Details
Reference number
418685
Salary
£34,765
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Higher Executive Officer
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
APHA – Science
Type of role
Science
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
York, Sand Hutton
For any internal candidates not currently based at the advertised location, we would consider honouring current contractual bases subject to capacity and business need, this would be discussed at offer stage.
About the job
Job summary
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions. We are looking for compassionate, dedicated individuals who strive for excellence and integrity and who put animal health and welfare at the heart of everything they do. Are you conscientious and an excellent team worker? If the answer is 'yes', we would love to hear from you
APHA are seeking a numerate and highly computer literate person to join the modelling team in the Wildlife Department based at York, Sand Hutton, where you will primarily be specialising in vector-borne disease. APHA is an executive agency of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and our remit includes identifying, managing, and controlling incidents and outbreaks of endemic and exotic diseases and pests in animals, plants, and bees. We provide unique capabilities and an evidence base for UK government, together with international reference responsibilities. The APHA Wildlife Department is a nationally important centre for wildlife disease management with multidisciplinary skills in epidemiology, statistics, and field ecology. The successful applicant will bolster the department's role supporting Defra's policy making and disease outbreak response activities.
Job description
The primary responsibility of the role will be to build capability in modelling wildlife management issues involving arthropods, either regarding disease transmission or non-native incursion. Initially, the focus will be to support the continued development of a new vector-borne disease research program. This will involve developing simulation models to explore the hypothetical introduction and subsequent spread of vector-borne diseases within the UK. A key part of this process will be collating and implementing ecological data on vectors, wild host species (e.g. wild birds, deer, etc.), and disease transmission into these models.
In addition, the post holder will support the wider portfolio of the modelling team, which is the development and running of models for a range of disease systems in the UK that impact livestock or human health to understand large-scale disease spread and to optimise wildlife population and disease management strategies. Topics of current relevance include the investigation of control strategies for Bovine Tuberculosis and African Swine Fever, the epidemiology of zoonotic Lyssaviruses in bats and novel zoonotic diseases that may impact the UK.
* Applying technical expertise to develop modelling capability with specific focus on vector-borne disease
* Create, run and maintain bespoke computer simulation models to investigate diseases of concern for human and animal health
* Writing reports, including collating and interpreting model output
* Undertaking sensitivity analyses and error checking verification of models
* Collecting ecological/epidemiological data for use in model development through literature review and in liaison with colleagues across APHA and elsewhere
* The post holder will also be encouraged to communicate results and findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals and at national and international conferences
Person specification
The successful candidate will support the development of insect modelling capabilities within APHA's Wildlife Department. They will be required to develop new, and run existing, computer simulation models and collate output for inclusion in reports to government policy teams. They will produce model documentation and check conformity to relevant quality assurance policies. They will be required to produce and maintain collections of ecological and epidemiological parameter values for use in creating models through review of scientific literature and liaison with APHA colleagues and encouraged to draft or write papers for scientific journals and present results and findings at conferences.
The following criteria are essential for this role:
* Experience of simulation modelling ideally for the purposes of understanding vector-borne disease transmission, but other purposes are acceptable
* Knowledge of one or more generic computer programming languages (e.g., Python, C++)
* Experience of interpreting scientific data and writing scientific reports and/or papers
* Experience of literature review
* Good organisational, time management, inter-personal and communication skills
Qualifications
A degree with significant biological and/or numerical elements.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Delivering at Pace
* Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £34,765, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £10,071 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%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against the following two Behaviours at interview:
* Delivering at Pace
* Working Together
Further information about these behaviours and GSE (Government Science and Engineering profession) skills can be found on the website via the following links: Success Profiles - GOV.UK ) and Government Science and Engineering (GSE) Career Framework, November 2021 (Version 2) )
Application:
As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit a brief CV (education and employment history) and a personal statement outlining your suitability for the role. Further details on what this will entail are listed on the application form. Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 500 words and should detail of all your skills and experience and your suitability as given in the job description.
Interview:
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Experience and Behaviours, and you will be required to give a short assessed presentation, details of which will be disclosed in due course.
Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
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.
Location
The role is based at Sand Hutton, York.
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)
Where the location is 'National' the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra's location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
For any internal candidates not currently based at the advertised location, we would consider honouring current contractual bases subject to capacity and business need, this would be discussed at offer stage. Any current regional salary weighting will be retained where applicable.
The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.
Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.
The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.
Full Time Only
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Salary
New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to APHA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the 'Assistance required' section in the 'Additional requirements' page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Visa Sponsorship Statement
Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
Criminal Record Check
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre- stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Internal Fraud Database Check
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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)
* 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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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 .
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
* Name : Wildlife Recruitment
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
Further information
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 Government Recruitment Services via email:
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here