Senior Infectious Disease Modeller

UK Health Security Agency; London; Hybrid; GBP 58,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Health Security Agency is seeking a Senior Infectious Disease Modeller to lead in the Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Division. This role involves developing models for respiratory virus diseases and requires a PhD in infectious disease dynamics, along with strong programming skills. The position offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to contribute to significant public health initiatives.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Civil Service pension with employer contribution

Learning and development tailored to your role

Qualifications

• PhD in infectious disease dynamics or comparable specialism with post-doctoral experience.
• Strong skills in scientific programming in R or similar languages.
• Experience in modelling respiratory infections.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of infectious disease transmission-dynamic models.
• Identify knowledge gaps and design empirical studies.
• Synthesize evidence from surveillance data.

Skills

Scientific programming in R

Modelling respiratory infections

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

PhD in infectious disease dynamics

Undergraduate or master's degree in a quantitative discipline

Tools

MATLAB

C++

Job description

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Job Summary

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.

Colindale (Scientific Campus)

Job Summary

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 by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

The postholder will be the lead modeller in the Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Division (IVPD) for respiratory virus diseases. This is a permanent post. This is a key post contributing to UKHSA’s capacity and capability in transmission-dynamic modelling and health economic evaluations to further understanding and inform decision-making. As well as requiring specific technical expertise, this post requires broad scientific knowledge and involves substantial interdisciplinary working (e.g. with medical, clinical, and scientific staff) within UKHSA and in other organisations, nationally and internationally. The postholder’s work will directly inform deliberations by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and UK policy.

The work done by the postholder will help shape future policy making and scientific advances in this field. Hence it carries considerable potential for original scientific work and requires a high degree of personal motivation.

Job Description

The post holder will work closely with colleagues in other parts of UKHSA, including Commercial, Vaccine, Countermeasures Delivery (CVCD) and the Statistics, Modelling and Economic Division (SMED), as well as Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) analysts and DHSC immunisation policy teams. The IVPD division’s academic collaborations include Imperial College, University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), including through the recently renewed Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs) for Respiratory Infections at Imperial and Immunisation (LSHTM). Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs) are collaboration between UKHSA and UK universities, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

You will line manage one post initially, a mathematical modeller / statistical epidemiologist, and be managed by a consultant epidemiologist.

Current Work Areas Will Include:

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme modelling, including population dynamics as vaccines for older infants and toddlers are developed, working with the Respiratory Infections HPRU and other organisations. Adult risk group RSV cost-effectiveness may be a further area of work in a lead or supporting role.

Influenza. Current activities include analysis of the impact of the seasonal flu vaccination programmes on hospitalisations and mortality, including identifying where additional data collection could reduce model uncertainty, and comparative cost-effectiveness of different vaccines including novel technologies. You may also contribute to influenza pandemic preparedness and countermeasures modelling. There may be opportunities to support analysis of geo-temporal patterns of influenza disease and their relationship with vaccine uptake. Collaborative work on forecasting seasonal influenza impact using population serosurveillance, strain diversity data and healthcare surveillance data is also within scope.

Human metapneumovirus vaccines are in development (many as dual vaccines with RSV) and this is expected to be a developing area of work in collaboration with academic partners to support programme decision making.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• To lead development of infectious disease transmission-dynamic models and integrated cost-effectiveness analysis, primarily related to viral respiratory infections and the role of vaccination in their control.
• To identify knowledge gaps, prioritise them, and address the most important through novel analysis and helping design empirical studies where appropriate.
• To synthesise evidence from surveillance and other data sources to understand the natural history and epidemiology of infection, and the effectiveness of control measures, using relevant software.
• To design and build new models or adapt and extend existing models as appropriate.
• To parameterise models by analysis of appropriate data and literature review.
• To develop and implement protocols/quality assurance plans for the development and analysis of data and models.
• To work and communicate effectively within a multidisciplinary team to coordinate research.
• To manage own programme of work and to use considerable initiative and independence.
• To work with colleagues in UKHSA’s Immunisation and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Division, Statistics, Modelling and Economic Division; Immunisation Division; and with JCVI, DHSC, and other organisations as appropriate.
• To liaise and collaborate with public health and academic colleagues in the UK and internationally.
• To participate in teaching and training at UKHSA and elsewhere, including informal training of colleagues and participation in formal teaching (including preparation of teaching materials).
• To give presentations at national and international meetings, as appropriate.
• To write papers for high-quality peer-reviewed scientific journals
  
  

