Job vacancy: Healthcare Scientist, UK Health Security Agency, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Porton

Job summary

Main area

Healthcare Scientist

Grade

Civil Service: Senior Executive Officer (SEO)

Contract

Permanent

Hours

Full time
Part time
Job share
Flexible working

37.5 hours per week

Job ref

919-CG-300319-EXT

Employer: UK Health Security Agency
Employer type: Public (Non NHS)
Site: Core HQ or Scientific Campus
Town: Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Porton
Salary: £41,983 - £52,113 per annum, pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 27/04/2026 23:59

Healthcare Scientist

Civil Service: Senior Executive Officer (SEO)

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:

Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The above and below lists are only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The post holder may carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required. The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation.

Support RACU in migrating PHM to compliance for in-house and commercial IVDs
Project manage validation and verification assessments, in collaboration with RACU and PHM Lab departments.
Play a leading role in the assessment of new technologies and diagnostic tests to enhance the laboratories capabilities and ensure that the high scientific standards are followed.
Work independently and with the RACU Operations team to generate outputs to agreed timescales
Familiarisation with IVD Regulations, maintaining awareness of updates where applicable.
Work with RACU to streamline and deploy existing cross laboratory validation documents as a manageable number of clear templates to comply with regulatory and MHRA guidelines, and existing or new guidelines from UKAS. Maintain awareness of relevant IVD standards (e.g. standard operating procedures, UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations) and perform gap analyses
Inform the MHRA, where device performance or safety matters are considered to conflict with the manufacturer’s claims for intended use and/or CE or UKCA Marking status
Advise and direct laboratory staff to comply with all relevant standards
Suggest improvements and act on team improvement suggestions where necessary.
Liaise closely with laboratory and quality managers to ensure they are aware of IVD-related activities and issues in their departments
Represent the RACU Operations Team at relevant meetings and seminars as necessary, undergo any training requirements as required for the post.
Maintain high professional standards by continual professional development keeping up to date with advances in medical microbiology
Maintain a positive attitude to the work of the RACU Operations Team and related personnel
Identify to management any potential conflicts of interest which may impinge on their ability to perform their duties effectively as defined by UKHSA Conflict of Interest Policy.
Ensure health, safety and welfare are afforded priority and demonstrate commitment to health, safety and welfare of self, staff and visitors and comply with relevant UKHSA health and safety policies at all times

Essential Criteria:

Science degree or equivalent in microbiology or a related pathology discipline
Postgraduate scientific qualification or demonstrable equivalent experiential learning gained in a medical laboratory environment, alongside evidence of continuing professional development
Knowledge and experience of IVD validations/verifications
Substantial recent experience working in an accredited clinical diagnostic or reference virology or bacteriology and;
Knowledge of IVD regulations (e.g. IVDR) and experience in applying a range of standards, regulations and guidelines applicable to clinical laboratories
Understanding and experience of change management
Good knowledge and experience of serological methods including ELISA and IFA; and of molecular diagnostics methods including but not limited to NAATs, PCR, sequence analysis, whole genome – and/or next generation genome – sequencing
Experience of leading and managing projects
Excellent verbal and written communication, including experience of writing and preparing reports for senior management, data analysis and statistical skills
Experience of attending management meetings and presenting information to management.
Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
Excellent interpersonal, negotiating and organisational skills, self-motivated, analytical and adaptable

Desirable Criteria

Wide experience of common office software applications, using and setting up databases, e.g. Jira
Knowledge of GxP & safety requirements

Selection Process Details

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 12 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
1500 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.

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 piles ‘Meets all essential criteria’ and ‘Meets some essential criteria’ 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:

Postgraduate scientific qualification or demonstrable equivalent experiential learning gained in a medical laboratory environment, alongside evidence of continuing professional development
Substantial recent experience working in an accredited clinical diagnostic or reference virology or bacteriology
Knowledge of IVD regulations (e.g. IVDR) and experience in applying a range of standards, regulations and guidelines applicable to clinical laboratories

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a single remote interview.

Behaviours and Technical skills will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

Making Effective Decisions (Lead behaviour)
Communication and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service

Technical Skills will be assessed via technical based questions.

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.

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQ’s or at our Scientific Campus in either London (Colindale) or Porton.

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 HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London) or at one of our scientific campus sites (Colindale, Porton). Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

If 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.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

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

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Baseline Personnel Security Standard or Counter Terrorism Check. This will be dependant on your chosen office location.

Eligibility Criteria

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

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.

Senior Executive Officer (SEO)

£41,983- £48,128 (National)
£44,148- £50,121 (Outer London)
£46,310- £52,113 (Inner London)

Person specification

Application form and supporting statement

Essential criteria

Application form and supporting statement

Behaviours

Essential criteria

Making Effective Decisions (Lead)
Communication and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service

Technical Skills

Essential criteria

Technical based questions

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

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.

Mindful employer. Being positive about mental health.

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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name: Charlene Gwekwerere
Job title: Resourcing Support Officer
Email address: [email protected]
Additional information: For further information relating to the role please contact Peter Marsh - [email protected]

List jobs with UK Health Security Agency in Health Science Services or all sectors

Job summary

Employer heading

Healthcare Scientist

Civil Service: Senior Executive Officer (SEO)

Job overview

Main duties of the job

Working for our organisation

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Person specification

Application form and supporting statement

Essential criteria

Behaviours

Essential criteria

Technical Skills

Essential criteria

Working for the Civil Service

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

Documents to download

Further details / informal visits contact

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