Job vacancy: Consultant Medical Virologist, UK Health Security Agency, Birmingham

Job summary

Main area

Public Health Microbiology

Grade

NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant

Contract

Permanent

Hours

Full time
Part time
Job share
Flexible working

10 sessions per week

Job ref

919-300676-KP-EXT

Employer: UK Health Security Agency
Employer type: Public (Non NHS)
Site: UKHSA Birmingham Public Health Laboratory
Town: Birmingham
Salary: £113,565 - £150,569 per annum, pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 14/10/2026 23:59

Consultant Medical Virologist

NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) prevents, prepares for and responds to infectious diseases, and environmental hazards, to keep all our communities safe, save lives and protect livelihoods.

We provide scientific and operational leadership, working with local, national and international partners to protect the public’s health and build the nation’s health security capability.

UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

4. Develop specialist expertise for services in accordance with the needs of the clinical service

5. Provision, with consultant and other colleagues, and when necessary, with the support of Microbiology Services Colindale, of microbiological and epidemiological support, including surveillance, for Consultants in Communicable Disease Control, Environmental Health Officers, DH and others, and for clinical staff in hospitals and the community, within the catchment area of the Laboratory.

6. Collaboration with UKHSA central reference and epidemiological facilities in the reporting and investigation of infections, control of outbreaks, assessment of vaccines, development of laboratory methods, involvement in surveys, etc.

7. Professional supervision, training and management of junior medical staff

8. Responsibilities for carrying out teaching, examination and accreditation duties as required and for contributing to postgraduate and continuing professional development activities locally and nationally.

9. Research activities consistent with the priorities of the UKHSA and subject to the availability of funding and resources.

10. Participation in medical audit, quality control and clinical governance within the laboratory

11. Participation in the RCPath or the RCP scheme of Continuing Professional Development. Study leave will be available in accordance with the terms and conditions of service for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff England and Wales. Funding will be available for agreed purposes.
12.Is responsible for the medical authorisation of reports and issuing clinical advice for Antenatal and New Born (ANNB) screening programme.

13. Participation in arrangements within the UKHSA for appraisal, revalidation and career development.

14. Such additional duties as may be required from time to time by the Clinical Service Director after appropriate consultation.

15. Ensure that expert virological advice is available to HPTs and Local Authorities in the management of infections or infectious diseases in the community.

16. 1.0 PA out of hours work

17. 2.0 Supporting professional activities

18. 10 PA a week.

For further details, please refer to the attached Job Description & Person Specification.

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift

This vacancy is using Competency.

At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential qualifications listed in the job advert.

You will be required to complete an:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1500 word supporting statement

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1500 words.

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)

Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview (Competency based)

You will be invited to a face to face interview. If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Interviews are planned to be held 10th Nov 2026, please note these dates are subject to change.

This vacancy is being assessed using Competency framework. During the interview we will assess against the below:

Knowledge
Experience
Skills and Abilities

You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-10 minute presentation at the start of your interview. The subject of this will be sent to you prior to interview. Slides are permitted.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

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 Counter-terrorist Check.

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.

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our lab 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).
If based at one of our labs you will be required to have a minimum of 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. 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

MBBS Medical Degree
Full and specialist registration (and a licence to practise) with the GMC (or eligible for registration within 6 months of interview
FRCPath in Virology by examination or equivalent training and experience
Applicants that are UK medically trained, must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or be within six months of award of CCT in Virology or Medical Microbiology or Virology or Medical Virology/ID and on Specialist Register or qualified/eligible for register by date of interview*. Applicants that are non-UK trained, will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT
Evidence of continuing professional development (existing consultants must be able to demonstrate active participation in a recognised CPD scheme

Desirable criteria

MRCP or equivalent training

Knowledge and experience

Essential criteria

Experience of the application of your skills in a clinical context
Special interest and expertise in clinical virology. Recent clinical experience in the acute hospital setting
Experience in teaching undergraduates, junior staff, postgraduates, nurses and other staff.
Active interest in research and developments in medical virology

Desirable criteria

Research experience and a good record of publications
Relevant management courses / Proven managerial skills, especially team leadership.

