Senior Infectious Disease Modeller for Policy

This permanent post is for an epidemiological modeller to work on developing models for vaccine preventable diseases to evaluate effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of vaccination programmes to support the requirements of JCVI (The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) in the provision of national vaccination policy recommendations. The post-holder’s role in the team will be to assist senior modellers in delivering scientific evaluations for new vaccines, reformulated vaccines, alternative vaccine schedules and will include literature reviews and analysis of complex data to obtain parameters for models, writing, checking and documenting model code, compilation of scientific reports and scientific publication.
UKHSA is a world leader in the use of infectious disease modelling and economic evaluation to inform public health decision making about vaccination. The post holder will liaise very closely with the Immunisation Department and the JCVI, to manage and deliver across the team and stakeholders, an agreed portfolio for work to inform national policy recommendations. The post involves considerable potential for original scientific work.
The post holder will work in the Statistics, Modelling and Economics division at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). A dynamic and stimulating group comprising infectious disease modellers, biostatisticians, and health economists working on a wide range of strategically important projects relating to the burden of infectious disease, evaluation of control programmes, and modelling the impact of interventions against infections, both nationally and internationally. The work of the division is frequently used to inform policy, and close working with policy colleagues is often required. It is a world leader in its field and has numerous collaborative links with external academic and non-academic institutes and other public health agencies, WHO (World Health Organisation) and others.
The division sits within the Analysis and Intelligence Assessment and Data Science directorate in the Data, Analysis and Surveillance group of UKHSA., Your key responsibilities will include:
+ To lead development of sophisticated infectious disease models related to the transmission and control of vaccine preventable infections with a focus on bacterial transmission
+ To take the lead in the parameterisation of the models by analysis of appropriate data and literature review
+ To identify, use and analyse complex datasets, synthesizing multiple evidence sources, and using a range of software
+ To develop and use health economics and/or health outcomes models to further our understanding of vaccine preventable infections and their associated costs including understanding the burden of vaccine preventable infections from different perspectives.
+ To develop models used to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of national vaccination programmes
+ To adapt and extend existing models (written in, for e.g., R, Python) where necessary
+ To develop and implement protocols/quality assurance plans and the like for managing the development of models
+ To work and communicate effectively within a multidisciplinary team and coordinate research accordingly
+ To liaise and collaborate effectively with UK and international colleagues
+ To manage own programme of work and to use considerable initiative and independence
+ To give presentations at national and international meetings, as appropriate
+ To prepare papers for peer-reviewed scientific journals
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., The application form and statement of suitability will be marked together.
Please do not exceed 750 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number. If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)
You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.
Behaviour's and strengths will be tested at interview.
The Behaviour's tested during the interview stage will be:
+ Working Together
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Developing Self and Others

+ Postgraduate degree in mathematics, statistics or other relevant quantitative subject
+ Mathematical, or statistical, or economical modelling experience
+ Relevant research experience in responsive and timely model development and analysis
+ Strong skills in analysis and interpretation of data
+ Strong knowledge and familiarity of programming with statistical packages and scientific programming (for example in R, Python)
+ Scientific writing including peer review publications
+ Demonstrate good interpersonal skills and ability to work as a team member (in a multi-disciplinary team)
+ Demonstrated capability to take initiative and plan own work programme
For a full list of essential criteria, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Alongside your salary of £44,852, UK Health Security Agency contributes £12,993 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%, Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
If 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 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.
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.
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.

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.