Location
London Borough of Barnet (Hybrid working based at UKHSA Scientific Campus in Colindale)

Hours
Full Time - Standard Civil Service working hours with flexible and hybrid working options

Salary
£52,113 per annum plus Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme contribution of £13,416

About the Role
The Senior Scientist (Epidemiology) will contribute to enhanced surveillance systems and research studies of respiratory diseases, leading and supporting data collection, validation, and routine surveillance intelligence production. The role involves analysing and interpreting surveillance data, developing automated routines and solutions, and managing complex or sensitive data requests using advanced analytical, statistical, database, mapping, and web tools underpinned by information and data science expertise.

The post holder will carry out epidemiological investigations of infectious disease incidents and outbreaks, supporting teams across the directorate, local Health Protection Teams, and external partners. Responsibilities include designing, implementing, analysing, and interpreting analytical studies in various settings and mentoring team members.

Additional duties include contributing to public health scientific analyses, writing reports for specific projects, regular and ad hoc publications, and peer-reviewed journals. The role requires liaison with colleagues across the Chief Medical Advisor Group, UKHSA, NHS regional/local teams, and other stakeholders.

Key responsibilities include managing and developing surveillance databases and systems for vaccine preventable diseases, conducting complex statistical analyses, supervising junior staff, managing outbreak investigations, coordinating research projects, producing scientific publications, delivering presentations at national and international forums, and developing training materials.

This role offers a dynamic environment with opportunities to contribute to public health protection, research, and policy development within a leading national agency.

Experience
- Advanced experience interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data using SQL databases, spreadsheets, and statistical packages (R)
- Proven ability to conduct statistical analysis of large and complex epidemiological datasets
- Experience managing epidemiological studies and outbreak investigations
- Ability to analyse, summarise, and interpret complex epidemiological data
- Experience supervising scientific and administrative staff in data management and report production
- Experience presenting scientific findings to diverse audiences including government agencies and academic groups

About you
- Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to clearly convey complex ideas and methods
- Strong collaborative skills to liaise effectively with clinical, scientific, IT, administrative colleagues, and external partners
- Enthusiastic about public health and epidemiology with a commitment to inclusion and diversity
- Ability to work flexibly within a hybrid working model and adapt to incident response activities as required

Qualifications
- Higher degree in Epidemiology, Public Health, or an allied subject
- Postgraduate work or study in public health, epidemiology, or a related discipline
- Desirable: thorough understanding of recent advances in epidemiology and microbiology of vaccine preventable diseases
- Desirable: experience presenting scientific papers at national and international conferences and engaging with a range of health professionals and scientific specialists