Data Surveillance Scientist

UKHSA’s local Health Protection teams provide a central part of how UKHSA works with partners to deliver its first function to protect the public’s health. They deliver this through a range of core functions including surveillance and monitoring, operational support and advice, education, training and research.

Working for your 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., The Data Surveillance Scientist (DSS) works as part of a dynamic analytical community and supports the HPT to deliver an effective HP function by providing information and administrative leadership for the HP intelligence function, including surveillance, prevention, health protection risk assessment, investigation and control of communicable disease and environmental hazards, screening programmes and health monitoring.

This includes developing and maintaining effective health protection (including non-communicable disease) surveillance databases and supporting the use of CIMS (a national UKHSA web-based incident management system.

As part of a dynamic analytical community, the postholder will work collaboratively with, and may rotate working with the Knowledge and Intelligence (K&I) function of the Health Improvement Directorate, the regional Health Protection function and the National Infection Services Field Services team to jointly enhance services and develop hubs of excellence in analytical services.

Public Health Intelligence, Surveillance and Data Analysis

• Support development, operation and improvement of the enhanced surveillance system to provide a detailed long-term understanding of regional health threats.
• Provide advice and support on data analysis, presentation and interpretation to the HP team.
• Present and demonstrate data science tools and methodologies.
• Analyse communicable disease surveillance data and health protection programme and outcome indicators.
• Work with analytical and HP colleagues to identify requirements and develop statistical analysis approaches.
• Support creation of surveillance system specifications and development.
• Conduct comparative analyses of population health indicators using appropriate statistical techniques to measure healthcare outcomes and inequalities, track changes over time and interpret findings.
• Support HP risk assessments for outbreaks and incidents.
• Develop systems for receiving and sharing health protection intelligence within UKHSA and with local partners.
• Prepare data tables, graphs and maps for reports and presentations, and support production of regular HP intelligence bulletins.
• Respond to data requests and identify recurring themes or issues.
• Develop automated routines and solutions for surveillance reports.
• Contribute to public health analyses, reports, publications and peer-reviewed articles.
• Support epidemiological data analysis through GIS mapping and assist in the design, quality assurance and analysis of research and surveys.
• Liaise with UKHSA colleagues to establish reporting requirements and support production of datasets and indicators for monitoring key public health programmes.
• Maintain oversight of team outputs and surveillance systems, including disease trends and emerging threats.
• Support systems used to share public health information and knowledge, including websites, databases and intelligence-sharing platforms.
• Support HPT staff in the use of systems, including data capture, reporting and staff training.

Outbreak Support and Epidemiological Investigations

• Support information and data management during outbreaks and epidemiological investigations.
• Provide first-line advice on information governance aspects of outbreak management, escalating where required.

Audit, Quality and Governance

• Validate and audit surveillance systems to ensure compliance with Information Governance requirements and improve data quality.
• Support the Associate Caldicott Guardian by maintaining oversight of information governance relating to identifiable personal data processed by the HPT.
• Audit data flows and procedures to ensure integrity and reliability of surveillance and other data sources.
• Ensure the secure, confidential and appropriate storage, access and retrieval of records in line with legislation and UKHSA policies.

Software and Statistical Skills

• Apply statistical tests and algorithms, including time-trend analysis, to support exceedance investigations.
• Support translation of statistical processes into automated solutions.
• Use statistical, database, mapping and web-based tools including Stata, R, ArcGIS, SQL, network analysis and SharePoint.
• Undertake analytical and programming tasks using specialist and standard software to support data extraction, analysis and validation.

Collaborative Working

• Maintain effective relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Work with Field Service colleagues and regional information specialists to support a cross-regional professional network.
• Collaborate with universities, local authorities and other organisations to access data, avoid duplication and enhance analyses.
• Present individual and team outputs to technical and non-technical audiences, including explanation of statistical concepts and findings.

Research and Development

• Undertake literature reviews, audits, surveys and other research activities as required.

Other The above provides an outline of the role’s responsibilities and may be supplemented by other duties reasonably required by the line manager. The job description and person specification may be reviewed to reflect the changing needs of the division and UKHSA. All work is confidential and must only be shared for authorised purposes.

Professional Development

• Identify and address development needs through appraisal and individual development plans, including attendance at internal and external training.
• Complete all mandatory training, including fire safety, information governance and other required courses.

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.

Incident Response Activity

From time to time, the role holder may be required to support UKHSA’s incident response activity by contributing their appropriate expertise within an Incident Cell; during such periods, supported by the line manager, this work will take priority over normal day-to-day responsibilities, commensurate with their grade, skills and experience., In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria

If used, the pile ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting., 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.

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.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is:

• Baseline Personnel Security Standard
• CTC (if based at Chilton)

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment., * 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

• Educated to degree level in numerate discipline, computer science or IT equivalent which demonstrates core statistical skills or have worked in a statistical/data science field and are able to demonstrate continuous professional development in statistics/data science
• Strong project and programme management skills, with a track record of delivering complex initiatives efficiently and effectively in demanding environments
• Highly analytical, with the ability to interpret and manipulate information, identify emerging issues, solve problems, and recommend appropriate courses of action
• Demonstrates sound judgement, attention to detail, and the ability to extract key messages from complex data and analysis to support decision-making
• Builds trust and confidence through integrity, professionalism, and high-quality advice and support, while working effectively both independently and collaboratively
• Adaptable, resilient, and results-focused, with the ability to manage competing priorities, respond to unexpected demands, embrace change, and maintain a commitment to continuous professional development and performance improvement
• Clear communicator with excellent writing, report writing and presentation skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for diverse audiences

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of project management and/or health information systems development
• Knowledge of UKHSA role in outbreaks/incidents
• Proficient and/or expert in the use of some of the following: spreadsheets, databases, GIS, statistical software (e.g. R, Stata, SAS, SPSS) Experience of maintaining code using R or an alternative statistical package.
• Experience in utilising Power BI, * Educated to degree level in numerate discipline, computer science or IT equivalent which demonstrates core statistical skills or have worked in a statistical/data science field and are able to demonstrate continuous professional development in statistics/data science
• Highly analytical, with the ability to interpret and manipulate information, identify emerging issues, solve problems, and recommend appropriate courses of action, Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Pulled from the full job description

• Pay rise
• Company pension, £33,422 - £43,244 Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location

Higher Executive Officer (HEO) • £33,422-£40,731 (National) • £35,587- £43,244 (Outer London)

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. A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% GBP, Alongside your salary of £33,422, UK Health Security Agency contributes £9,682 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%

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1,500 but your supporting statement must be no more than 1,000 words. We will not consider any words over 1,000 words., This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our offices in the south east region Horsham/ Fareham / Chilton / Ashford (Kent) . 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) working at our campus.

If based at Chilton 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., 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.