About the job

Job summary

This post is within the Healthcare Associated Infection, Fungal, Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Utilisation & Sepsis Division (Clinical & Public Health group) of UKHSA. The mission of the division is to protect people from healthcare-associated and antimicrobial resistant infections, through world-leading public health microbiology, outbreak response, surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, modelling, research and interventions.

This post within the Incidents, Outbreaks and Stewardship (IOS) Team of the HCAI & AMR Division provides epidemiological and data management support with a focus on strengthening surveillance systems and outbreak investigation.

Job description

The post holder will be expected to lead and contribute to strengthening surveillance systems and research studies of Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance and Prescribing, and lead and support the data collection and validation, and production of routine surveillance intelligence in these areas. 

The post holder will 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.

This post will also carry out the epidemiological investigation of incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases, supporting others across UKHSA and in collaboration with other partners.  This will include the design, implementation, analysis, and interpretation of analytical studies in a variety of settings and supporting team members in carrying out these tasks.

The post holder will contribute to public health scientific analyses and writing reports on specific projects, regular and ad hoc publications, and peer reviewed publications.

Person specification

Please see the full job description for complete detail of the role’s main responsibilities

 Surveillance and Data Analysis

• Identify surveillance needs, create surveillance system specifications, conduct complex analyses, and interpret surveillance data, making appropriate recommendations, develop automated routines and supervise the preparation, quality and delivery of routine reports. 
• Develop and utilise information systems to underpin public health action, including outbreak and incident response, across disciplines and organisations, and lead collation and interpretation of data to develop appropriate analyses from a range of sources.

 Enhanced surveillance and Epidemiological Investigations

• Where appropriate, lead and manage the technical and analytical (including data management) aspects of enhanced surveillance within the HCAI & AMR Division
• Analyse and evaluate quantitative and qualitative data and research evidence to make recommendations and inform decision making.

 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, ArcGIS, Access, SQL and SharePoint in routine reports, surveillance activities, the development of solutions and undertake complex analytical and programming tasks.

 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.
• Contribute to the HCAI & AMR Division quality programme such as through audit and be responsible for the quality of data collected, stored and extracted and transferred.

 Project management

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

 The role will also include:

• Research, publications, and conference presentations
• Effective management of yourself and others
• Teaching & Training
• Building effective working relationships

Essential criteria 

Please be aware that we will assess on the essential criteria stated on the advert (Role requirements) rather than the full list on the job description document. 

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift

 Competency-based assessments

 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)

a (1500) word 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.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist on the following criteria:

• MSc in Epidemiology, public health or allied discipline or equivalent level of experience/education.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on all criteria in the Job advert.

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. 

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

Please do not exceed 1500 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 where your knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested.

The interview will include either a Technical Test, assessment, or Presentation. If a presentation is to be undertaken, you will receive the topic the presentation is to be based on ahead of your interview.

The dates of interviews will be confirmed after shortlisting.

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 one of UKHSA's location in Colindale London).  Specialist or regional roles will be based at the appropriate UKHSA site.

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  

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.  

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.

Working for the Civil Service:

The Civil Service Code 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. 

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

 It’s important to note that there are currently exceptions to applications being considered if your conviction relates to any of the following: 

• life sentences 
• arson 
• sexual offences 
• hate and terror offences 

Some departments will also consider the specific offence against the nature of the business, i.e., a conviction for fraud may rule you out for a finance role. 

 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.