Consultant Epidemiologist

As this role is based at one of our scientific locations, you will be required to have 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, The principal functions of this national expert public health role include: i) development and oversight of national surveillance and expert clinical and public health advice on the management of cases of vaccine preventable diseases and outbreaks (including advice on use of prophylactic immunoglobulins), ii) providing information and advice on the prevention and control of vaccine preventable diseases, iii) teaching and training and the development and conduct of relevant research. This is a highly specialist position the purpose of which is to provide senior level expert public health input into a wide range of national activities., The post holder will provide expert clinical advice to health professionals on immunisation-related queries and the management of vaccine preventable diseases.
• He/she will be responsible for the national surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases.
• The post holder will be expected to develop research in areas consistent with the work programme of the Division,
• The consultant will be expected to contribute to national policy on the control and prevention of infection. This may be discharged through supplying papers to the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and other Department of Health committees, by developing and contributing to national guidance and guidelines relevant to the diagnosis control and prevention of vaccine preventable diseases and contributing to the development of broader CPH and UKHSA policy and strategy.
• The post holder will contribute to training of medical, scientific and administrative staff and will be expected to lecture widely and will be expected to contribute to the teaching commitments of the Division.
• The person appointed will be expected to take part in 24 hour on-duty medical roster providing advice and assistance to consultants in communicable disease control and NHS health professionals. This is currently arranged as up to 1 in 5 weekdays within working hours and approximately 1 week in every 10 weeks during “out-of-hours”.

Person specification
The post holder is also expected to;
1. Participate in organisational and professional appraisal and revalidation as appropriate.
2. Pursue a programme of Continuing Professional Development, including mandatory training, in accordance with the requirements of a recognised Professional body e.g. Faculty of Public Health, Royal College of Pathologists.
3. On the occasions when a medical qualification and GMC specialist registration are required, medically qualified members may be asked to undertake specific duties such as in the development of Patient Group Direction or Medical Officer functions in the Regulations of the Public Health Act. Such occasions may be based on legislative or organisational requirements.
4. Where appropriate, contribute to and support the development of individuals and the team through appraisal, personal development planning, coaching and mentoring.
Please see the attached Job Description & Person Specification for full details., 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.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers, External - Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the Person Specification of the Job Description as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of
• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• a (1500) word Statement of Suitability.
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.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
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.
Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment
Please do not exceed 1500 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 an in person interview; remote attendance may be permitted in exceptional circumstances.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview .
A 5 minute presentation will be required, the subject will be provided prior to interview. Slides can be used.
Interviews will be held week commencing 3rd February 2025. Please note, these dates are 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.
The successful candidate will be appointed to the point of the Consultant salary scale appropriate to their years of seniority or if from a background other than medicine to NHS Agenda for Change Band 8d.
Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview).
If included in the GMC Specialist Register/ in a specialty other than public health medicine, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health practice.
Public Health Specialty Registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview; all other applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the GMC.
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security 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.
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. 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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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.

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.

+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ An environment with flexible working options
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
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.