Senior Bioinformatician

Job description

Job responsibilities

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include:

Internal

• To interact directly and expertly with the staff of the Bioinformatics Unit and with DAS staff and with HPS staff as necessary.
• Clinical and epidemiology colleagues, regional teams and data curation teams based in DAS

External

• Liaise with academic partners
• Members of Wellcome Sanger Institute
• Local HPT and outbreak response teams

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attending internal / external training events
• To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Essential Criteria:

• Higher degree (i.e. MSc or above) in Computer Science or related discipline
• Experience of bioinformatics and an understanding of Next Generation Sequencing analytical techniques and advancements of medical microbiology and genomics
• Extensive experience developing and implementing bioinformatics solutions for microbiology, with specific experience working on viral datasets
• Experience of managing / analysing large volumes of sequence data
• Ability to communicate complex and technical knowledge and ideas to non-specialist users
• Proven skills in sequence analysis and genomics
• Skilled in phylogenetics, sequence clustering and interpretation
• Knowledge of data integration methodologies and the ability to combine multiple information sources
• Proficiency with linux/unix operating systems
• Proven skills in programming languages eg Python, JAVA, C++
• Demonstrable skills in statistical and visualisation tools such as R
• Proven skills in developing and modifying code used for data analysis
• The ability to write code to a quality assured standard using; software tests, version control, documentation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to oversee a dynamic team delivering analytical reports to tight timelines
• Ability to prioritise work in a timely manner
• Able to analyse and evaluate scientific data based on evidence and to present the complex scientific interpretation in reports for a lay audience
• Knowledge of Public Health microbiology
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable Experience

• Excellent academic background in a relevant discipline preferred
• Experience of supervising the design, development and delivery of large and complex software solutions in multi-disciplinary teams

Selection Process

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed and sifted in line with the essential criteria.

This vacancy is using Civil Service Competencies, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience

Stage 1: Application & Sift

This vacancy is using Civil Service Competencies , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and technical skill.

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement / Statement of Suitability in no more than 750 words. We will be assessing behaviours at sift.

This should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the Experience criteria or 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. This will be used in the sifting process and will be scored.

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

Stage 2: Panel Interview

All applicants that progress to interview will be assessed on behaviours / experience / ability through the Civil Service Competencies Framework. The interview will be held remotely via teams and you will be required to do a presentation

The competencies tested are:

Strategic cluster setting direction:

People cluster engaging people:

Performance cluster delivering results:

1. Seeing the big picture

2. Changing and improving

1. Collaborating and partnering

2. Building capability for all

1. Delivering at pace

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.

DBS - People working with government systems must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks which includes a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed for this role is BPSS however there may be a requirement for this role to be SC cleared and you should familiarise yourself with the criteria of security clearance.

This role is Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants. Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis 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 theEuropean 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.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Government baseline personnel security standard

Its 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

Contact Details Sophie.Rigney@reed.com

Person Specification

Education

Essential

• oHigher degree (i.e. MSc or above) in Computer Science or related discipline

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Colindale

London

NW9 5EQ

Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)