Job summary
The Gastrointestinal Infections and Food safety (One Health) Division is located within UKHSA's Clinical and Public health Directorate at Colindale. The Divisions remit includes providing specialist epidemiology and surveillance for Gastrointestinal Infections (GI), coordinating the investigation of national outbreaks, advising government on the risks posed by various gastrointestinal pathogens, and responding to national and international health concerns.
The Division manages the above functions across a broad range of pathogens including enteric and food borne bacteria, viruses and parasites. It plays an important role in Food safety and One Health and in using advanced techniques such as whole genome sequencing to track national and international outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance in foodborne bacteria.
The postholder will be reading and analysing epidemiological and microbiological data, creating visual models to represent possible outcomes, and preparing reports for risk communication. They will take lead responsibility in the strategic development of Food Safety Surveillance and introduce systems to produce data to monitor national and local trends and patterns of infection and contribute towards control initiatives and outbreak response.
Location
61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ
*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.*
Working Pattern - Full Time
Main duties of the job
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- Demonstrate considerable subject matter expertise in risk management
- Building on complex and multidisciplinary data sources
- Play a leading role in the synthesis of food safety risk assessment and surveillance initiatives through collation of existing initiatives and identifying opportunities for further development
- Lead on developing and designing datasets, managing the collation and validation of data, the timely production of outputs (e.g., reports and articles), and quality assurance
- Lead on the analysis of datasets
- Provide advice and guidance on specialist aspects of the analyses of risks to health linked to food and environmental contamination
- Interpret and prepare scientific reports and articles of the results and to undertake research
- Contribute to the teaching activities of GIFSOH at local, national, and international level
Please refer to the Job Description for a full list of duties
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.
About us
Working for the UKHSA
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
- 26 days annual leave allowance increasing to 32 days after a 10-year service
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
Job description
Job responsibilities
Selection process details
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.
Your Statement of Suitability (max 1250 words) 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).
**Please do not submit your CV, we require you to complete the full application process including a Personal Statement/Statement of Suitability, as outlined below. Please ensure that your Statement of Suitability contains no personal identifiers e.g. name in either the file name or content of the document.**
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.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
STAGE 2 INTERVIEW
The interview will be held at the Colindale office.
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. Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 10-minute presentation to the panel. This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment. The presentation will be designed to assess each candidates experience in line with the requirements of the role. Full details will be provided prior to the interview.
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on 14th August 2023 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.
Interviews: TBC
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Selection process details
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.
Your Statement of Suitability (max 1250 words) 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).
**Please do not submit your CV, we require you to complete the full application process including a Personal Statement/Statement of Suitability, as outlined below. Please ensure that your Statement of Suitability contains no personal identifiers e.g. name in either the file name or content of the document.**
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.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
STAGE 2 INTERVIEW
The interview will be held at the Colindale office.
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. Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 10-minute presentation to the panel. This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment. The presentation will be designed to assess each candidates experience in line with the requirements of the role. Full details will be provided prior to the interview.
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on 14th August 2023 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.
Interviews: TBC
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Person Specification
Education & Qualification
Essential
- PhD in epidemiology/public health/health promotion or equivalent from experience
- Training in risk assessment methods, infectious disease epidemiology, surveillance, prevention and/or public health
- Advanced knowledge of computers and database software packages (e.g. SQL, R, RStudio, STATA, GIS, network analysis tools)
- Significant experience of scientific report writing and scientific publication including presentation of papers at conference etc
- Practical experience of facilitating change, managing staff and budgets
- Advanced knowledge and experience of epidemiological and statistical research methods (i.e. post-doctoral level)
- Proven experience of data management and analysis of large and complex datasets and reporting
- Extensive knowledge and experience of communicable disease epidemiology, surveillance and/ or prevention
- Liaise with a wide range of external collaborators including health service and academic professionals
Desirable
- Inclusion in the Health Care Professionals Council and/or UK Voluntary Register (UKVR) for Public Health Specialists
- Working at a senior level in coordination of multi-centre projects, developing and managing projects, managing research programmes and/or sections, and obtaining external research funds through grant applications
- Experience of working within the NHS or other health-related sectors
Person Specification
Education & Qualification
Essential
- PhD in epidemiology/public health/health promotion or equivalent from experience
- Training in risk assessment methods, infectious disease epidemiology, surveillance, prevention and/or public health
- Advanced knowledge of computers and database software packages (e.g. SQL, R, RStudio, STATA, GIS, network analysis tools)
- Significant experience of scientific report writing and scientific publication including presentation of papers at conference etc
- Practical experience of facilitating change, managing staff and budgets
- Advanced knowledge and experience of epidemiological and statistical research methods (i.e. post-doctoral level)
- Proven experience of data management and analysis of large and complex datasets and reporting
- Extensive knowledge and experience of communicable disease epidemiology, surveillance and/ or prevention
- Liaise with a wide range of external collaborators including health service and academic professionals
Desirable
- Inclusion in the Health Care Professionals Council and/or UK Voluntary Register (UKVR) for Public Health Specialists
- Working at a senior level in coordination of multi-centre projects, developing and managing projects, managing research programmes and/or sections, and obtaining external research funds through grant applications
- Experience of working within the NHS or other health-related sectors
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
