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Job summary

Main area
Science
Grade
Civil Service: Grade 7
Contract
12 months (Fixed Term Contract)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
  • Job share
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
919-JP-61624473-EXT
Employer
UK Health Security Agency
Employer type
Public (Non NHS)
Site
Porton
Town
Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire
Salary
£54,416 - £64,485 per annum, pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
25/11/2024 23:59

Employer heading

UK Health Security Agency logo

Senior Scientist – Bacteriophage Therapy

Civil Service: Grade 7

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:

  • Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
  • Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
  • Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
  • Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
  • Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.

Job overview

The Antimicrobial Discovery Development and Diagnostics (AD3) team support the evaluation of new therapeutic approaches and other interventions for antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

We are looking for a Senior Scientist – Bacteriophage Therapy to lead a new project at UKHSA. The work, which is part of a large interdisciplinary project with other collaborators, will explore novel treatment approaches for people with Cystic Fibrosis, focussing on the development of phage therapy approaches for chronic infection.

The post-holder will have knowledge and practical experience of supporting clinicians in the use of phage on a compassionate use basis and will have an in depth knowledge of phage biology, susceptibility testing methods and therapeutic use. In addition, the post-holder will work with existing staff at UKHSA to help develop and implement rapid phage susceptibility test methods and apply these to the selection and use of phage for therapeutic applications, supporting future clinical applications. 

Main duties of the job

Your key responsibilities will include:

  • Provide advice to guide clinicians in the potential use of phage therapy to treat infections. 
  • Work with others to generate susceptibility test data to confirm likely efficacy of bacterial isolates to phage.
  • Coordinate the supply of phage through manufacturers in the UK or abroad and working with NHS Pharmacy services to import and dispense phage, where required.  
  • Work with other colleagues at UKHSA to develop and evaluate rapid phage susceptibility tests to support phage use in the clinic.  
  • Collect and collate data on case studies to help build an evidence base for the effectiveness of phage therapy in individual patients.
  • Contribute to a wider programme of work looking to support the translation of phage towards clinical applications in the UK.

Working for our 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.  

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

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The recent Parliamentary Inquiry on the suitability of phage as antimicrobials made a series of recommendations which are supported by UKHSA. Within that overall remit, the current post aims to support clinicians being able to access phage for use on a compassionate basis.

The post holder will act as an interface between clinicians requesting phage to treat their patient and one of a number of bodies which can supply phage suitable for this clinical use, with an emphasis on chronic respiratory infections in the first instance.

The initial phase of the work relates to a specific project, led by the University of Liverpool. The post-holder will expand the service, working with others at UKHSA to help facilitate compassionate use access to phage for other infections and to lay the foundation for expanded use of phage in future studies.

Essential criteria

You will be assessed on the below 4 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description:

  • Practical experience in supporting clinicians being able to access and use phage for treatment of patients on a compassionate use basis. 
  • Significant experience in the evaluation of phage susceptibility in clinical isolates
  • Experience of external collaboration with clinicians, phage manufacturers and NHS Pharmacy services
  • Excellent communication skills


Selection Process
Details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours,  Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift 

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed four essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

  • an Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
  • a 1,000 word Statement of Suitability

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria. 

The application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together. 

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.

Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview  (Success Profiles)

You will be invited to a remote interview.

Behaviours,  Experience and Technical skills will be tested at interview. 

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

  • Changing and Improving
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working together

The advert will close at 23:55hrs on 25th November 2024. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Location

This is a lab-based role located at Porton Down, SP4 0JG. Please note Hybrid is not an option for this post.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard / Counter-terrorist Check.

You will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) 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 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.

Person specification

Application Form & Statement of Suitability

Essential criteria
  • Application Form & Statement of Suitability

Behaviours

Essential criteria
  • Changing and Improving
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working together

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Purple SpaceApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerThe Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei) is the UK's leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion issues in the workplace.Carer Confident -AccomplishedHappy to Talk Flexible Working

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Jonathan Payne
Job title
Resourcing Support
Email address
[email protected]
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