The UKHSA Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team, part of Field Services includes consultant epidemiologists, senior scientists, statisticians, analysts, and support staff. The team leads and delivers a national real-time syndromic surveillance service utilising GP (in/out of hours), emergency departments, ambulance, and NHS 111 data. Its aims are to provide early warning of infectious and non-infectious incidents, situational awareness during events, and reassurance of minimal public health impact during mass gatherings.
The Senior Scientist collaborates across UKHSA and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, supporting epidemiological investigations into climate change’s impact on non-vector borne infectious diseases. This work contributes to the Health Protection Research Unit in Climate Change and Health Security.
Field Services Division
Field Services delivers geographically dispersed, integrated public health expertise in epidemiology, microbiology, and data science. It strengthens disease surveillance and outbreak response, supports evidence translation into practice, and maintains academic partnerships. It also leads UKHSA’s field epidemiology training.
Duties vary by site and team, but typically include:
Surveillance & Analysis:
Lead surveillance design, statistical analysis, and reporting. Develop automated solutions and respond to complex data requests.
Outbreak Support:
Lead technical aspects of outbreak investigations, write protocols, contribute to reports, and train interviewers.
Statistical & Software Skills:
Apply statistical tests, automate processes, and use tools like Stata, R, ArcGIS, SQL, and SharePoint for analysis and reporting.
Audit & Governance:
Advise on quality, governance, and data security. Contribute to quality control, audits and ensure data integrity across systems.
Research & Projects:
Manage and support research projects, conduct literature reviews, apply for ethics/grants, and present findings at conferences.
Leadership & Management:
Lead initiatives, manage staff, develop policies, and support training. Act as a role model and contribute to relevant teaching programmes.
Professional Development:
Engage in appraisal, training, and mandatory learning.
Other Duties:
Undertake additional tasks as required and adapt to evolving organisational needs.
Communication:
Collaborate with internal/external stakeholders including UKHSA teams, NHS bodies, academic institutions, and public health partners.
Please note this list is not exhaustive.
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
Role Criteria and Other Requirements
Essential role criteria (including qualifications, licenses and registrations):
Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance, including data(base) management, data transmission, data security and governance, data quality, data analysis including descriptive statistics, visualisations, common statistical tests, modelling and interpretation of results (including for research purposes)
MSc in Epidemiology, public health or allied discipline or equivalent level of experience/education (for example, completion of the Field Epidemiology Training Programme or equivalent training and experience)
Experience of interpreting and evaluating epidemiological data, sensitive health data analyses and performing analytical epidemiology
Demonstrable experience in public health, health protection, or epidemiology, gained through any relevant setting (e.g., academic, voluntary, private, or public sector)
Experience of using epidemiological and statistical software packages, and proficient in common statistical/database/mapping tools such as STATA, R, GIS, network analysis, SQL, etc.
Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with co-workers and key stakeholders
Excellent oral and written communication skills with proven presentation and scientific report writing skills
Able to work under own initiative, seek out new information and new ways to develop yourself as well as to respond to sudden unexpected demands whilst maintaining a professional calm and efficient manner
Desirable role criteria (including qualifications, licenses and registrations):
Experience of research activities with one or more first author publications in peer reviewed journals
Experience of teaching epidemiology and/or surveillance
An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
Knowledge of health and social care environment, and roles and responsibilities within it including information flows in the NHS and allied services
Experience of effective line management
Selection Process
Stage 1: Application & Sift
This vacancy is using a Competency-based framework method of selection.
At sift stage you will be assessed against the person specification listed in the job advert.
You will be required to complete an application form, including supporting statement with a word limit of 1500.
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
We will take piles 'Meets all essential criteria' and 'Meets some essential criteria' through to shortlisting.
Shortlisting:
In the event of a large amount of applications, we will sift on:
Demonstrable experience in public health, health protection, or epidemiology, gained through any relevant setting (e.g. academic, voluntary, private, or public sector)
Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview stage (competency based):
You will be invited to a remote interview.
Interviews will be held week commencing 5th January 2026, please note these dates are subject to change.
This vacancy is being assessed using a competency-based framework for selection. During the interview we will assess against the below:
Knowledge
Experience
Skills and Abilities
You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-minute presentation at the start of your interview. The subject of this will be based on the impact of climate change on non-vector borne infectious diseases.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Additional Information
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Security Clearance Level Requirement:
All successful candidates must meet the basic security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is:
DBS Requirement
Basic DBS
For this role you will also need to meet:
Security Clearance (SC)
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Core HQ in Birmingham. 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). Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Please note: 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 .
