Senior Scientist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Location

This post will be based at 2 Rivergate, Bristol, BS1 6EH.

Travel within the geographical area of responsibility and elsewhere/nationally may on occasion be required by the post

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working this means that whilst the role will be based in Bristol, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home.

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.*

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 750 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).

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

This competition will involve an interview by video.

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.

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate. The following behaviours will be used at the interview:

Strategic cluster - setting direction:

1. Changing and improving

People cluster - engaging people:

1. Leading and communicating

2. Collaborating and partnering

3. Building capability for all

Performance cluster - delivering results:

1. Delivering at Pace

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 10th November 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: 30th November & 1st December 2023

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 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.

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&Cs 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.

Person Specification

Education and qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area (in the maintenance, analysis of data)
• MSc in Epidemiology, public health or allied discipline or equivalent level of experience/education
• Completion of the Field Epidemiology Training Programme or equivalent training and experience
• Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance, including data management, data transmission, data security, data quality, data analysis including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting
• Experience of interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data, sensitive health data analyses and performing analytical epidemiology
• Demonstrable experience of public health, health protection or epidemiology
• Knowledge and experience of common statistical tests, modelling and analyses and interpret results appropriately, including for research purposes
• Experience of using epidemiological and statistical software packages
• Knowledge of health and social care environment, and roles and responsibilities within it including information flows in the NHS and allied services
• Experience of effective line management
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with co-workers and key stakeholders
• Understanding of information governance including data protection and confidentiality requirements
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with proven presentation and scientific report writing skills
• Proficient in common statistical/database/mapping tools such as STATA, R, GIS, network analysis, SQL, etc.
• Able to work under own initiative, seek out new information and new ways to develop yourself as well as to respond to sudden unexpected demands whilst maintaining a professional calm and efficient manner
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable

• Experience of research activities with one or more first author publications in peer reviewed journals
• Experience of teaching epidemiology and/or surveillance

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

2 Rivergate

Bristol

BS1 6EH

Employer's website

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