The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health. UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will: Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities. Job overview An opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated registrar in Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology, Virology, Public Health or Paediatrics (including paediatric infectious diseases) to join UKHSA as a clinical fellow This fellowship is an outstanding opportunity for the individual to gain experience and expertise at a national level in areas including investigation and management of major incidents and outbreaks; infectious disease surveillance; guidance and policy development and implementation; research; service development and improvement including close collaborative work across regional reference laboratories, directorate and divisions. An individual plan will be agreed with the Fellow depending on prior experience and interests, setting out their duties and objectives. The agreement will be tailored to take in consideration the both the needs of the Directorate/Division and the individual. It will include objective setting, and mapping expected outputs and timescales for any projects. Advert ADDITIONAL INFORMATION There is a fellowship opportunity available for 12 month Out of Programme Experiences (OOPE) post to commence February/March 2026. This is aimed at Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology, Virology and Public Health registrars currently on training programmes with a National Training Number (NTN). The registrar MUST have OOPE/OOPT approval in principle from their TPD. Virus Reference Department (VRD), Colindale This Clinical Fellow in Virology role is based within the Virus Reference Department (VRD) at UKHSA Colindale. The fellow will gain specialist training in national reference virology services, including the WHO-accredited measles and rubella laboratory, the intrathecal antibody testing service, and diagnostics for rare but clinically significant infections such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The post offers the opportunity to undertake a service evaluation project reviewing 10 years of intrathecal antibody testing data, alongside a literature review to inform future strategy. There will be the potential to present findings to national stakeholders and contribute to publication. In addition, the fellow will engage in broader diagnostic work within the department, including exposure to assay development processes not typically available in NHS virology training. This role offers a unique opportunity to gain experience at the interface of reference virology, laboratory innovation, and public health. Higher security clearance is required for all of our science sites, due to the sensitive and important work we do there. Staff, contractors and sub-contractors based at our scientific sites will need counter terrorist check (CTC) clearance for unescorted access to our scientific sites. Working for our organisation 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 Detailed job description and main responsibilities During the placement the StR will be expected to: Gain understanding and experience of: The delivery of the national role of UKHSA The delivery of the programme The commissioning and financing of different aspects of the delivery of the programme and their impact on programme performance The role of the various agencies in delivering, managing and monitoring programme Guidance and policy development (national infection guidance and policy) Service and quality improvement in relation to infectious disease surveillance, prevention and control Providing public health input into commissioning and financing decisions with regards to the delivery of the programme Develop skills in: Liaising with other stakeholders to optimise the delivery of public health programme Cross divisional working within UKHSA Providing clinical input into delivery of the national surveillance programme Policy development and implementation Decision making and time management Working on ad hoc analyses of each area of responsibility as directed by consultants and scientists Identifying, investigating and responding to cases, clusters and outbreaks of communicable disease Objectives Delivery: The StR will be expected to agree a plan with their project and educational supervisors. The plan will be tailored to meet the individual StR's needs and the needs of the division and will include the objectives for the placement and the output and timescales expected for any projects. The StR is expected to: Take responsibility for arranging 1:1 sessions with their supervisor(s) Inform their educational supervisor of any special requirements, ideally at the pre-placement meeting; Inform their education supervisor promptly of any difficulties, including concerns about lack of opportunities to gain experience; Attend the workplace as required and on time; Share their diaries with UKHSA staff; Notify their educational supervisor (or unit/department administrator if unavailable) when unwell; Deliver the objectives set out in the plan the StR will be expected to work closely with members of the individual teams Attend a short induction including familiarisation with base, the team, and organisational arrangements Deal with enquiries from across UKHSA and government Issue clinical and public health advice on individual incidents Participate in investigation of clusters/ outbreaks Attend (and present where appropriate at) key meetings relevant to the division Attend cross UKHSA, meetings relevant to training, and /or projects Work on projects which contribute to the strategic work of the division and which are appropriate to the individual StR Meet regularly with their project and educational supervisors. Complete an evaluation of the placement Pursue a programme of continuing professional development in accordance with any relevant professional registration or statutory requirements, whilst maintaining appropriate awareness of service provider requirements. The StR is encouraged to attend: Unit/departmental education meetings Educational meetings with partner agencies Other local/national training as appropriate PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attending internal / external training events To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. Person Specification Please refer to the person specification below in addition applicants must: Be on a formally accredited specialist training programme Have satisfactory progression through annual assessments (ARCP) Have written agreement in principle from their Training Programme Director/Head of School that this is a suitable training opportunity and that they