Go back
UK Health Security Agency

Senior Project Team Lead

The closing date is 11 November 2025

Apply for this job

Job summary

The Countermeasures Development, Evaluation, and Preparedness Division (CDEP), along with other divisions within the Specialised Microbiology and Laboratories Directorate, provide the laboratory-based capability for UKHSA's Countermeasures Development, Evaluation, and Preparedness Division (CDEP). This role provides specialist, scientific leadership to activities within CDEP's Pre-Clinical Evaluation Team, and across CDEP and other divisions as required.

We are seeking a talented and experienced scientist who will take part in and lead projects to develop and use pre-clinical models. These models range from established and newly developed in vivo systems to novel methods that seek to replace animal use. The successful candidate will work closely with the Scientific Leads and Head of Department to ensure group and organisational strategy are satisfied. They will also be required to work closely with other Senior Project Team Leaders to develop the capability across the Pre-Clinical Evaluation Team.

The postholder will have a relevant PhD (or equivalent and/or experience) in cell biology, in vivo modelling, virology, bacteriology or immunology. They will demonstrate the ability to develop and undertake a broad range of virological and immunological techniques that support the characterisation of pre-clinical models of disease.

We are currently recruiting for 1 post with the potential for further posts becoming available in the near future.

Main duties of the job

  • Lead the management and development of pre-clinical models or other relevant projects (e.g. immunology, virology, bacteriology-based) to ensure targets are met.
  • Lead and develop capacity building collaborations to ensure project targets are met, working with the Scientific Lead to maintain the engagement of stakeholders.
  • Lead on other externally funded projects as assigned, meeting targets in line with sponsor requirements, engaging with collaborators and networks as required.
  • Identify, bid, and lead on internal and external funding with a focus on pre-clinical models and develop the group in line with departmental objectives.
  • Provide reports and data as required by the Scientific Leads/Head of Department and external stakeholders as required.
  • To build external links with collaborators and similar groups to the benefit the project(s) and/or department
  • To give internal/external presentations, develop, draft, and submit manuscripts on work for peer-reviewed publications.
  • Take lead responsibility for ensuring that junior staff allocated to the projects(s) are adequately supervised and trained. the supervision and training of junior staff allocated to the project(s).
  • Lead the project team/area to identify, evaluate and adapt new approaches where appropriate and to ensure that the project operates to a high scientific standard using current methods.
  • Provide line and project management as required and indicated by Head of Department and Scientific Leads.

About us

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of 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.

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Details

Date posted

28 October 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£56,185 to £66,581 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

919-GB-62203860-EXT

Job locations

Porton

Porton

SP4 0JG


Job description

Job responsibilities

Main duties of the job continued:

  • To perform any other duties required by the Line manager commensurate with grade.
  • To ensure that the project team undertakes work in accordance with applicable UKHSA Safety and Quality systems.
  • To achieve and maintain own and teams health and safety competence.
  • To fulfil the requirements of UKHSA Values and the Civil Service Code.
  • To comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures.

This is not an exhaustive list.

Essential role criteria:

  • PhD, or equivalent years experience, in relevant subject e.g., Cell Biology, Immunology, Virology, Bacteriology
  • Experience of working with the development of pre-clinical models, including establishment and subsequent use for intervention testing
  • Experience of working in immunology, including assessment of humoral and cellular responses.
  • Experience of leading projects/project teams and training junior members of staff.
  • Experience in practical microbiology/virology, especially experience in wet techniques (e.g. CFU/PFU assays, isolation of organisms from tissues, culture)
  • Knowledge and experience of practices and principles of working at ADCP containment level 3.
  • Record of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals
  • Clear communicator with excellent writing, report writing and presentation skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for diverse audiences
  • Evidence of success in efficient and effective project and programme participation/management
  • Skills for communication on complex matters and difficult situations, requiring persuasion and influence.
  • Ability to analyse and interpret information, pre-empt, and evaluate issues, and recommend and appropriate course of action to address the issues
  • Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
  • Attention to detail combined with the ability to extract key messages from complex analysis
  • Able to work as part of team and liaise with all levels of staff
  • Adaptability, flexibility, and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
  • Demonstrate a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference by focusing on goals.
  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems

Desirable role criteria:

  • Experience working with primary cells on transwells and/or in organ-on-chip devices
  • Skills for nurturing key relationships and maintaining networks.
  • Strategic thinking ability to anticipate
  • Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action
  • Skills for troubleshooting data analysis pipelines

Selection Process Details:

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (17) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
  • 1500 word supporting statement.

