Principal Scientist

The postholder will be a senior member of the scientific staff of the AMR & HCAI Division.

The Division is responsible for a range of national surveillance programmes that collect epidemiological data on a number of healthcare associated infections (HCAI) and invasive bacterial infections; monitoring resistance to and usage of antimicrobials; providing specialist epidemiology; coordinating the investigation and cause of national outbreaks; advice to government.

The post holder, based at the UKHSA Colindale site, will take a senior role in providing and developing national surveillance of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance and leading research studies.

Job Description:

• Provide specialist advice on the epidemiological aspects of the prevention and control of HCAI & AMR by contributing to the development of guidance, designing data collection systems, interpreting epidemiological data, conducting statistical analyses, and scientific publications.
• Manage scientific and administrative staff in the maintenance, development, statistical analysis, quality outputs and reporting from HCAI & AMRP datasets.
• Undertake periodic evaluation of surveillance systems including stakeholder engagement exercises.
• Design analytical strategies and supervise complex statistical analyses of research datasets for the production of project reports, papers for peer reviewed journals and conference presentations.
• Initiate collaborative projects within UKHSA and external collaborators to address public health research questions.
• Work alongside other members of the AMR & HCAI Division on business planning process and the development of surveillance/research, communication, training strategies etc.
• Compare, analyse and interpret highly complex options for running projects identified as key public health priorities, and communicate this information across organisations and key stakeholders.
• Budget responsibility for Section led grants.
• Selection and recruitment of staff, including shortlisting applicants and interviewing candidates selected for interview.
• Staff management responsibilities to be agreed with line manager.
• Responsible for developing quality control processes, participating in audits and ensuring resilience through maintaining Standard Operating Procedures and business continuity planning.
• Be responsible for ensuring their team’s work complies to UKHSA standards and governance requirements including maintaining confidentiality and security of surveillance information.
• Development of business cases to support system developments, this may include undertaking relevant procurement requirements and management of supplier relationships.
• Deputise for the Section Lead/Lead Epidemiologist as required.
• Plan and oversee the development of HCAI & AMRP epidemiological outputs including outward facing publications including annual reports, web pages, writing of scientific papers for publication in peer reviewed journals.
• Represent the Division on expert committees, national and local incident control teams, national/international meetings and conferences.
• Develop public health capacity by contributing to teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level and by supervising those training and working in public health and epidemiology.
• Contribute to the training for new members of staff on the epidemiology and surveillance of communicable disease.
• Participate in wider scientific activities to maintain professional standards including peer review of manuscripts.
• Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with line manager through appraisal / individual development plan.

Person Specification:

• Degree level (BA/BSc) in a relevant scientific subject (e.g. epidemiology, microbiology, demography, geography) - or significant experience of working at a similar level in this field.
• MSc degree in epidemiology/ public health/ microbiology or related discipline (e.g. science) or significant experience of working at a similar level in this field.
• PhD in Epidemiology, Public Health, Medical Statistics, Bioinformatics, Health Economics or substantial post-graduate experience in a relevant scientific subject.
• Training in research methods, infectious disease epidemiology, surveillance, prevention and/or public health.
• Management of and advanced statistical analysis of large and complex datasets, including knowledge and experience with STATA and/or R.
• Able to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and motivate and encourage team members.
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues including problem solving, working to tight and often changing timescales.