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 The post is based in the Public Health Programmes Directorate of UKHSA, working in the Immunisation & Vaccine Preventable Diseases (IVPD) Division. The IVPD Division (in the Public Health Programmes Directorate of the Clinical and Public Health Group) is responsible for the national surveillance of most vaccine preventable infections and in providing technical support and clinical expertise to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and to the NHS in planning and delivering the national immunisation programmes. These programmes provide millions of vaccines per year, across the whole life course, and are delivered in a range of NHS settings. The directorate also provides secretariat to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation who recommend any changes to the national immunisation programme and publish “Immunisation Against Infectious Disease” – the single authoritative source of immunisation advice for health professionals. The division evaluates the national programme by generating high quality data on disease incidence, vaccine coverage, age-specific immunity, vaccine efficacy and safety and analysis of vaccine policy options (with the statistics and modelling divisions). Advert During the placement the fellow will be expected to: Gain understanding and experience of: • The delivery of the national role of UKHSA in vaccination programmes, including scientific advice and evaluation programmes. • The commissioning and financing of different aspects of the delivery of the programme and their contribution to programme performance. • The role of the various health system agencies in delivering, managing and monitoring programme. • Guidance and policy development for vaccine preventable diseases. • Service and quality improvement in relation to infectious disease surveillance, prevention and control. Develop skills in: • Liaising with other stakeholders to optimise the delivery of public health programme. • Cross divisional working within UKHSA. • Providing clinical input into design and delivery of the national surveillance programme. • Provision of clinical advice in relation to vaccine enquiries. • 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. Please refer to the attached Job Description & Person Specification for further details. 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 The fellow 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 preplacement meeting. • Inform their educational supervisor promptly of any difficulties, including concerns about lack of opportunities to gain experience. • Attend the workplace as required and on time • To line manage scientific and / or administrative staff within the team including in relation to project work. • Share their diaries with UKHSA staff they are working with. • Follow local procedures to notify the division when unwell. • To deliver the objectives set out in the plan the fellow will be expected to work closely with members of the individual teams. • Short induction including familiarisation with base, the team, wider colleagues within UKHSA, and organisational arrangements. • Dealing with enquiries from the public and health professionals. • Issuing advice to clinicians on individual cases or exposed persons. • Participating in investigation of clusters/ outbreaks. • Play a lead role in developing projects supporting surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases. • Attendance at (and presentation where appropriate) key meetings relevant to the division. • Attendance at cross UKHSA, meetings relevant to training, and /or projects. • Work on projects which contribute to the strategic work of the division and across divisions which are appropriate to the individual fellow. • To meet regularly with their project and educational supervisors. • To complete an evaluation of the placement. • The fellow should 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 fellow is encouraged to attend: • Unit/departmental education meetings • Educational meetings with partner agencies • Other local 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. Please refer to the attached Job Description & Person Specification for further details. External Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants). Stage 1: Application & Sift This vacancy is using Competency. At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential criteria as outlined in the attached Job Description. You will be required to complete an: • Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) • 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) Your statement of suitability must be no more than 1500 words. If we receive a large number of applications an initial sift against the following criterion will be conducted : “Specialist trainee with current national training number (NTN) in one of the listed specialties at the specified level of training”. Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage. Stage 2: Interview stage (competency based): You will be invited to a face to face interview. Interviews will be held week commencing 23/03/2026, please note these dates are subject to change. This vacancy is being assessed using competencies. During the interview we will assess against the below: Knowledge · MSc in Public Health or Epidemiology. · Understanding of the UK research and NHS system. · Knowledge of the clinical presentation and management of Vaccine Preventable Diseases subject to national vaccination programmes. Experience · Experience in preparation of written reports and published work. · Experience in one of the following specialties at the specified level of training: o Virology, Infectious diseases or Medical Microbiology (ST4 or higher), o Public Health (post-Part B), o Paediatrics (ST5 or higher), o Genitourinary Medicine (ST4 or higher) Skills and Abilities • Ability to assess individual-level clinical history to inform advice in relation to enquiries. • Ability to prioritise work in a timely manner. • Ability to handle personal information confidentially according to information governance requirements. • Able to convey ideas and opinions clearly and concisely, orally and in writing. • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships. You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-10 minute presentation at the start of your interview, around the subject of vaccine preventable diseases. The specific topic will be sent to you prior to interview. 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 pass a disclosure and barring security check. This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Scientific Campus at 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). 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. 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. 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.