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 supporting statement 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

The following will be taken through to the next stage:

  • Meets all essential criteria
  • Meets some essential criteria

Shortlisting:

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

  • Experience of working with the development of pre-clinical models, including establishment and subsequent use for intervention testing
  • Experience of working in immunology, including assessment of humoral and cellular responses.
  • Experience of leading projects/project teams and training junior members of staff.
  • Experience in practical microbiology/virology, especially experience in wet techniques (e.g. CFU/PFU assays, isolation of organisms from tissues, culture)

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.

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

Please do not exceed 1500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

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.

Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)

You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview at Porton.If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours andexperience will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

  • Seeing the bigger picture
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing - (Lead behaviour)

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

Eligibility Criteria - External

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

Location

This role is an office based role at UKHSA Porton. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as theDepartment for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

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 Security Clearance.

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficientperiod of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) clearance. 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.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main duties of the job continued:

  • To perform any other duties required by the Line manager commensurate with grade.
  • To ensure that the project team undertakes work in accordance with applicable UKHSA Safety and Quality systems.
  • To achieve and maintain own and teams health and safety competence.
  • To fulfil the requirements of UKHSA Values and the Civil Service Code.
  • To comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures.

This is not an exhaustive list.

Essential role criteria:

  • PhD, or equivalent years experience, in relevant subject e.g., Cell Biology, Immunology, Virology, Bacteriology
  • Experience of working with the development of pre-clinical models, including establishment and subsequent use for intervention testing
  • Experience of working in immunology, including assessment of humoral and cellular responses.
  • Experience of leading projects/project teams and training junior members of staff.
  • Experience in practical microbiology/virology, especially experience in wet techniques (e.g. CFU/PFU assays, isolation of organisms from tissues, culture)
  • Knowledge and experience of practices and principles of working at ADCP containment level 3.
  • Record of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals
  • Clear communicator with excellent writing, report writing and presentation skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for diverse audiences
  • Evidence of success in efficient and effective project and programme participation/management
  • Skills for communication on complex matters and difficult situations, requiring persuasion and influence.
  • Ability to analyse and interpret information, pre-empt, and evaluate issues, and recommend and appropriate course of action to address the issues
  • Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
  • Attention to detail combined with the ability to extract key messages from complex analysis
  • Able to work as part of team and liaise with all levels of staff
  • Adaptability, flexibility, and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
  • Demonstrate a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference by focusing on goals.
  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems

Desirable role criteria:

  • Experience working with primary cells on transwells and/or in organ-on-chip devices
  • Skills for nurturing key relationships and maintaining networks.
  • Strategic thinking ability to anticipate
  • Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action
  • Skills for troubleshooting data analysis pipelines

Selection Process Details:

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (17) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
  • 1500 word supporting statement.

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 supporting statement 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

The following will be taken through to the next stage:

  • Meets all essential criteria
  • Meets some essential criteria

Shortlisting:

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

  • Experience of working with the development of pre-clinical models, including establishment and subsequent use for intervention testing
  • Experience of working in immunology, including assessment of humoral and cellular responses.
  • Experience of leading projects/project teams and training junior members of staff.
  • Experience in practical microbiology/virology, especially experience in wet techniques (e.g. CFU/PFU assays, isolation of organisms from tissues, culture)

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.

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

Please do not exceed 1500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

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.

Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)

You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview at Porton.If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours andexperience will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

  • Seeing the bigger picture
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing - (Lead behaviour)

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

Eligibility Criteria - External

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

Location

This role is an office based role at UKHSA Porton. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as theDepartment for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

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 Security Clearance.

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficientperiod of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) clearance. 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.

Person Specification

Application form and statement of suitability

Essential

  • Application form and statement of suitability

Behaviours

Essential

  • Seeing the bigger picture
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing (Lead behaviour)
Person Specification

Application form and statement of suitability

Essential

  • Application form and statement of suitability

Behaviours

Essential

  • Seeing the bigger picture
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing (Lead behaviour)

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

Porton

Porton

SP4 0JG


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

Porton

Porton

SP4 0JG


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Resourcing

Gurkamal Bhambra

gurkamal.bhambra@ukhsa.gov.uk

Details

Date posted

28 October 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£56,185 to £66,581 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

919-GB-62203860-EXT

Job locations

Porton

Porton

SP4 0JG


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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