About the job

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for two experienced and motivated statisticians to join the Epidemiology and Predictive Modelling team within the Science Division to help lead and support work providing the evidence needed to deliver HSE’s strategy of protecting people and places.

Please note that this role requires successful candidate to travel to our Buxton office once every 2 weeks, as well as attending their home office as part of a hybrid working pattern.

This is an opportunity to work at a crucial intersection between science and HSE’s policy and operational priorities, with the potential to work and engage with a wide range of stakeholders within HSE, industry and academia.

We are looking for candidates with a demonstrable track record of conducting epidemiological studies or  statistical analysis and modelling, for example, to support the delivery of scientific research, the production of official statistics, or other published evidence that relies on robust analyses of real-world data. We would expect to see experience of having worked effectively with others in such areas as part of a multidisciplinary team.

These posts require skills that can be adapted quickly to different types of analyses and to provide technical leadership in the application of appropriate techniques. We would expect candidates to show experience of handling and analysing large and complex datasets using statistical software such as STATA, R or MATLAB, as well as evidence of being able to effectively communicate and describe the results and implications of statistical analyses or research findings to both technical and non-technical partners and customers.

Please note that candidates must be able to supply current 3 years residency within the UK. If they do not hold 3 years residency, they will fail the check. 

Diverse Perspectives and experiences are critical to our success, and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

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.

Job description

We will consider candidates with either statistical or epidemiological training and experience. The content of each post may be tailored to some extent depending on these backgrounds, but will include:

• Leading specific parts of the epidemiology work-programme, including specific work-strands within ongoing epidemiological studies on asbestos and pesticides. This will involve working with policy customers and other stakeholders to set appropriate research objectives, and then ensuring that research is carried out to required high technical and ethical standards, with appropriate statistical analysis and reporting.
• Playing a key role in the team’s statistical modelling work-programme,which includes analysis of high-hazard systems and workplace exposure to hazardous substances, such as dusts and chemicals, and data relating to the response in humans to such exposures, including adverse health outcomes. This may also include simulation studies to investigate the feasibility and impact of different exposure reduction strategies.
• Helping to design and lead occupational epidemiology studies to directly monitor the effects of workplace exposures such as pesticides and asbestos;
• Carrying out statistical modelling and analyses of occupational health and exposure data;
• Mathematical modelling and simulation studies of occupational diseases and high-hazard physical systems to support risk assessment;
• Producing National Statistics about the burden of occupational disease.

In either role you will present and describe the results of epidemiological and statistical work and its practical implications through appropriate oral and written means, for example, via presentations to policy or scientific audiences, research reports and peer reviewed scientific papers, or HSE’s published National Statistics outputs.

You will provide high-quality advice on the appropriate design and analysis of research projects to help ensure robust statistical methodological techniques, data collection and management principles are adopted within Science Division. This will include provision of statistical advice to a range of scientists working on a diverse set of research projects across the division. 

At HSE, we are proud to be able to offer our people the opportunity to work in a hybrid way which combines working from home and the office. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your allocated office will be your contractual place of work. There will be a requirement to travel to the office for various activities e.g., collaborative working, supporting and training colleagues. If hybrid working is suitable for you and your role, the arrangements will be determined primarily by business need, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. Therefore, we would encourage candidates to consider if the commute from home to the office is a feasible distance to travel before making an application. Please note that if you are successful, hybrid working will be discussed prior to taking up the post.

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 4 full days per week.

Person specification

Essential Skills and Criteria

• You will have degree level training in statistics, epidemiology or a related numerate discipline. We are looking for candidates with substantial hands-on experience of statistical or epidemiological work gained, for example, through applied post graduate studies or from having worked in such areas for a number of years in a research setting.
• You will be able to demonstrate experience of successfully carrying out statistical analyses of real-world data using a range of methodological techniques and using software such as STATA, R or MATLAB, or other appropriate statistical packages.
• You will have hands on experience of effectively handling and maintaining large or complex datasets or databases.  
• You will be a confident communicator and networker, able to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including research partners, science division and policy colleagues, and research study participants. You will be adept in communicating technical information and the implications of scientific research findings to a non-technical audiences as well as to scientific peers.
• You will be experienced in working as part of a multidisciplinary team and be able to demonstrate that you have shown leadership in the way you have worked with others on statistical or epidemiological work.  
• You will be able to demonstrate the ability to adapt and innovate in the way you work, and to respond proactively to work demands, which may at times have conflicting priorities.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,788, Health and Safety Executive contributes £11,013 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 and Technical skills.

Application information
To apply you should provide a CV and personal statement of up to 1000 words which demonstrates how you meet the essential skills and criteria of the role.

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/

Sift information
At sift you will be assessed on your personal statement. 

The sift will take place 8th January 2023.

Interview Information
Interview's will be held via teams.

At interview you will be assessed on the technical questions and the behaviours detailed within the job advert.

Interviews will take place 22nd January 2023.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached document. Any move to HSE from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at here If you have a disability and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk

Due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and, Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.