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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-633004187-EXT Vacancy ID: 8243494

Senior Epidemiology Scientist

Accepting applications until: 08-Sep-2026 23:59

Vacancy status: Open

Accepting applications until: 08-Sep-2026 23:59

Location

Gwefan: Core HQs or Scientific Campus - Porton
Tref: London
Cod post: E14 4PU

Contract type & working pattern

Contract

33 months (Fixed Term appointment until 31/03/2029)

Oriau

Full time
Part time
Job share
Flexible working

37.5 hours per week

Salary

Cyflog: £60,494 - £70,566 Per Annum, Pro Rata
Cyfnod cyflog: Yearly
Gradd: (Civil Service: Grade 7)

Specialty

Prif leoliad: Science and Engineering

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

Data & Epidemiological Analyses

Identify evaluation and epidemiology science needs within contact tracing; conduct complex statistical analyses, interpret surveillance data, make recommendations and translate findings into public health action.
Authorise/manage complex or sensitive data requests and oversee the development of outputs and statistical analyses.
Plan, implement and maintain high-quality epidemiological and evaluation outputs to meet stakeholder needs, providing expert technical advice while considering current and future political, economic, scientific, technological, legal and environmental influences.
Take a lead role in public health scientific analyses and the production of project reports, regular and ad hoc publications, and peer-reviewed papers.

Epidemiological Investigations

Lead and manage the technical and analytical aspects of epidemiological investigations, including advising on study design, writing protocols, overseeing questionnaire design and study databases, training interviewers, preparing reports, and supervising investigations.

Strategic Thinking and Partnership Working

Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders and partners across the CSO Group, UKHSA and other organisations appropriate to the role.
Provide subject matter expertise and use available engagement approaches to develop and maintain stakeholder relationships.
Manage delivery of agreed work programmes, including timely reporting, ensuring stakeholder needs are met and working across Division, Directorate and Group boundaries to support effective delivery and identify interdependencies.
Manage challenging and/or conflicting subject matter issues, escalating where appropriate.

Audit, Quality and Governance

Collaborate with colleagues across the Division to improve standards and consistency, evaluate teaching sessions, and undertake or supervise audits as part of the team audit programme.

Research

Identify research questions, manage research studies, analyse datasets using appropriate methodologies, and translate findings into public health action.
Conduct systematic literature reviews, co-author grant proposals and applications (including ethical approval submissions), present at scientific conferences and meetings, and publish scientific papers with health, public health, academic and other partners.

Management and Leadership

Be a visible, positive and competent role model, promoting professional standards and providing senior scientific leadership. Represent the EES Division within UKHSA and at external scientific fora.
Contribute as a member of the EES Division senior management team, supporting business planning and the development of evaluation, research and training strategies. Support operational delivery of divisional functions and deputise where appropriate.
Provide effective line management of staff, including recruitment and selection, objective setting, performance management, induction, training and development, and management of employee relations issues to ensure capacity and flexibility to meet team needs.

Teaching and Training

Teach colleagues and stakeholders on evaluation and epidemiology science, support departmental training activities, develop teaching materials and courses, assess learning needs, and supervise MSc students and other short-term attachments.

This list is not exhaustive.

Essential Criteria

MSc (or equivalent education) in Epidemiology, Public Health or allied discipline, or equivalent experience in the field of Epidemiology, Public Health or allied discipline
Knowledge of principles and practice of health protection surveillance, including data management, data transmission, data security and information governance, data quality, data analysis including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting.
Demonstrable experience in public health, evaluation and epidemiology, including interpreting and evaluating complex epidemiological data, sensitive health data analyses and performing analytical epidemiology.
Proficiency in common statistical tools (such as R, Stata), and knowledge and experience of common statistical tests, modelling and analyses, with ability to interpret results appropriately, including for research.
Able to build and maintain effective relationships with co-workers and key stakeholders, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
Excellent oral and written communication, including presentation and scientific report writing skills.
Line management and leadership skills that empower, support, and develop teams to encourage high performance, and enable team members to reach their full potential through a learning culture.
Ability to make decisions autonomously, engender trust and confidence and demonstrate integrity in the provision of advice and support whilst working to tight and often changing timescales.

Desirable Criteria

Experience of research activities with a suitable publication record (3+ papers including 1+ first author) and grant writing experience.
Experience of using advanced epidemiological and statistical software packages.
Experience of teaching epidemiology and/or surveillance

Selection Process Details

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  

Competency Based 

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) 
750 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 750 words. We will not consider any words over 750 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 criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

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

Demonstrable experience in public health, evaluation and epidemiology, including interpreting and evaluating complex epidemiological data, sensitive health data analyses and performing analytical epidemiology.

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 & assessment. 

Feedback will not be provided at this stage. 

Stage 2: Interview 

Competency Based 

You will be invited to a single remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview in the form of questions.  

There will be a Presentation. Candidates invited to interview will be required to deliver a 5-minute presentation with slides. The topic will be related to describing an epidemiological or evaluation study that you have led.

Interviews dates 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

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

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQs, or our Scientific Campus in Porton (Salisbury). We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using 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 be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQs (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London). Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport links and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Baseline Personnel Security Standard if based at one of our Core HQ's or Counter-Terrorist Check if based at our Scientific Campus in Porton (Salisbury).

If based in Porton (Salisbury): When based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a minimum of 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.

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.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

If you experience technical difficulties when using Trac, please contact Support via https://apps.trac.jobs/support and provide screenshots/details of the issue encountered. If Trac cannot resolve your issue, you should notify the UKHSA Recruitment Team at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Please note that where no technical issue has been recorded by Trac, and no supporting evidence has been provided before the closing deadline, we will be unable to accept late applications. We therefore recommend submitting applications well in advance of the closing date and taking screenshots of any issues encountered.

Qualifications and Registrations

For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.

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. 

From time to time, the role holder may be required to support UKHSA’s incident response activity by contributing their appropriate expertise within an Incident Cell; during such periods, supported by the line manager, this work will take priority over normal day‑to‑day responsibilities, commensurate with their grade, skills and experience.

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.

Agenda for Change roles -NHS Pension

For roles offered under Agenda for Change (AFC) Terms and Conditions (and if you are eligible)

• If you are already on AFC T&Cs or accept the role on a fixed-term contract, you will be enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme or keep your current AFC Pension.
• If you take the role on a loan or temporary promotion, you will retain your existing, substantive T&Cs.
• If the role is available under either AFC or Civil Service T&Cs depending on your registration, your pension scheme will align accordingly.

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Person specification

Application form and supporting statement

Meini prawf hanfodol

Application form and supporting statement

Interview

Meini prawf hanfodol

Questions on knowledge, experience, skills and abilities

Interview

Meini prawf hanfodol

Presentation

Documents

Further details / informal visits contact

Enw: John Inglis
Teitl y swydd: Resourcing Officer
Cyfeiriad ebost: [email protected]
Gwybodaeth i gefnogi eich cais: If you need any questions answered relating to the vacancy, you can email [email protected]