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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.
Contact
- Address
- 10 South Colonnade
- London
- E14 4PU
Dosimetry Manager
Accepting applications until: 21-Apr-2025 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 21-Apr-2025 23:59
Key details
Location
- Site
- UKHSA Chilton
- Town
- Didcot
- Postcode
- OX11 0RQ
- Major / Minor Region
- London
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job share
- Flexible working
Salary
- Salary
- £56,503 - £66,415 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (Civil Service: Grade 7)
Specialty
- Main area
- 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
The UKHSA Personal Dosimetry Service (PDS) is a commercial service, approved by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), that measures and reports the radiation doses to employees working with ionising radiations in various sectors, such as industrial, research and medical. PDS uses passive personal dosemeters, which are worn by the workers and then sent back to PDS for analysis. PDS also contributes to UKHSA’s expertise and advice on radiation matters and generates a significant income for UKHSA. PDS has a staff of around 35 people and serves over 90,000 workers in the UK and abroad.
Advert
We are looking for an organised and motivated individual to work as part of our technical team at Chilton. The Dosimetry Manager has direct responsibility for the PDS Laboratories to provide quality and timely dosimetry to several thousand PDS customers by managing all the resources effectively. You will also help PDS maintain its status as an HSE Approved Dosimetry Service and an ISO17025 accredited Laboratory.
You will support the PDS Manager in proactively developing the services and business, providing technical support and advice on dosimetry to customers plus ensuring good communication with a range of internal and external sources. Therefore, excellent communication skills are required to suit a varied audience. You must have the ability to prioritise, plan and work proactively to meet business demands with tight deadlines.
You will deputise for the PDS Manager and help with long term planning and development of the services plus manage projects and teams. The post holder will also investigate and solve complex queries, look for technical improvements/enhancements and offer solutions to the PDS Manager for implementation.
It is essential that post holder has extensive experience in delivering radiation protection services in a commercial environment with direct contact to customers, plus experience of laboratory operation & techniques particularly using personal dosimetry systems (especially Thermo/Harshaw TLD) is desirable.
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 be required to manage a busy team which is responsible for issuing and assessing the dosemeters for PDS customers, over 500,000 per year; as well as support the PDS Manager in technical and scientific duties for the PDS business.
The Dosimetry Manager will have direct responsibility for the PDS Laboratories to provide quality and timely dosimetry to several thousand PDS customers by managing all the resources effectively. They will ensure PDS fulfils its requirements of its Health & Safety Executive (HSE) approval and PDS quality systems (ISO/IEC17025 standard) and adheres to both the Requirements for Approved Dosimetry Services under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17), and IRR17 itself.
The post holder will support the PDS Manager in proactively developing the services and business, providing technical support and advice on dosimetry to customers plus ensuring good communication with a range of internal and external sources.
They will deputise for the PDS Manager and help with long term planning and development of the services plus manage projects and teams. The post holder will also investigate and solve complex queries, look for technical improvements/enhancements and offer solutions to the PDS Manager for implementation.
The post holder will also be responsible for the busy Lab functions, maintaining the overall efficiency by managing and liaising with colleagues, suppliers and the Laboratory Manager, plus helping the PDS Manager with responsibility for the PDS business.
As well as general management and systems development, duties will include the preparation of service documentation (policies & procedures), including further development of the quality system, assistance with tender documents, awareness of new legislation/regulations, technical papers and organising dosimetry tests as necessary.
The key responsibilities will be:
- Responsible for overall operation of PDS TLD laboratories,
- Fully supporting the Laboratories team; ensuring staff management, development and training
- Responsibility for resource management; including allocating, prioritising and managing staff, equipment, supplies with forward planning. Liaison with internal and external suppliers.
- Attendance at scientific conferences and meetings; Liaison other dosimetry groups and industry professionals
- Ensuring continuation of HSE Approval of the dosimetry services, and other accreditations and approvals as necessary.
- Ensuring the laboratories comply with ISO17025 standard PDS Quality Management System requirements to provide a high-quality and reliable dosimetry
- Developing documentation, procedures, internal service level agreements etc
- Major involvement in projects to develop the dosimetry services
- Oversight, in conjunction with local management, of the PDS operation at UKHSA Leeds including co-ordination of PADC services between UKHSA Leeds and Chilton
- Pro-active liaison with customers to ensure best quality of service, including customer meetings, exhibitions, and conferences.
- Health and Safety responsibilities as needed: radiation protection; source safety; equipment etc. Ensuring safe working practices for all staff.
- Helping the PDS Manager to plan for the future of the service and providing ideas for improvements, development or research
- Complex office duties e.g. writing and authorisation of reports, answering technical queries, dealing with difficult clients, and providing advice to clients and colleagues.
- Act as Deputy Head of Service for whole body and Extremity TLD services with in PDS.
- To deputise for the PDS Manager/Head of Service using experience to cover duties and liaise with all staff to continue an efficient and effective service, including when necessary, covering for laboratory staff in routine tasks.
Please see the job description for the full list of duties and responsibilities.
Selection Process
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 9 essential criteria selected from the job description, and this will be in the form of a:
- Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- 1000 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 9 listed essential criteria.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
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.
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
Please note that only those applications meeting all essential criteria will be put through to short listing.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
- Extensive experience in delivering radiation protection services and laboratory operation & techniques
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Please do not exceed 1000 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 face to face interview.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.
There will be a presentation.
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).
Location
This role is being offered as lab based at our Scientific Campus in UKHSA Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.
Security Requirements
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 Terrorism Checks (CTC).
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.
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. You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. 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 cannot 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.
The panel will assess if candidates meet the requirement of the role first, using a specific benchmark system. If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.
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.
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Security Vetting
Please check the Security Clearance needed for the role and follow the link for more information:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels
Applicant requirements
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Level 6 qualification (e.g. degree) in a Physical Science, or equivalent experience
Experience 1
Essential criteria
- Extensive experience in delivering radiation protection services and laboratory operation & techniques
Experience 2
Essential criteria
- Extensive experience in a staff managerial role, to include team management, leadership, ability to motivate (self & team), performance & appraisals.
Experience 3
Essential criteria
- Understanding of physical principles of radiation interactions; radiation safety issues, methods of monitoring radiation and knowledge of the Ionising Radiations Regulations.
Skills 1
Essential criteria
- Ability to communicate effectively: formally, informally, orally and in writing, to customers and colleagues on a range of subjects of varying complexity. Competent computer skills (e.g. Outlook, Word, Excel and web-based products)
Skills 2
Essential criteria
- Excellent organisational and planning skills; prioritising work of self and team to meet tight deadlines and provide a proactive and responsive service.
Skills 3
Essential criteria
- Excellent customer care skills and the ability to form good working relationships with customers and staff; working flexibly within the PDS team.
Skills 4
Essential criteria
- Ability to negotiate/liaise effectively with customers, suppliers, intermediaries, UKHSA colleagues and senior management on a range of matters.
Skills 5
Essential criteria
- Ability to assess complex situations and interpret detailed documents that may include legislation, analysis of technical data and or income/expenditure; and make informed decisions
Documents
- Job Description (PDF, 672.3KB)
- 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
- Jon Payne
- Job title
- Recruitment Support
- Email address
- [email protected]
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