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About the job
Benefits
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Location
About the job
Job summary
We are seeking an experienced Epidemiologist to join our team and contribute to the surveillance, epidemiology, and investigation of gastrointestinal infections.
The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in the surveillance, epidemiology, and investigation of gastrointestinal infections. As the postholder, you will provide specialized scientific support for national surveillance programs, outbreak investigations, and research initiatives. This will involve designing and developing cutting-edge surveillance and data management systems in response to advancements in microbiological typing methods. Collaborating closely with fellow epidemiologists and IT/bioinformatics specialists, you will also conduct intricate statistical analyses to generate critical outputs related to GI pathogen surveillance, outbreak investigations, and risk assessments.
Additionally, the postholder will be responsible for developing, managing, and maintaining gastrointestinal pathogen surveillance systems, including surveillance databases. These comprehensive surveillance data outputs, which incorporate both whole genome sequencing and epidemiological data, will be shared with external stakeholders.
Location
This role will be based at our UK Health Security Agency Colindale Office (61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ).
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) working at UKHSA Colindale London. Some additional flexibility may be possible, which will be agreed upon with the hiring manager based on individual requirements and business needs.
Working Pattern – Full Time additional working patterns may be considered: Part Time, Job Share, Flexible Working (subject to business needs).
Job description
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- Manage existing national surveillance systems and co-ordinate the development of new surveillance systems for gastrointestinal pathogens and to supervise and advise junior scientific and administrative staff in the maintenance and development of integrated or enhanced surveillance datasets.
- Conduct complex statistical analyses of data on gastrointestinal pathogens drawn from a variety of surveillance sources in response to enquiries from external stakeholders
- Advise and support scientific and administrative staff in conducting routine analyses of surveillance datasets for standardised outputs and ad hoc enquiries.
- Supervise junior scientific colleagues and the administrative team in the production of standard GI pathogen surveillance and outbreak reports and publications.
- Coordinate the activities of scientists in partner institutes involved in collaborative surveillance programmes.
Provide technical advice and assistance on the design, maintenance, analysis and interpretation of surveillance database outputs.
Assist in the design and development of new surveillance and data management systems in response to developments in the application of microbiological typing methods including contributing to the drafting of Standard Operating Procedures. - Write or contribute to the drafting of scientific papers for publication in peer reviewed journals and detailed reports for UKHSA or Government departments.
- Collating and interpreting epidemiological and microbiological data drawn from a variety of
sources - Providing statistical analyses for government agencies, health protection teams and
environmental health departments - Writing Briefing Notes (BN’s) and Situation Reports (SitReps).
- Present epidemiological findings at national and international meetings and conferences.
- Manage the technical and analytical aspects of outbreak investigations, under the supervision of
the Head of Incidents & Response
Please refer to the Job Description for a full list or Roles & Responsibilities
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 1100 words (max) that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria: (Please refer to the Job Description for a full list of the essential criteria)
Essential
- Higher degree (MSc or equivalent) in Public Health, Epidemiology or an allied subject
- Experience of postgraduate work/study in public health, epidemiology or an allied subject
- Significant experience of interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data, using databases, spreadsheets,
- statistical and graphics packages to an advanced level (R skills)
- Ability to work independently and take responsibility for own technical work and time and to work as an effective team member
- Ability to analyse, summarise and interpret complex epidemiological data using R
- Ability to create and give presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders and an ability to liaise with a range of health professionals and scientific industry specialists
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of outbreak investigation
- Thorough understanding of recent advances in the epidemiology and microbiology of infectious intestinal disease and presenting scientific papers at national and international conferences
Please refer to the Job Description for a full list of the essential & desirable criteria
Benefits
For more information on the UKHSA please visit: UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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%
- Range of health and wellbeing support
Any move to UKHSA 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 Childcare Choices , 30 Hours Free Childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and More , Help with Costs , GOV.UK
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 role will involve an interview which may be held in person at Colindale site (61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ) or by video via MS Teams.
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.
A test will also be given to assess your technical skills, details will be provided on the day.
Your Statement of Suitability of 1100 words (max) 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.
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on the 17th of March 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 18th of March 2024
Interviews: w/c 1st of April 2024
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)
Nationality requirements
Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
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 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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
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. People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.
For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
Please Note
This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.
Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
Complaint process:
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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
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