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Epidemiologist

UK Health Security Agency

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is now preventable by immunisation. Epidemiological surveillance and assessment are key to implementation and policy decisions. The UKHSA Immunisation and Vaccine-preventable Diseases Division are looking for an infectious disease epidemiologist with a strong technical skills to join our dynamic and collaborative respiratory surveillance team.

As an epidemiologist, you will have a vital role in working on RSV surveillance, including developing and operating a hospital surveillance system for older adults, supporting policy and programme decisions, and evaluating the impact of RSV immunisation programmes. You will work closely with a consultant epidemiologist, senior epidemiologist, clinical fellows and colleagues from across the organisation and other agencies.

You will be part of the Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Division, which is responsible for the national surveillance of most vaccine preventable infections and in providing technical support and clinical expertise to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and to the NHS in planning and delivering the national immunisation programmes.

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of enhanced surveillance systems and research studies of respiratory diseases, with an emphasis on RSV, and to be part of a supportive and friendly team.

Main duties of the job

As the Epidemiologist your main responsibilities will include:

  • Support the national surveillance of respiratory viral infections, including RSV. The post holder will be expected to support and cross cover other disease specific areas, depending on need.
  • Liaise with stakeholder staff providing surveillance data in UKHSA , healthcare providers, reference and routine laboratories providing data for vaccine preventable disease surveillance
  • Liaise with clinicians and laboratories regarding individual cases and outbreaks (all diseases).
  • Liaise with stakeholder staff providing vaccine coverage data; NHS England Area Teams and local providers, child health record departments, Immunisation Form team, NHS Digital
  • Lead and support the data collection and validation, and production of routine surveillance
  • Analyse and interpret surveillance data and develop automated routines and solutions.
  • Write papers for scientific journals and contribute to reports for external stakeholders.
  • Write peer-review articles for publication upon request.
  • Work on ad hoc analyses of each area of responsibility as directed by Consultant Epidemiologist.
  • Develop and update appropriate pages on UKHSA website.
  • Design presentations and present surveillance data and study results at in-house, national and international meetings/conferences and attend national and international conferences.

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

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

Date posted

28 November 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£38,724 to £48,068 a year £38,724 - £44,393 , £40,721 - £46,231 , £42,716 - £48,068

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

919 - GB-UKHSA00947 - EXT

Job locations

UKHSA Colindale

Colindale

NW9 5EQ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Epidemiologist

Salary & Grade: SEO, £38,724 - £44,393 (National), £40,721 - £46,231 (Outer), £42,716 - £48,068 (Inner)

Location: UK with Hybrid working

Type and term of contract: Permanent Contract

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 post 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. Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to participate in a written test. The test 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 12th December 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: 4th January 2024

Please note these dates could be subject to change.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Epidemiologist

Salary & Grade: SEO, £38,724 - £44,393 (National), £40,721 - £46,231 (Outer), £42,716 - £48,068 (Inner)

Location: UK with Hybrid working

Type and term of contract: Permanent Contract

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 post 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. Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to participate in a written test. The test 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 12th December 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: 4th January 2024

Please note these dates could be subject to change.

Person Specification

Skills and Experience

Essential

  • First degree in a science subject or equivalent experience in the subject matter AND MSc or PhD in epidemiology, public health or allied discipline
  • Postgraduate experience in epidemiology, public health or allied discipline, including a sound knowledge of the principles and practices of disease surveillance
  • Relevant experience of information and data management including complex and/or sensitive health data analyses with understanding of information governance and data security issues in relation to data
  • Knowledge / experience in performing analytical epidemiology and descriptive epidemiology, including proficiency in statistical and graphical packages (e.g. R)
  • Experience of interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data and identifying needs or gaps in knowledge
  • Ability to work both independently and within multidisciplinatry teams, to tight deadlines and in response to unexpected demands
  • Writing clear and concise scientific papers and/or project reports
  • Ability to maintain required levels of confidentiality
Person Specification

Skills and Experience

Essential

  • First degree in a science subject or equivalent experience in the subject matter AND MSc or PhD in epidemiology, public health or allied discipline
  • Postgraduate experience in epidemiology, public health or allied discipline, including a sound knowledge of the principles and practices of disease surveillance
  • Relevant experience of information and data management including complex and/or sensitive health data analyses with understanding of information governance and data security issues in relation to data
  • Knowledge / experience in performing analytical epidemiology and descriptive epidemiology, including proficiency in statistical and graphical packages (e.g. R)
  • Experience of interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data and identifying needs or gaps in knowledge
  • Ability to work both independently and within multidisciplinatry teams, to tight deadlines and in response to unexpected demands
  • Writing clear and concise scientific papers and/or project reports
  • Ability to maintain required levels of confidentiality

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).

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.

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

UKHSA Colindale

Colindale

NW9 5EQ


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

UKHSA Colindale

Colindale

NW9 5EQ


Employer's website

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

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead Recruiter

Gurkamal Bhambra

ukhsa.recruitment@reed.com

Date posted

28 November 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£38,724 to £48,068 a year £38,724 - £44,393 , £40,721 - £46,231 , £42,716 - £48,068

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

919 - GB-UKHSA00947 - EXT

Job locations

UKHSA Colindale

Colindale

NW9 5EQ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

UK Health Security Agency's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)