Senior Healthcare Laboratory Scientist, Global Health (IHR)

Job description

Job responsibilities

This post is located within UKHSAs Global Operations Division, led by the Director of Global Operations. Global Operations supports the delivery of UKHSAs Global Health Strategy. It provides a corporate service to UKHSA supporting the oversight, coordination and delivery of UKHSAs international activity and working with UK government departments and other UK partners to build and strengthen international public health links. The division also maintains its own extensive portfolio of global health programs and projects, focusing on technical capacity building and health system strengthening in partner countries.

More information about the IHR Strengthening Project is available at https://gphihr.tghn.org/ .

More information about WHO IHR is available at:

https://www.who.int/health-topics/international-health-regulations

Location:

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. UKHSA have office locations across the UK.

This role can be based at one of our UKHSA offices/locations (Leeds, Manchester, Totnes, London, Horsham, Bristol, Nottingham, Harlow, Liverpool, Fareham, Gloucester, Newcastle and Birmingham) with opportunities for an element of working from home.

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.

The balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business needs and in line with departmental policy.

There must be an expectation or willingness to make visits to partner countries/international travel with this post.

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.*

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 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).

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 competition 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.

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

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 16th November 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: w/c 4th December 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 or NHS 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/

Complaint process:

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:Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. 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.

Person Specification

Education and Experience

Essential

• Relevant post graduate degree or equivalent in a relevant subject (i.e. MSc in Microbiology / Virology / Molecular Biology)
• Extensive knowledge and experience working in clinical diagnostic microbiology laboratories or equivalent experience from diagnostic support/development laboratories
• In depth working knowledge and competency in molecular diagnostic techniques (qPCR etc.), bacteriology, and serological methods (e.g. ELISA) and knowledge of Laboratory Health and Safety arrangements including high containment (BSL3 minimum)
• An understanding of laboratory quality management and assurance procedures.
• Experience of designing and delivering training modules including training more junior staff.
• Adept at problem solving through analysis of complex facts and situations to deliver solutions to practical problems in laboratory workflows and workloads
• Demonstrate appreciation and acknowledgment of the range and complexities of diversity; self-awareness in terms of emotional intelligence, biases and personal triggers; cultural competence - cultural sensitivity and awareness

Desirable

• State registration with HCPC and higher specialist (IBMS) certificate (Bacteriology or Virology)
• Health & Safety qualification e.g. NEBOSH certificate or Diploma IOSH
• Knowledge and expertise in various management fields, including finance, HR, business project management, planning, leadership, procurement etc.
• Experience of working in microbiology labs in low- or middle-income countries and resource poor settings (e.g. Field work research labs, outbreak response labs etc.).
• Evidence of using technical experience to assess new and existing systems and processes to initiate change in laboratory practice, and the related ability to initiate changes in procedures or policies to introduce more efficient and cost-effective practices, monitored using performance indicators.
• Good networking and communication skills to build and foster effective working relationships with operational and implementation partners.

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

National Flexible Location with Hybrid Working

London

E14 5EA

Employer's website

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