Skills and capabilities

Essential criteria

Management of staff.
Ability to foster and promote the delivery of the clinical diagnostic services of the laboratory
Experience in clinical audit
Comfortable with Information Technology and sound computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
Good organisation and ability to organise own learning and time, ability to work to deadlines
Good written and oral communication skills
Able to communicate effectively with colleagues
Ability to: Build rapport; Work in a multi-disciplinary team and maintain good relations with contacts both within and outside the UKHSA; Persuade; Negotiate
Ability to: Take responsibility; Show leadership; Make decisions
Punctual and Sense of responsibility
Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
Highly motivated to succeed and progress
Appreciation of ethnic dilemmas, Integrity and Honesty
Must be prepared to reside within reasonable travelling distance of the laboratory and must be willing to travel to and work at other sites necessitated by the role.
Enthusiastic team player with a can-do attitude
Ability to work as part of a team showing good communication and leadership skills
Ability to keep good medical records and communicate with other hospital departments and primary care
Ability to understand and communicate with patients and colleagues

Desirable criteria

Commitment to teaching

Equality and diversity

Essential criteria

An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

If you experience technical difficulties when using Trac, please contact Support via https://apps.trac.jobs/support and provide screenshots/details of the issue encountered. If Trac cannot resolve your issue, you should notify the UKHSA Recruitment Team at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Please note that where no technical issue has been recorded by Trac, and no supporting evidence has been provided before the closing deadline, we will be unable to accept late applications. We therefore recommend submitting applications well in advance of the closing date and taking screenshots of any issues encountered.

Qualifications and Registrations

For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.

Civil Service Commission | Regulating recruitment into the Civil Service and helping uphold the Civil Service core values of Impartiality, Objectivity, Integrity and Honesty

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Link below:

Artificial intelligence and recruitment | Civil Service Careers

This is a Non-Reserved post under the Civil Service Nationality Rules. To be eligible for employment in the UK Civil Service applicants must meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs) which operate independently of and additionally to the Immigration Rules. Applicants must also meet necessary security and vetting requirements, along with any other relevant pre-employment checks.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

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) (opens in a new window)
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

For more information on job nationality requirements and the right to work in the UK, see the Civil Service Nationality rules (opens in a new window) and the UK Visas and Immigration rules (opens in a new window)

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

The Civil Service pay structure and progression is different from NHS Agenda for Change (AfC), most local authority pay grades and other systems that have annual pay increments. For further details, please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.

For AfC or Medical/Dental posts, you must have the correct professional registration to be appointed. The pay will follow the AfC or Medical & Dental terms & conditions. You may be asked to provide evidence of previous service whilst we are conducting pre-employment checks to determine your starting salary.

For Temporary Appointments, if you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment.  You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy. 

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.

Late Applications will unfortunately not be considered.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via  email:  [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website here.

Reserve List - If more than the required number of suitable candidates pass the interview criteria, you may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months subject to your agreement. You may be contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list.

The panel will assess if candidates meet the requirement of the role first, using a specific benchmark system. If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.

UKHSA is required to check employment and/or education history covering three consecutive years. Please ensure you give details of at least two different referees, even if you were employed in one company for three years or more.

If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

 Benefits of working at UKHSA include:

Generous annual leave:
-26 days for the first 5 years of continuous service
-28 days after 5 years of continuous service
-32 days after 10 years of continuous service
-Plus public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday
Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
We also promote flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours). UKHSA views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including working from home, compressed hours and job sharing.
We also offer a generous maternity/ paternity and adoption leave package.

Hybrid Working

UKHSA operates 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 usually spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted hours (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (approximately 3 days a week pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home.

Disability Confident Scheme

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria at sift to ensure these candidates are invited to interview.   If you wish to be included in this scheme please tick the box on your application form.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone.

To help you during the recruitment process, we will take into account any reasonable adjustments that could help you.

An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.

This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.

If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:

Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

International Police Check

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 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.

Security Vetting

Please check the Security Clearance needed for the role and follow the link for more information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels

Future location

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.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Agenda for Change roles -NHS Pension

For roles offered under Agenda for Change (AFC) Terms and Conditions (and if you are eligible)

• If you are already on AFC T&Cs or accept the role on a fixed-term contract, you will be enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme or keep your current AFC Pension.
• If you take the role on a loan or temporary promotion, you will retain your existing, substantive T&Cs.
• If the role is available under either AFC or Civil Service T&Cs depending on your registration, your pension scheme will align accordingly.