The post holder will work closely with colleagues in other parts of UKHSA, including Commercial, Vaccine, Countermeasures Delivery (CVCD) and the Statistics, Modelling and Economic Division (SMED), as well as Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) analysts and DHSC immunisation policy teams. The IVPD division’s academic collaborations include Imperial College, University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), including through the recently renewed Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs) for Respiratory Infections at Imperial and Immunisation (LSHTM). Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs) are collaboration between UKHSA and UK universities, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

You will line manage one post initially, a mathematical modeller / statistical epidemiologist, and be managed by a consultant epidemiologist.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• To lead development of infectious disease transmission-dynamic models and integrated cost-effectiveness analysis, primarily related to viral respiratory infections and the role of vaccination in their control.
• To identify knowledge gaps, prioritise them, and address the most important through novel analysis and helping design empirical studies where appropriate.
• To synthesise evidence from surveillance and other data sources to understand the natural history and epidemiology of infection, and the effectiveness of control measures, using relevant software.
• To design and build new models or adapt and extend existing models as appropriate.
• To parameterise models by analysis of appropriate data and literature review.
• To develop and implement protocols/quality assurance plans for the development and analysis of data and models.
• To work and communicate effectively within a multidisciplinary team to coordinate research.
• To manage own programme of work and to use considerable initiative and independence.
• To work with colleagues in UKHSA’s Immunisation and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Division, Statistics, Modelling and Economic Division; Immunisation Division; and with JCVI, DHSC, and other organisations as appropriate.
• To liaise and collaborate with public health and academic colleagues in the UK and internationally.
• To participate in teaching and training at UKHSA and elsewhere, including informal training of colleagues and participation in formal teaching (including preparation of teaching materials).
• To give presentations at national and international meetings, as appropriate.
• To write papers for high-quality peer-reviewed scientific journals
  
  

Person specification

Essential Role Criteria:

• An undergraduate or master's degree in a quantitative discipline (e.g. mathematics, physics, biology or economics)
• PhD in infectious disease dynamics or in a comparable specialism with post-doctoral infectious disease dynamics experience relevant to the role
• Strong skills in scientific programme in R or in a directly transferrable language e.g. MATLAB, C++
• Experience of parallelization e.g. HPC/GPU
• Experience in successfully modelling respiratory infections, with an internationally recognised track record of research
• Ability to pay attention to detail and devise ways of checking own work carefully (including debugging code), and strong skills in developing robust workflows, including version control and reproducible research.
• Ability to apply health economic approaches to provide insight into complex health problems.
• Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the proven ability to: (i) communicate complex ideas, methods, and results clearly and succinctly to a wide range of audiences; (ii) publish scientific papers in high-quality peer-reviewed journals; (iii) give presentations at international meetings (conferences and invited presentations);
• Experience of working with a wide range of data, such as healthcare data, serology and pathogen genomics.
• Ability to work both with considerable initiative and independence, and as a team member (in a multidisciplinary team), including initiating, planning and executing own work programme and coordinating with collaborators.
• Ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of health professionals, demonstrating strong interpersonal and leadership skills when working with team members and working collaboratively across disciplines and levels of seniority.
• Ability to identify, formulate and solve problems, make judgments based on analysis and interpretation of complex data or situations, and assess and devise appropriate responses.
• Organisation, planning and time-management skills and ability to develop long-term plans, taking into account uncertainties.
  
  

Desirable Role Criteria:

• Knowledge and experience of cost-utility/cost-effectiveness analysis in the field of infectious diseases and vaccination.
• Experience of developing packages in R or comparable languages/environments
• Demonstrable track record in writing successful funding applications
  
  

Alongside your salary of £58,589, UK Health Security Agency contributes £16,973 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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 employer contribution of 28.97%
  
  

Selection process details

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and/or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Competency-based

You Will Be Required To Complete An Application Form. You Will Be Assessed On The Listed 13 Essential Criteria, And This Will Be In The Form Of A:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1250 word Statement of Suitability.
  
  

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

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
  
  

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 will shortlist on the lead criteria of:

• PhD in infectious disease dynamics or in a comparable specialism with post-doctoral infectious disease dynamics experience relevant to the role
  
  

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/large amount of successful candidates

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

Please do not exceed 1250 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Competency based

You will be invited to a single remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.

You will be asked to prepare and present a 5 minute presentation at the start of your interview. The subject of this will be sent to you prior to interview.

Interviews planned for Monday 23rd June, potential alternative date of Thursday 26th June. These dates may be subject to change.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Selection Process

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Eligibility Criteria

External: open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale. 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 on site at Colindale.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

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.

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 consider 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 it could be time accrued over that period.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.

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.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

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

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

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

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

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

Nationality requirements

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
  
  

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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 equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

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 equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact :

• Name : Lisa Tweedie
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

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: [e-mail] 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: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

http://www.healthjobsuk.com/vacancy/7223513

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