Healthcare Scientist
UK Health Security Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 6th October 2024
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About the job
Job summary
The Respiratory Virus Unit is the World Health Organisation (WHO) National Influenza Centre (NIC) for the UK and is the National Reference Laboratory for a range of respiratory virus pathogens. The unit is one of four WHO global respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Reference Laboratories, and as such collaborates with WHO, providing technical support and advice to national laboratories, and a WHO Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV) Reference Laboratory, providing confirmatory and reference services for MERS CoV.
Job description
The post holder will take delegated responsibility from the Unit Head / Scientific Leads and Technical Manager to:
• Provide laboratory support for the detection and genetic characterisation of influenza viruses (human, avian and mammalian), respiratory syncytial viruses and coronaviruses.
• Provide laboratory support for the identification, growth and characterisation of clinical influenza and other respiratory virus isolates.
• Provide laboratory support for antiviral susceptibility surveillance by genotypic and phenotypic methods.
To take delegated responsibility from the Unit Head and Technical Manager through the unit scientific lead in accordance with UKHSA and RSDC policies for the following:
• Technical/ Scientific/ Reference services/ Research and Development
• Growth and maintenance of mammalian cell culture lines.
• Growth, amplification, and characterization of clinical virus isolates.
• Extraction of viral nucleic acid from clinical samples by manual and automated methods.
• Performance of RT-PCR for surveillance and diagnosis of influenza and other respiratory viruses.
• Propagation of respiratory viruses and quantitation by methods such as determination of titre by plaque assay.
• Support for serological analysis using neutralization, ELISA and haemagglutination inhibition.
• Genetic characterisation of respiratory viruses.
• To be responsible for the reading and analysis of test results generated and entry of results onto the LIMS system.
• Collate and present data for discussion.
• Adhering to external and internal quality control practices.
• Attend meetings, plan and implement project plans.
• Monitor safety cabinets and carry out routine quality control procedures in order to maintain set standards.
• Supporting the scoping and prioritisation of new requirements as they emerge in your area – where applicable representing transformation in operational and governance forums.
• Undertaking concise packages of delivery work which may consist of undertaking analysis, facilitating or leading solution design, co-ordinating operational delivery or creating handover materials.
• Supporting your manager in planning across the workstream.
• Building collaborative relationships with operational stakeholders, conducting handover to operational run teams at an agreed, appropriate point of delivery.
• Input into regular reporting relating to initiatives you are leading in line with the agile methodology used across the TDU Team, as well as feeding into general governance processes.
• Building up expert knowledge of operations, stakeholders, digital solutions and data
For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, as well as all Essential and Desirable Criteria, please refer to the attached Job Description.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- BSc or equivalent in a biological science.
- Post-qualification laboratory experience in microbiology or virology, cell culture and virus isolation and characterisation.
- Knowledge of emerging and zoonotic respiratory virus threats, influenza virology, therapeutics and vaccines.
- Experience in use of LIMS, and a range of common software (Microsoft Office, Access).
- Good communicator and team worker with leadership skills. Able to organise own workload and delegated priorities to junior staff.
- Confident in presentation of ideas and information with excellent analytical skills. Good organisation skills with particular attention to detail.
- Self-motivated, organised and meticulous, and able to problem solve in a calm and efficient manner.
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of mammalian cell.
- Familiar with sequence analysis software packages.
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 employer contribution of 28.97%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the 8 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1000 word Statement of Suitability.
Th is 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 separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.
In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the lead criteria:
Post-qualification laboratory experience in microbiology or virology, cell culture and virus isolation and characterisation.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment
Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a single face to face interview.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview
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.
This role is based at Colindale . Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
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/
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 Counter-terrorist Check.
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). 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.
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.
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
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Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Lisa Tweedie
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Further information
