Job description

Job responsibilities

As a Scientist your main responsibilities will include:

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Liaise with the Project Team Leader to ensure delivery of the technical components of the primary research projects
• Implement and utilise a range of methods/assays/techniques in support of all activities associated with the project aimed to ensure project targets are met.
• Take responsibility for the provision of reagents and consumables required for the project and documented storage of materials generated.
• Assist the project team or project area to identify, evaluate and adapt new technologies where appropriate and to ensure that the project operates to a high scientific standard using current methods.
• Establish links and collaborations within and outside the UKHSA as necessary to benefit the project and/or department.
• Take responsibility for the supervision and training of junior staff allocated to the project.
• Provide reports through analysis of data using software and databases as necessary, to meet project targets and lead on preparation of presentations and publications.
• To perform any other duties required by the Line manager commensurate with grade.
• To ensure that the project team undertakes work in accordance with the UKHSAs Code of Safety Practice and to work within any Quality Systems that are applicable to the site.
• To maintain health and safety competence to the national occupational standard Make sure your actions reduce risks to health and safety (NOS HSS1).
• To fulfil the requirements of UKHSA Values and Behaviours: Health, Safety and Wellbeing commensurate with grade.
• To comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Working for the UKHSA

For more information on the UKHSA please visit:UK Health Security Agency – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours.

STAGE 1 – APPLICATION & SIFT:

You will be required to complete an application form of no more than 1250 words. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to a face-to-face interview based at UKHSA Porton Down, Salisbury. Alternatively, a Teams interview can be offered.

STAGE 2 INTERVIEW:

All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single video or remote interview.

All applicants that progress to interview will be assessed on their technical experience and a blended interview against a mixture of Behaviours and Strength elements of Success Profiles.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working together
• Delivering at pace

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.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 28th February 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: 6th March 2023

Interviews : W/C 20th March 2023

Please note these dates could be subject to change.

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/

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must completebaseline personnel security standard (opens in new window)checks.

Working for the Civil Service

TheCivil 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’srecruitment principles (opens in a new window).

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.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level in a relevant subject (eg. Immunology, Virology) or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in a relevant specialist area

Desirable

• MSc in relevant area

Experience

Essential

• Good knowledge and practical familiarity with techniques for project (cell culture, virology, molecular biology)
• Experience in working with pathogens in biological containment facility (CL2/CL3)
• Ability to safely undertake practical laboratory activities involving working in Class II microbiological safety cabinets
• Good understanding and experience of safe working practices
• Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required
• Experience of creating and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to analyse very complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources.
• Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
• Demonstrated capabilities to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales
• Problem solving and trouble shooting skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
• Willing to undertake further training and able to train junior staff

Desirable

• Experience of having worked within a regulated environment (e.g. GMP)
• Demonstrated skills in lab safety including preparation of risk assessments

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.