Trac proudly powers the recruitment for
UK Health Security Agency
About
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will be responsible for planning, preventing and responding to external health threats, and providing intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage. UKHSA will ensure the nation can respond quickly and at greater scale to deal with pandemics and future threats.
System maintenance
The trac.jobs system will be undergoing essential maintenance at . We expect the work to be completed by 22:00.
During this time period it will not be possible to browse jobs, sign into your account or submit job applications.
Technician Scientist (DSP)
Closed for applications on: 10-Oct-2022 00:01
Vacancy status: Closed
Closed for applications on: 10-Oct-2022 00:01
Key details
Location
- Site
- UKHSA, Porton Down Salisbury
- Address
- Manor Road
- Town
- Salisbury, Wiltshire
- Postcode
- SP4 0JG
- Major / Minor Region
- London
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Fixed term: 8 months (Until 31-Mar-2023 with the possibility of extension)
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
Salary
- Salary
- £23,389 - £28,195 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (Civil Service: Executive Officer (EO))
Specialty
- Main area
- Research and Evaluation, Diagnostic Support Team, Science
The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:
- Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
- Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
- Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
- Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
- Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.
Job overview
We have an exciting position for a Technician Scientist within the Diagnostic Support Team on a Fixed-term appointment until Mar-2023 (with the possibility of extension) to provide serological/ molecular /antigen expertise to support projects for RIPL. Ensure delivery of new/improved/refined diagnostic assays as well as training and surge capacity in the event of an outbreak.
The post holder will have a degree in relevant subject eg Biomedical Science Microbiology/Virology/Molecular Biology/Immunology or equivalent experience and the ability to undertake a broad range of standard laboratory techniques. The post holder will need good communication skills and the ability to work in a team.
Advert
This post would suit a candidate with a degree or experience in the relevant subject/laboratory techniques, and an interest in the capability of microbiological diagnostic test development.
The post holder will be expected to be flexible and adaptable to the demands of the project, have excellent written and verbal communication skills, and be able to collaborate with lab users from other teams.
The post holder should have experience of working at ACDP CL2 and/or CL3, with experience of working with clinical samples and diagnostic testing as desirable. Previous experience in a regulated environment would be beneficial.
Working for our organisation
The Diagnostic Support Team reviews, evaluates, develops and implements diagnostic assays for use in the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL) and other projects.
Research & Evaluation department, based at UKHSA Porton, is the UK’s largest capability for the handling of dangerous human pathogens and animal modelling of infectious diseases. The capability is used to understand pathogenesis and undertake pre-clinical development and assessment of new vaccines and therapeutics. The capability is also used to undertake studies in microbiological aerobiology, decontamination and detection, and to develop diagnostic assays for clinical use. Studies are focussed on high priority activities including: SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, Zika, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, Q Fever, Anthrax, Melioidosis, Clostridium difficile-Associated Disease, Tuberculosis, Monkeypox, Influenza, Pertussis, Meningococcal disease, Group B Streptococcal disease, Legionnaires Disease, Healthcare Acquired Infections, Anti-Microbial Resistance, etc.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder duties of responsibility include:
- Implement and utilise a range of antigenic methods in support of diagnostic evaluation activities for ACDP HG 2/3/4 pathogens within the project to ensure targets are met.
- Take responsibility for the provision of reagents and consumables required for the project and documented storage of materials generated.
- Ensure that the project operates to a high scientific standard using current methods.
- Take responsibility for the supervision and training of junior staff allocated to the project and RIPL in specific areas of expertise.
- Provide reports through collation of data using software and databases as necessary, to meet project targets.
- To perform any other duties required by the Line manager commensurate with grade.
- To ensure that the project team undertakes work in accordance with UKHSA’s Code of Safety Practice and to work within any Quality Systems that are applicable to the site.
- To maintain health and safety competence to the national occupational standard ‘Make sure your actions reduce risks to health and safety’ (NOS HSS1).
