Senior Surveillance Scientist

Job overview

This post in the Immunisations Vaccine Preventable Disease  Division will contribute to enhanced surveillance systems, programme monitoring and evaluation, epidemiological assessment, and research studies of viral respiratory diseases, leading and supporting on data collection and validation, and production of routine surveillance intelligence.

The successful candidate will:

• Analyse and interpret surveillance data, develop automated routines and solutions, and oversee and respond to more complex or sensitive data requests.
• Apply their expertise in epidemiology, data(base) management, analysis and statistics, using relevant tools, including web tools, and information/data science approaches.
• Contribute to public health scientific analyses and writing reports on specific projects, regular and ad hoc publications and peer reviewed publications.
• Contribute to response to incidents including outbreaks of infectious diseases, supporting others across the directorate, local Health Protection Teams and in collaboration with other partners. This may include the design, implementation, analysis and interpretation of analytical studies, including case contact studies in a variety of settings, and supporting and managing team members carrying out these tasks.
• Contribute to the professional development of other staff  as well as liaising with colleagues across the Chief Medical Advisor Group, wider UKHSA and NHS colleagues at regional/local level.

Main duties of the job

Surveillance, analysis & research

• Develop, manage, and enhance infectious disease surveillance systems and databases including data management/quality processes.
• Contribute to the development of protocols and research/surveillance proposals.
• Coordinate data collection and management with partners.
• Analyse and interpret complex statistical data from surveillance/research datasets to deliver routine and ad hoc outputs.
• Provide expert advice on data interpretation and analytical approaches.
• Produce scientific reports and peer reviewed publications.
• Supervise junior scientific/administrative staff in the production of surveillance reports and publications.

Supporting immunisation programmes

• Lead epidemiological investigations of vaccine impact and effectiveness, adverse events and vaccine-related research relevant to the division.
• Lead evidence generation in support of introduction of new immunisation programmes or changes to existing programmes.

These activities will inform Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) deliberations and decision-making on programmes.

This list is not exhaustive.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Surveillance and Data Analysis

• Lead, develop, manage and maintain existing national surveillance systems and contribute to the development of new surveillance systems for acuterespiratory viral infections including testing, implementation, and contributing to the drafting of SOPs
• Conduct complex statistical analyses of data on respiratory viruses drawn from a variety of surveillance sources in response to ad hoc enquiries fromGovernment agencies, international agencies, public health practitioners, academics and members of the public.
• Present complex epidemiological data and findings to a range of audiences internally and externally, including at scientific conferences.
• Write scientific papers for publication in peer reviewed journals and detailed reports and briefings for UKHSA or Government departments to a high standard.
• Supervise and advise junior scientific colleagues and the administrative team in the production of analytical outputs and surveillance reports.

Vaccine Programme Support

• Develop and lead on data collection and analyses to support vaccine programme introduction, monitoring and evaluation, and decision making. Analyses may include assessment of disease burden, severity, vaccine effectiveness, impact, and safety.

Incident Response

• Support the technical, operational and analytical aspects of outbreak investigations, under the supervision of Senior Scientists and Consultant/G6 leads
• Support drafting of internal and external briefing notes and reports

Research and Data Governance

• Contribute to or lead the development, implementation, analysis and communication of research studies.
• Ensure compliance with research ethics, information governance, data protection, and security standards.

Teaching and Training

• Contribute to the training for new members of staff on the epidemiology and surveillance of respiratory viruses.
• Contribute to teaching and training activities both internally and externally.

Professional Development

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of epidemiology, surveillance methods and scientific developments.
• Identify and address personal training and development needs.
• Participate in mandatory and relevant internal/external training.

Strategic Working and Partnerships

• Contribute to the design, development, and improvement of analytical tools, scripts, documentation, and processes to enhance efficiency, reproducibility,and quality assurance.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders across UKHSA, government, academia and partner organisations to support delivery ofsurveillance and research objectives.

Time Management and Leadership Responsibilities

• Manage own workload effectively, prioritising tasks to meet deadlines.
• Provide support, guidance or informal supervision to colleagues as appropriate, including line management responsibilities.

Key Working Relationships

The post holder will develop working relationships with a wide range of internal and external individuals to UKHSA including:

• Medical, scientific, technical, and administrative colleagues within UKHSA such as laboratory staff, data scientists, Health Protection Teams, andcommunication specialists.
• External partners from DHSC, local government, devolved administrations, NHS Trusts, national, regional, and local institutions within and outside the UK.

Other duties

• Present findings to a range of audiences including national and international conferences.
• Contribute to divisional teaching activities.
• Contribute to the training of new staff members.
• Support analytical and operational aspects of incident and outbreak response.
• Build effective relationships across UKHSA, NHS and partners.
• Undertake additional duties aligned with organisational priorities.

Selection Process Details

Essential criteria

• First degree in STEM or social science subject
• Masters or PhD in Epidemiology, Public Health or allied area
• Postgraduate work or equivalent experience in public health, epidemiology or allied area
• Extensive experience interpreting, evaluating and analysing epidemiological data
• Extensive experience writing code, ideally R, with knowledge of R Markdown and SQL
• Experience managing research studies and databases; writing scientific papers/reports
• Understanding of epidemiological surveillance and information governance
• Proven ability to interpret complex information and make decisions based on incomplete information
• Good organisation skills and ability to work independently to meet deadlines
• Effective relationship-building with colleagues and stakeholders
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

Desirable criteria:

• Knowledge of infectious disease surveillance, and the UK health and social care environment
• Understanding of respiratory virus epidemiology, with experience presenting to varied audiences
• Experience of line management

Selection Process Details (Competency based)

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 11   essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)

• 1000  word supporting statement.

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.     You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000  words. We will not consider any words over 1000  words.

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

If used, the pile  ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will  proceed  to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will conduct an initial  sift, on the lead criteria of:

• Extensive experience interpreting, evaluating and analysing epidemiological data
• Experience managing research studies and databases; writing scientific papers/reports
• Extensive experience writing code, ideally R, with knowledge of R Markdown and SQL

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

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a single face to face  interview at UK Health Security Agency - Colindale, 61 Colindale Ave, London NW9 5EQ.

If face to face interviews are planned, 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 assessment on respiratory virus surveillance. Candidates will be given a document to review for 30 minutes before being asked questions about it during the interview.

Interviews dates to be confirmed.

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

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 to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month)working at our campus.

Based at our scientific campus, you will be required to have a minimum of a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. 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.

Successful candidates must pass a basic enhanced disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

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

Salary Information

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.