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.

Contact

Address: 10 South Colonnade; London; E14 4PU

Find out more

Jobs Website

Open

Ref: 919-CA-309429-EXT Vacancy ID: 7632933

Healthcare Scientist

Accepting applications until: 05-Jan-2026 23:59

Vacancy status: Open

Accepting applications until: 05-Jan-2026 23:59

Location

Gwefan: Porton Scientific Campus
Tref: Whiltshire
Cod post: SP4 0JG
Major / Minor Region: London

Contract type & working pattern

Contract

Permanent

Oriau

Full time
Part time
Job share
Flexible working

37.5 hours per week

Salary

Cyflog: £28,547 - £33,196 per annum pro rata
Cyfnod cyflog: Yearly
Gradd: (Civil Service: Executive Officer (EO))

Specialty

Prif leoliad: Healthcare Scientist

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.

Swydd-ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl

Main Duties of the Job (Continued)

Comply with waste disposal protocols
Operate, maintain, clean, and disinfect laboratory equipment safely
Monitor laboratory stocks and supplies daily to help optimise use of consumables and to reduce wastage
Play a leading role in the training of junior and new staff
Ensure all work is undertaken in accordance with UKHSA’s safety policies
Work within the laboratory’s Quality Management System
Maintain a clean, safe, and tidy working environment
Escalate risks that cannot be controlled to the Laboratory Head
Notify accidents, near misses, dangerous situations and shortcomings in health and safety via the appropriate management structure
Report any personal sickness (during and after such an event) that may have been caused by or may impact upon work, in line with the UKHSA Sickness Absence management policy
Support UKHSA administrative staff
Comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures
Identify any potential conflicts of interest which may impinge on your ability to perform duties effectively as defined by UKHSA Conflict of Interest Policy
Perform any other duties required by the line manager commensurate with grade

Other

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 the directorate.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation.
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.

Professional development

You should pursue a programme of continuous professional development in accordance with any relevant professional registration or statutory requirements, while maintaining appropriate awareness of service provider requirements.

As part of a member of staff’s duty they are required to participate in a joint quarterly review of their work.

Identify, discuss, and action your own professional performance and training needs with your line manager through quarterly performance reviews and individual training plans
Attend internal and external training events
Complete all mandatory training as required
Undergo any training requirements as required for the post

Key Working Relationships

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA This will include:

Internal

Head of Operations
Laboratory Head
UKHSA Porton colleagues
Scientists

External

Suppliers
Sample collection staff
Referring laboratory staff
Stores Team

Role Criteria and Other Requirements

Essential role criteria (including qualifications, licenses and registrations):

Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant microbiology/ biological science discipline.
Knowledge and understanding of laboratory safety requirements and procedures
Skills in communication of complex information and administrative matters, requiring developed interpersonal and oral/written communication skills
Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
Excellent time management skills with the ability to re-prioritise
Advanced keyboard skills, use of a range of software
Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload with minimal supervision working to tight and often changing timescales
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 in molecular biology.
Knowledge of automated liquid handling
Basic knowledge of project principles
Previous experience as a Healthcare Scientist or equivalent experience in Molecular/ Microbiology.

Selection Process Details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the job advert.

You will be required to complete an:

Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) 
Up to 750 number of words Supporting Statement

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more 750 words.

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.

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

The following will be taken through the next stage: Meets all essential criteria

Shortlisting

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

Degree in a relevant biological science
Knowledge and understanding of laboratory safety requirements and procedures

The following desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large number of successful candidates:

Experience in molecular biology.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview. 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 (success profiles)

You will be invited to a (single) remote interview. 

Behaviours tested:

Communicating and Influencing (Lead Behaviour)
Working Together
Developing Self and Others
Working at Pace

Technical Skills tested:

Knowledge and understanding of laboratory safety requirements and procedures

Eligibility Criteria

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

Location

This role is being offered as office/lab based at our Scientific Campus in Porton.

If based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have 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.

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
Counter-terrorist Check

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.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Link below:

Artificial intelligence and recruitment | Civil Service Careers

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

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Person specification

Application form and Supporting statement

Meini prawf hanfodol

Application form and Supporting Statement

Behaviours

Meini prawf hanfodol

Communicating and Influencing
Working Together
Developing Self and Others
Working at Pace

Technical Skills

Meini prawf hanfodol

Technical Skills

Documents

Further details / informal visits contact

Enw: Conny Agyei
Teitl y swydd: Resourcing Support Officer
Cyfeiriad ebost: [email protected]
Gwybodaeth i gefnogi eich cais: For information regarding the role please contact Rai Broadway [[email protected]]