The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the division and UKHSA.
It should be noted that the work of the division is of a confidential nature and must not be communicated to other persons except where required for authorised purposes.
Selection Process
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Experience, Behaviours and Technical Skills
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement / Statement of Suitability (in no more than 1250 words)
This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and achievements, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria outlined.
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 (this will be used in the sifting process and will be scored).
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised criteria.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW
All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single video interview.
All applicants that progress to a blended interview will be assessed against a mixture of Behaviours, Strengths and Technical skills.
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:
- Working together
- Delivering at pace
- Seeing the bigger picture
Technical skills will be assessed against:
- Knowledge of standard microbiology
- Experience in working with clinical samples
- Knowledge of safe working practices
Eligibility Criteria Text:
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
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.
Salary
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ
This is a Non-Reserved post under the Civil Service Nationality Rules. To be eligible for employment in the UK Civil Service applicants must meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs) which operate independently of and additionally to the Immigration Rules. Applicants must also meet necessary security and vetting requirements, along with any other relevant pre-employment checks.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
For more information on job nationality requirements and the right to work in the UK, see the Civil Service Nationality rules (opens in a new window) and the UK Visas and Immigration rules (opens in a new window)
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.
The Civil Service pay structure and progression is different from NHS Agenda for Change (AfC), most local authority pay grades and other systems that have annual pay increments. For further details, please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.
For AfC or Medical/Dental posts, you must have the correct professional registration to be appointed. The pay will follow the AfC or Medical & Dental terms & conditions. You may be asked to provide evidence of previous service whilst we are conducting pre-employment checks to determine your starting salary.
For Temporary Appointments, if you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy.
Given the nature of the work of the UKHSA, as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, you may be required in an emergency, if deemed a necessity, to redeploy to another role at short notice. You may also be required to work at any other location, within reasonable travelling distance of your permanent home address, in line with the provisions set out in your contract of employment.
Late Applications will unfortunately not be considered.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. 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 (attached as a supporting document).
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: [email protected] 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 here.
Reserve List - If more than the required number of suitable candidates pass the interview criteria, you may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months subject to your agreement. You may be contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list.
Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.
UKHSA is required to check employment and/or education history covering three consecutive years. Please ensure you give details of at least two different referees, even if you were employed in one company for three years or more.
If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.
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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
Benefits of working at UKHSA include:
- Generous annual leave:
-26 days for the first 5 years of continuous service
-28 days after 5 years of continuous service
-32 days after 10 years of continuous service
-Plus public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday - Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
- Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
- Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
- We also promote flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours). UKHSA views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including working from home, compressed hours and job sharing.
- We also offer a generous maternity/ paternity and adoption leave package.
Hybrid Working
UKHSA operates 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 usually spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted hours (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (approximately 3 days a week pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home.
Disability Confident Scheme
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria at sift to ensure these candidates are invited to interview. If you wish to be included in this scheme please tick the box on your application form.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone.
To help you during the recruitment process, we will take into account any reasonable adjustments that could help you.
An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.
This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.
If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:
Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Statement Of Suitability/ Supporting Statement
Experience
Essential criteria
- CV/Application Form
Documents
- Job Description (PDF, 350.6KB)
- Functional Requirements Form (DOCX, 44.6KB)
- Civil Service Recruitment Principles (PDF, 2.6MB)
- Civil Service Nationality Rules (PDF, 345.1KB)
- Application Form Guidance Notes (PDF, 77.3KB)
- Information Sheet - Starting salaries and benefits (PDF, 129.4KB)
- Information Sheet - Selection Process (PDF, 110.1KB)
- Working at UKHSA and your benefits (PDF, 219.2KB)
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Abbie Bown
- Job title
- Senior Project Team Leader
- Email address
- [email protected]
No longer accepting applications
Sorry, this vacancy is no longer accepting applications.
You can search for similar jobs on the employer's job board, or visit our national jobs board Health Jobs UK.