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UK Health Security Agency

About

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) prevents, prepares for and responds to infectious diseases, and environmental hazards, to keep all our communities safe, save lives and protect livelihoods.

We provide scientific and operational leadership, working with local, national and international partners to protect the public’s health and build the nation’s health security capability.

UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Contact

Address: 10 South Colonnade; London; E14 4PU

Find out more

Jobs Website

Open

Ref: 919-JI-301770-EXT Vacancy ID: 8038745

Healthcare Scientist / Biomedical Scientist

Accepting applications until: 12-Jun-2026 23:59

Vacancy status: Open

Accepting applications until: 12-Jun-2026 23:59

Location

Gwefan: Scientific Campus
Tref: Colindale, London
Cod post: NW9 5EQ

Contract type & working pattern

Contract: Permanent
Oriau: Full time - 37.5 hours per week

Salary

Cyflog: £37,749 - £45,353 Per Annum, Pro Rata
Cyfnod cyflog: Yearly
Gradd: (Civil Service: Higher Executive Officer (HEO))

Specialty

Prif leoliad: Healthcare, Science

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) prevents, prepares for and responds to infectious diseases, and environmental hazards, to keep all our communities safe, save lives and protect livelihoods.

We provide scientific and operational leadership, working with local, national and international partners to protect the public’s health and build the nation’s health security capability.

UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Swydd-ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl

CSL has a strong service delivery focus and commitment to continuously improving methods for rapid and high-throughput genomics to enhance its function.

Communication and Key Working Relationships

Internal

To liaise with the Unit head, all staff within CSL and with staff from other departments as appropriate.
To liaise with other staff within the service and to assist and advise other scientists, registered scientists, trainees and visitors working in the group.

External

To liaise with collaborators and external CSL customers.
To liaise with staff in other diagnostic and research laboratories outside of UKHSA.
Professional contacts.

Quality

In collaboration with the Quality Team & local management, to:

Maintain a high standard of work and appraise and contribute to developing services so that they are safe, effective and economical and follow best practice.
Work towards ensuring an efficient quality management system.
Contribute to internal and external quality assurance programmes.
Ensure compliance with UKAS and other accreditation and certification standards.
Ensure the continual development and compliance of internal and external audit programmes and corrective actions.

Information Technology

To use software packages as appropriate for word processing, as well as specialist packages as required.
To be competent in the use of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and use the LIMS system to carry out sample tracking throughout the procedure.

Safety

To promote a strong safety culture.
To agree safety objectives and to review performance at appraisal and support the Senior Management Team in carrying out duties with respect to:
- Ensuring health, safety and welfare of self, staff and visitors.
- Ensuring relevant UKHSA health and safety policies and laboratory safety committee recommendations and actions are implemented.
- Ensuring implementation of remedial actions resulting from safety inspections and audits.

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 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.

Personal 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.
Identify, discuss, and action own professional performance and training/development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attending internal/external training events.
To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.

This list is not exhaustive.

Essential criteria:

Post-graduate degree in a medical, microbiology, biological science discipline or equivalent experience working in a laboratory with Next Generation, Sanger sequencing or Oxford Nanopore Technology.
Experience in running NGS Platforms and sequencing services without supervision.
Knowledge of automated liquid handling.
Knowledge and understanding of laboratory safety requirements and procedures.
Skills for communication on complex information and administrative matters, requiring developed interpersonal and oral/ written communication skills.
Problem-solving skills and ability to respond to sudden, unexpected demands.
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.

Desirable criteria:

Relevant professional qualification, i.e. registration with the Health and Care professional council (HCPC) as a clinical scientist or Biomedical Scientist.
Basic knowledge of project principles
Excellent time management skills with the ability to reprioritise
Ability to pull together comprehensive draft reports, networking and persuasive skills.

Selection Process Details (Success Profiles)

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift  

Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK 

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 8 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(s) that meets ALL essential will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting: 

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

Post-graduate degree in a medical, microbiology, biological science discipline or equivalent experience working in a laboratory with Next Generation, Sanger sequencing or Oxford Nanopore Technology

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

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview 

Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK 

You will be invited to a single face to face interview at the Scientific Campus, Colindale, London. When face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours, Experience & Technical skills will be tested at interview in the form of questions.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

Lead behaviour - Communicating and influencing
Working together
Developing self and others
Delivering at pace

Technical Skills will be assessed through technical based questions, these will be based on Next Generation, Sanger Sequencing or Oxford Nanopore Technology.

Interviews dates are 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.

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 laboratory in Colindale, London. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

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. Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.

Security Clearance Level Requirement  

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check.  

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-terrorist Check.

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

Civil Service Commission | Regulating recruitment into the Civil Service and helping uphold the Civil Service core values of Impartiality, Objectivity, Integrity and Honesty

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 (Lead behaviour)
Working together
Developing self and others
Delivering at pace

Technical

Meini prawf hanfodol

Technical questions - (Next Generation, Sanger Sequencing or Oxford Nanopore Technology)

Documents

Further details / informal visits contact

Enw: John Inglis
Teitl y swydd: Resourcing Officer
Cyfeiriad ebost: [email protected]
Gwybodaeth i gefnogi eich cais: Alternatively, you may wish to contact the Hiring Manager, Sharmila Naidoo, please do email - [email protected] for more information about the role or to ask any questions.