can take an OOPE (email accepted). Be available for the period of 12 months External Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants). STAGE 1 – Application & Sift: (Competency) You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of • an Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) • up to 1500 word Statement of Suitability. This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role. You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible) Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we may longlist into 3 piles of: Meets all essential criteria Meets some essential criteria Meets no essential criteria Only those who meet ALL essential criteria will be taken through to the next stage If we receive a large number of applications an initial sift against the lead criteria below will be conducted. Medical degree MBBS Specialist trainee in infectious diseases, microbiology, virology, public health or Understanding of the UK research and NHS system Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment You will be invited to a remote interview. Stage 2: Interview (competency based) Interviews will be conducted virtually week commencing 5th January 2026, please note these dates are subject to change. This vacancy is being assessed using the person specification. During the interview we will assess against the below: Knowledge, Experience, Skills and Abilities Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. Security Clearance Level Requirement Successful candidates for this role must pass an enhanced disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. 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). As you will be 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. Salary Information If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms. For further information about specific posts please contact Catherine Houlihan - [email protected] IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ Artificial Intelligence (AI) Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Link below: Artificial intelligence and recruitment | Civil Service Careers This is a Non-Reserved post under the Civil Service Nationality Rules. To be eligible for employment in the UK Civil Service applicants must meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs) which operate independently of and additionally to the Immigration Rules. Applicants must also meet necessary security and vetting requirements, along with any other relevant pre-employment checks. 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 For more information on job nationality requirements and the right to work in the UK, see the Civil Service Nationality rules (opens in a new window) and the UK Visas and Immigration rules (opens in a new window) 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. The Civil Service pay structure and progression is different from NHS Agenda for Change (AfC), most local authority pay grades and other systems that have annual pay increments. For further details, please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment. For AfC or Medical/Dental posts, you must have the correct professional registration to be appointed. The pay will follow the AfC or Medical & Dental terms & conditions. You may be asked to provide evidence of previous service whilst we are conducting pre-employment checks to determine your starting salary. For Temporary Appointments, if you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment. You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy. Given the nature of the work of the UKHSA, as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, you may be required in an emergency, if deemed a necessity, to redeploy to another role at short notice. You may also be required to work at any other location, within reasonable travelling distance of your permanent home address, in line with the provisions set out in your contract of employment. Late Applications will unfortunately not be considered. 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 equality of opportunity. 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: [email protected] 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 here. Reserve List - If more than the required number of suitable candidates pass the interview criteria, you may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months subject to your agreement. You may be contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list. The panel will assess if candidates meet the requirement of the role first, using a specific benchmark system. If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available. Interview expenses will not be reimbursed. UKHSA is required to check employment and/or education history covering three consecutive years. Please ensure you give details of at least two different referees, even if you were employed in one company for three years or more. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there. Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/. Benefits of working at UKHSA include: Generous annual leave: -26 days for the first 5 years of continuous service -28 days after 5 years of continuous service -32 days after 10 years of continuous service -Plus public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions. Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving. Access to a retail discounts and cashback site. We also promote flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours). UKHSA views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including working from home, compressed hours and job sharing. We also offer a generous maternity/ paternity and adoption leave package. Hybrid Working UKHSA operates 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 usually spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted hours (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (approximately 3 days a week pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home. Disability Confident Scheme The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria at sift to ensure these candidates are invited to interview. If you wish to be included in this scheme please tick the box on your application form. 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 take into account 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 could be time accrued over that period. 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. Security Vetting Please check the Security Clearance needed for the role and follow the link for more information: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels Future location UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK. The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.