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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.
Health Economist and Infectious Disease Modeller
Accepting applications until: 04-Nov-2024 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 04-Nov-2024 23:59
Key details
Location
- Site
- Colindale, Canary Wharf
- Town
- London
- Postcode
- E14 4PU
- Major / Minor Region
- London
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job share
- Flexible working
Salary
- Salary
- £42,716 - £48,068 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (Civil Service: Senior Executive Officer (SEO))
Specialty
- Main area
- Clinical Public Health
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
This post sits within the Healthcare Associated Infection, Fungal, Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Utilisation & Sepsis Division (Clinical & Public Health group) of UKHSA. The post-holder will develop health economic models of healthcare associated infections (HCAI) and antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infections. They will analyse epidemiological, cost and healthcare data to inform such models; and use these models to gain insight for public health decision-making and evaluate the potential cost-effectiveness of interventions and control strategies. The post-holder should contribute to advancement of knowledge of HCAI and AMR control. The post-holder will be expected to develop and maintain effective collaborations and co-ordinate the research to meet objectives. Research undertaken by the post holder will respond to policy needs and is expected to provide practical insight for policy makers, epidemiologists and clinicians.
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- Lead development of health economic models related to the transmission and control of healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistant infections
- Take the lead in the parameterisation of the models by analysis of appropriate data and literature review
- Identify, use and analyse complex datasets, synthesizing multiple evidence sources, and using a range of software
- Develop and use mathematical and/or statistical (health economics and/or health outcomes) models to further our understanding of HCAI and AMR infections and their associated costs including understanding the burden of HCAI & AMR from different perspectives.
- Develop models used to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of infection prevention and control measures and other intervention strategies
- Adapt and extend existing models (written in, for e.g., R) where necessary
- Develop and implement protocols for managing the development of models
- Work and communicate effectively within a multidisciplinary team and coordinate research accordingly
- Liaise and collaborate effectively with UK and international colleagues
- Manage own programme of work and to use considerable initiative and independence
- Give presentations at national and international meetings, as appropriate
- Prepare papers for peer-reviewed scientific journals
Working for our organisation
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
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder will work in the HCAI & AMR Modelling and Evaluations Unit at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). A dynamic and stimulating group comprising infectious disease modellers and health economists working on diverse projects relating to the burden of infectious disease and modelling the impact of interventions against infections, both nationally and internationally. The work of the Modelling and Evaluations Unit is frequently used to inform policy, and close working with policy colleagues is often required. It is a world leader in its field and has numerous collaborative links with external academic and non-academic institutes and other public health agencies, World Health Organisation (WHO) and others.
The Unit sits within the Healthcare Associated Infection (HCAI), Fungal, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Antimicrobial Usage (AMU) and Sepsis Division, (in the Clinical and Public Health group) of UKHSA. The mission of the division is to protect people from healthcare-associated and antimicrobial resistant infections, through world-leading public health microbiology, outbreak response, surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, modelling, research and evidence-based interventions.
You will be assessed on the below 8 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description.
Essential criteria
• Masters degree in economics, mathematics, statistics or other relevant field
• Relevant research experience
• Economic, mathematical, or statistical modelling experience
• Strong skills in analysis and interpretation of data
• Knowledge and familiarity of programming with statistical packages and scientific programming (for example in R)
• Scientific writing including peer review publications
• Demonstrate good interpersonal skills and ability to work as a team member (in a multi-disciplinary team)
• Demonstrated capability to take initiative and plan own work programme
Desirable criteria
• Knowledge and experience of the application of health economics in the field of infectious diseases
• Management, analysis, interpretation and reporting of complex datasets
• Experience in critical appraisal and synthesis of evidence sources
• Experience of working on collaborative projects
• Communication of complex ideas and methods clearly and succinctly to a wide range of audiences with differing technical backgrounds
• Understanding of data validity, reliability and confidentiality issues
• Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and decision making
Selection Process Details:
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Experience, Behaviours and Technical skills.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above 8 listed essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 750 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.
In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on: Economic, mathematical, or statistical modelling experience
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment
Please do not exceed 750 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.
Knowledge, Experience, Technical skills and Behaviours will be tested at interview
There will be a 5 minute presentation on a relevant research project.
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:
- Working Together (lead behaviour)
- Communicating and Influencing
- Developing Self and Others
- Seeing the Big Picture
Planned interview date- 15th November- please note that this date 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.
Eligibility Criteria
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 (if based at Canary Wharf) or Counter-terrorist Check (if based at Colindale)
(If based at Colindale) 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). 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.
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ
Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.
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 which you will need your department to agree. You can not take the post up as a fixed term. 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.
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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.
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/
International Police Check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and could be time accrued over that period.
Person specification
Application form and Statement of Suitability
Essential criteria
- Application form and Statement of Suitability
Behaviours
Essential criteria
- Working Together (lead behaviour)
- Communicating and Influencing
- Developing Self and Others
- Seeing the Big Picture
Documents
- Job description (PDF, 280.4KB)
- Civil Service Recruitment Principles (PDF, 2.6MB)
- Civil Service Nationality Rules (PDF, 195.3KB)
- 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
- Lisa Tweedie
- Job title
- Resourcing Support Officer
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
For information relating to the role, please contact
Edwin VanLeeuwen, Principal Infectious Disease Modeller, [email protected]
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