development of outputs and statistical analysis.
• Liaise with a wide range of external collaborators, including NHS Trusts participating in the SARI Watch hospitalisations surveillance programme
• Develop automated routines and solutions for surveillance data reports.

 

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 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, you must review this to produce your statement of suitability):

Essential

• Undergraduate degree in science
• MSc or PhD in epidemiology, public health or an allied discipline
• Understanding of infectious disease surveillance and able to interpret surveillance data
• Understanding of serology as applied to epidemiology
• Proficiency in using epidemiological and statistical software packages for data analysis
• Knowledge and experience of data management and information governance
• Able to build and maintain effective working relationships with people in partner organisations
• Able to convey surveillance and scientific information clearly and concisely in writing and orally
• Experience of successfully managing projects
• Able to prioritise competing demands
• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable

• Experience of preparing written reports and scientific publishing

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 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. 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.

You will be asked to take part in a task prior to your interview and complete a test during your interview, full details will be provided at the shortlisting stage.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 27th February 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 4th March 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.