Senior Scientist – Data, Analytics & Projects

Job description

Job responsibilities

The postholder will be expected to develop and lead a capability in electronic data gathering and data extraction to support both the clinical and research activities of RIPL. This capability will inform service improvements, improved diagnostic algorithms and public health advice. It will also underpin surveillance and research projects carried out with internal and external partners.

The postholder will also be required to gather, collate and synthesise information drawn from a wide range of data sources including published scientific and media articles and to solicit information and opinions from international subject matter experts through workshops and structured meetings.

This post will require strong research and analytical skills, including routine use of common and specialist statistical/database/mapping/web tools such as Stata, R, ArcGIS, Access and SQL to support data extraction, analysis and validation. The postholder will need to be able to quickly synthesise new knowledge in a range of disciplines. Excellent written and oral communication skills are essential, and the post holder will be expected to form relevant internal and external partnerships.

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.

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1000 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria.

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

STAGE 2 INTERVIEW

This competition will involve an in-person interview at the Porton Down site.

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.

Your Statement of Suitability 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).

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate. The behaviours to be assessed at interview include:

• Making effective decisions
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at pace

Experience & Technical skills to be assessed at interview:

• Analytical skills using databases & statistical packages
• Scientific reports & publications
• Familiarity with research governance, information governance and data protection processes
• Bibliographic searching, reference management and producing literature reviews

Candidates will be given a practical exercise in advance of the interview to undertake in their own time. As part of the interview, candidates will be required to deliver a 5-10 minute presentation, reporting their approach, findings and conclusions from the practical test. The exercise and presentation will test your technical skills and strengths. The topic will be confirmed prior to the interview.

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.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on the 21st of September 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.

Shortlist: w/c 25th September 2023

Interviews: w/c 9th of October 2023

Please note these dates could be subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)

Nationality requirements

Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

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.

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.

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&Cs are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Person Specification

Education and qualifications

Essential

• Higher degree (PhD or MSc) in Microbiology/ Virology / Immunology or substantially equivalent experience.
• Good honours degree (BSc or equivalent) in Biomedical Sciences / Microbiology / Virology / Physiology or related discipline.
• Substantial postgraduate (or equivalent) research experience with demonstrable qualitative and quantitative analytical skills
• Experience of internet-based search methodology for health research, conducting bibliographic searching, reference management and producing literature reviews
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with track record of peer-reviewed publications as first or senior author and of oral presentations at national and international meetings
• Ability to scope new ideas and concepts on own initiative and work outside your previous experience, including responding to sudden unexpected demands whilst maintaining a professional calm and efficient manner
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to develop effective relationships with co-workers and a wide range of stakeholders, collaborating across boundaries with the ability to influence and challenge effectively.
• Ability to (a) assess complex/novel situations and topics by applying fundamental scientific principles, and (b) gather, analyse, interpret and critically assess complex information.
• Proficient in standard MS Office software packages and common database and statistical packages e.g. MS Excel, STATA, SPSS, R
• Practical understanding of information governance including data protection and confidentiality requirements.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Porton Down

Salisbury

SP4 0JG

Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)