Job summary
The Tuberculosis (TB) Unit is responsible for developing and disseminating guidance, information and data for TB control. The Unit manages surveillance activities for active and latent forms of TB, as well as non-tuberculous mycobacteria and leprosy. Additionally, the Unit provides clinical advice and support for TB control including incident and outbreak management.
The post holder will work as part of the TB Unit, being involved in a wide range of activities including the development and assessment of TB surveillance systems and will primarily take responsibility for the use and analysis of sequencing data in TB surveillance activities
Main duties of the job
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities, and duties:
- Contribute to the ongoing development of the strategy for TB sequencing and transmission data in surveillance
- Manage national TB transmission and clustering data, and historical strain typing
- Work to provide access for local, regional, and national level data users to TB sequencing reports
- Liaise with Field Service, health protection teams (HPT) and NHS and devolved administration staff with respect to sequencing results and clusters
- Support the development and testing of inclusion of sequence, transmission, and cluster data in the National TB Surveillance (NTBS) system.
- Conduct epidemiological analysis of TB sequencing, screening, and surveillance data to improve the understanding of the epidemiology of TB and support the delivery of the TB Action Plan 2021-6
- Work with collaborators to contribute to related research activities as appropriate including studies using TB sequencing and surveillance data
- Contribute to the analysis and writing of reports and articles of major TB incidents and analysis of TB sequencing and surveillance data for publication in peer review journals and for presentation at national and international meetings
About us
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 byremoving barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
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.
People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Selection process details
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.
Your Statement of Suitability (max 800 words) should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).
**Please do not submit your CV, we require you to complete the full application process including a Personal Statement/Statement of Suitability, as outlined below. Please ensure that your Statement of Suitability contains no personal identifiers e.g. name in either the file name or content of the document.**
You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
STAGE 2 INTERVIEW
This role will involve an interview by video.
As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 5-minute presentation to the panel. This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment. The presentation will be designed to assess each candidates experience in line with the requirements of the role. Full details will be provided prior to the interview.
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on 13th August 2023 unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Interviews: TBC
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Selection process details
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.
Your Statement of Suitability (max 800 words) should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).
**Please do not submit your CV, we require you to complete the full application process including a Personal Statement/Statement of Suitability, as outlined below. Please ensure that your Statement of Suitability contains no personal identifiers e.g. name in either the file name or content of the document.**
You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
STAGE 2 INTERVIEW
This role will involve an interview by video.
As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 5-minute presentation to the panel. This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment. The presentation will be designed to assess each candidates experience in line with the requirements of the role. Full details will be provided prior to the interview.
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on 13th August 2023 unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Interviews: TBC
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Person Specification
Education and qualification
Essential
- Educated to degree level in a Biological Science
- MSc in epidemiology or public health research
- Experience in Uusing computers, and databases, statistical and graphics software packages
- Experience in data management, analysis, and interpretation
- Writing and preparing reports, scientific papers, and presentations, communicate ideas and methods clearly and succinctly
- At least 2 years of communicable disease epidemiology and surveillance work experience, including cluster/ outbreak investigation
- Good organisational and time-management skills, work well under pressure to ensure deadlines are met
- Aptitude for managing people & the ability to work as part of the team
- Liaise with health and allied professions at all levels
Desirable
- PhD in epidemiology or related biological science
- Knowledge of TB and non-tuberculous mycobacteria
- Experience of working in the NHS or UKHA
- Experience of working with molecular epidemiology data
- Knowledge of laboratory functioning and methods for mycobacteria and genomics
Person Specification
Education and qualification
Essential
- Educated to degree level in a Biological Science
- MSc in epidemiology or public health research
- Experience in Uusing computers, and databases, statistical and graphics software packages
- Experience in data management, analysis, and interpretation
- Writing and preparing reports, scientific papers, and presentations, communicate ideas and methods clearly and succinctly
- At least 2 years of communicable disease epidemiology and surveillance work experience, including cluster/ outbreak investigation
- Good organisational and time-management skills, work well under pressure to ensure deadlines are met
- Aptitude for managing people & the ability to work as part of the team
- Liaise with health and allied professions at all levels
Desirable
- PhD in epidemiology or related biological science
- Knowledge of TB and non-tuberculous mycobacteria
- Experience of working in the NHS or UKHA
- Experience of working with molecular epidemiology data
- Knowledge of laboratory functioning and methods for mycobacteria and genomics
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
