Scientist (Epidemiology)

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main duties continued

• Contributing to public health scientific analyses and writing reports on specific projects, regular and ad hoc publications, and peer reviewed publications.
• Contributing to the work and professional development of other staff in the department.
• Liaising with colleagues across the Clinical and Public Health Group, wider UKHSA and NHS colleagues at regional/local level.

You will become familiar with the surveillance systems for vaccine preventable diseases and understand their purpose, strengths and limitations. In particular you will become an expert in sero-epidemiology and vaccine safety assessment through performing studies and wider study (reading papers, attending conferences). You will be able to communicate results of complex analyses to a wide audience.

You will fulfil the main analytical duties of the job through the use of common statistical/database/mapping/web tools such as Stata, R, SQL and SharePoint. These will be applied to the production of routine reports as well as more bespoke surveillance activities. You will need to develop solutions and undertake complex analytical and programming tasks using these tools to support data extractions, analysis, linkage and validation. You will become proficient in undertaking analyses in the EDaP data environment (a new UKHSA secure data environment) and help others learn to do this using the various tools available in this environment.

You will work with the Head of Vaccines Analysis, statisticians, epidemiologists, consultants and laboratory staff. This will require team working, such as producing datasets for statisticians to do further analysis and liaising with data providers to obtain data access. As an expert in dealing with large databases you will assist with requests for data linkage and extraction from team members.

Vaccine safety work can include the need to do urgent rapid analyses. You will need to be able to prioritise the urgent requests and assist with data extraction analysis and presentation. Other incidents or outbreaks of a vaccine preventable disease may also require you to be part of the team responding to the incident and to help as needed.

As a member of the scientific staff you will maintain professional development through training and on the job learning and help other scientific staff do the same (e.g. teaching, mentoring, attending meetings).

This is not an exhaustive list please see Job description document for full list of duties.

Please be aware that we will assess on the 7 essential criteria stated on the advert rather than the full list on the job description document.

Selection Process Details

Stage 1: Application & Sift Competency-based

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience, skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, which have been selected from the job description, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
• 500 word Statement of Suitability.

This should outline how your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria

Piles 'meets all essential criteria' and 'meets some essential criteria' will be moved to shortlisting.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:

Having a first degree in a science subject and a masters or PhD in epidemiology / public health / similar subject or equivalent education / work experience.

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

Please do not exceed 500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview Competency-based

You will be invited to a single face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview

There will be a Technical Test- more details will be confirmed to those successful at securing an interview.

Interviews are planned to take place week beginning 7th April. These dates may be subject to change.

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

Selection Process

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Eligibility Criteria

External: Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale.We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using 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 tospend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata averaged over a month).

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 Counter-terrorist Check. If based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a minimum of a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Face to Face interviews

In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• First degree in a science subject. Also, a Masters or PhD in epidemiology / public health / similar subject or equivalent education / work experience

Knowledge and Experience 1

Essential

• Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance, including study design, data management, data transmission, data security, information governance, data quality, data analysis (descriptive statistics, statistical modelling, graphics), and producing reports

Knowledge and Experience 2

Essential

• Experience developing / using relational databases (including Access and SQL programming), spreadsheets, statistical and graphics packages (e.g. Stata or R) to an advanced level

Knowledge and Experience 3

Essential

• Writing/evaluating scientific work including publications in peer reviewed journals

Knowledge and Experience 4

Essential

• Interpreting and evaluating microbiological or epidemiological data on vaccine preventable diseases and numerate with deep analytical skills

Knowledge and Experience 5

Essential

• Teaching or training others formally or informally

Skills/Capabilities/Behaviours

Essential

• Ability to prepare and deliver concise yet insightful communications/presentations to a broad range of stakeholders

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)