About the job

Job summary

We are looking for a Senior Scientist (Epidemiologist) who will work within the national COVID-19 and Respiratory Virus Surveillance team and will have responsibility for supporting and developing surveillance systems and epidemiological processes and outputs. The post involves data collection, analysis and interpretation, and the writing of scientific reports and publications. The post holder may also have the opportunity to participate research projects. Work within this national team involve some on call working and is fast paced; the postholder will need to be able to respond to sudden demands, demonstrate good interpersonal skills and to work as a team member.

We have two positions available. 1 permanent and 1 fixed term contract until 31st May 2025. Roles will be offered in merit order.

Job description

The main duties of the job include:

•    Contribute to enhanced surveillance systems and research studies of respiratory diseases, with an emphasis on coronavirus, and lead and support the data collection and validation, and production of routine surveillance intelligence in these areas.
•    Analyse and interpret surveillance data and develop automated routines and solutions as well as overseeing and responding to more complex or sensitive data requests. This will be through their application of, and expertise in, analytical, statistical, database, mapping and web tools, underpinned by knowledge of information and data science approaches.
•    Carry out epidemiological investigation of incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases, supporting others across the directorate, local Health Protection Teams and in collaboration with other partners. This includes the design, implementation, analysis and interpretation of analytical studies in a variety of settings and supporting team members to carry out these tasks.
•    Contribute to public health scientific analyses and writing reports on specific projects, regular and ad hoc publications and peer reviewed publications.

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

Surveillance and Data Analysis 
•    Identify surveillance needs within given lead areas, create surveillance system specifications, conduct complex statistical analyses and interpret surveillance data, making appropriate recommendations, develop automated routines and solutions and supervise / assure on the preparation, quality and delivery of routine and ad hoc surveillance reports. The post holder will be focussed on respiratory viral infections, including coronavirus, but will be expected to support and cross over other disease specific areas, depending on need. 
•    Respond to complex or sensitive data requests.

Enhanced surveillance and Epidemiological Investigations 
•    Where appropriate, lead and manage the technical and analytical (including data management) aspects of enhanced surveillance on respiratory diseases, e.g. write protocol of analytical studies, contribute to the data collection, develop questionnaires and train interviewers.

 Statistical and software skills
•    Apply a range of common statistical tests and algorithms and translate statistical processes into automated solutions where appropriate 
•    Use common statistical/database/mapping/web tools such as Stata, R, SQL and SharePoint in routine reports, surveillance activities and the development of solutions and undertake complex analytical and programming tasks using common and specialist software packages to support data extractions, analysis, linkage and validation.

Audit, Quality and Governance 
•    Advise on quality and governance issues including information security for all aspects of surveillance work, evaluating existing systems, and use to improve standards and consistency across the team. 
•    Contribute to the Immunisation and Countermeasures Department quality programme such as through audit and be responsible for the quality of data collected, stored and extracted and transferred. 

Research 
•    Project manage research studies, analysing datasets with appropriate methodology to answer research questions, supported by the systematic review of literature and with knowledge of how to develop a grant proposal, and apply for ethical approval. 
•    Present at scientific conferences, programme area meetings and other for a and publish and present scientific papers on public health surveillance, respiratory viruses and infectious disease control in collaboration with health, public health, academic and other partners.

Management / workforce / HR 
•    Effectively manage others and yourself: lead, supervise and motivate team members; effectively appraise, manage performance, and address HR/disciplinary issues for staff line managed, be responsible for managing own workload, including developing objectives and reviewing progress against these. 

Teaching / Training 
•    Contribute to teaching/training programmes and activities (including to the development of teaching material and courses) on surveillance, epidemiology information science, data management, information governance and quality and support ongoing training activities within the team and Service. 

Strategic thinking 
•    Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders and partners, actively engage in meetings with internal and external colleagues, identify potential problems and seek to resolve and undertake a lead role for a specific topic or function area, as requested by the Consultant Epidemiologist

Project management 
•    Coordinate and lead projects such as the implementation of new systems and processes

•    Contribute to the work and professional development of other staff in the team.
•    Liaise with colleagues across the Clinical and Public Health Group, wider UKHSA and NHS colleagues at regional/local level will also be required.

Person specification

Essential Criteria
•    Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area (in the maintenance, analysis of data)
•    MSc in Epidemiology, public health or allied discipline or equivalent level of experience/education
•    A Completion of the Field Epidemiology Training Programme or equivalent training and experience
•    Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance, including data management, data transmission, data security, data quality, data analysis including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting
•    Experience of interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data, sensitive health data analyses
•    Demonstrable experience of public health, health protection or epidemiology including experience of complex and/or sensitive health data analyses
•    Knowledge and experience of common statistical tests, modelling and analyses and interpret results appropriately, including for research purposes
•    Experience of using epidemiological and statistical software packages
•    Knowledge of health and social care environment, and roles and responsibilities within it including information flows in the NHS and allied services
•    Understand of information governance including data protection and confidentiality requirements
•    Excellent oral and written communication skills with proven presentation and scientific report writing skills
•    Proficient in common statistical/database/mapping tools such as STATA, R, GIS, network analysis, SQL, etc.
•    Able to build and maintain effective relationships with co-workers and key stakeholders
•    Able to work under own initiative, respond to sudden unexpected demands whilst maintaining a professional calm and efficient manner
•    An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable Criteria
•    Experience of research activities with one or more first author publications in peer reviewed journals
•    Experience of teaching epidemiology and/or surveillance
•    Experience of effective line management

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,716, UK Health Security Agency contributes £11,533 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

Selection process

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and capabilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a: 

• CV/ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) 
• 1250 words Statement of Suitability.   

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.  

The CV and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

In the event of a large amount of applications, we will undertake longlisting.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.

Please do not exceed 1250 words.  We will not consider any words over and above this number. 

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview 

You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview   

Interviews will be held week commencing 18th June. Please note, these dates are subject to change. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Location information   

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 your core location - Colindale.  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.

Eligibility Criteria

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

Disability Confident scheme  

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.

Reserve List clause
  
Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be contacted if similar roles become available.   

If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

Starting salary  

Entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.    

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase.    Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.   

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment .

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.