Job vacancy: Scientific Lead Assays and Model Development, UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury

Job summary

Main area

Assays and Model Development

Grade

Contract

Permanent

Hours

Part time
Job share
Flexible working

18.75 hours per week

Job ref

919-JI-62180697 EXT

Employer: UK Health Security Agency
Employer type: Public (Non NHS)
Site: Porton
Town: Salisbury
Salary: £70,797 - £81,450 Pro Rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 23/10/2025 23:59

Scientific Lead Assays and Model Development

G6

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.

Main duties of the job

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

To provide scientific direction to Countermeasures Development, Evaluation, and Preparedness Division on development and implementation of pre-clinical, infectious disease models to meet Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre, Science group and UKHSA strategic goals
To take the lead in maintaining and enhancing a research capability for pre-clinical infectious diseases modelling and countermeasure evaluation, including those requiring enhanced QMS, and to ensure projects can be resourced and accommodated properly.
To drive innovation and foster collaborations within and outside of UKHSA leading to grant applications and/ or new business proposals in order to establish an annual income and expenditure budget.
To co-ordinate commercial negotiations with customers in order to achieve project aims ensuring appropriate protection of IPR where necessary and to act as a key point of contact with customers to ensure establishment, operation and completion of projects to customer’s satisfaction.
To develop and maintain a strong national and international profile and networks through presentations, high impact publications, membership of committees and boards.
To contribute to the quality of science and scientific strategy at UKHSA by promoting and enabling collaboration within Countermeasures Development, Evaluation, and Preparedness Division /Science Group and across UKHSA to enhance the science base and capability development.
To take responsibility for all people management issues, including to lead, train, mentor and support the development of scientists within Countermeasures Development, Evaluation, and Preparedness Division.
To perform any other duties required by the Line manager commensurate with grade.
To interact appropriately with regulatory authorities (e.g. HSE, HO, MHRA) and to ensure that the project team undertakes work in accordance with UKHSA's Code of Safety Practice and any applicable Quality Systems.
To comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Essential Criteria

PhD in a biological discipline (e.g microbiology, immunology, biochemistry, virology) and extensive experience in a research environment
Internationally recognised expert with publication record in high impact journals, membership of expert panels and strong national and international collaborations and network
Experience of developing and qualifying assays for GxP compliance
Experience of working with in vivo models for infectious disease agents and the use of different analysis methods including molecular biology, immunology and transcriptomics to characterise them
Extensive experience of research with models for ACDP HG 3 pathogen
A proven track record of developing and qualifying biological assays under ISO9001 and/or GxP quality system
Able to present information at internal/external meetings
Ability to recognise and materialise scientific innovations into new business, experience with staff and budget management
Experience of dealing with external and internal customers, negotiating and agreeing work programmes, reporting progress, dealing with any issues to ensure delivery and customer
Strong leadership skills, extensive experience of project management and leading team
Able to exercise sound judgement and clear about priorities
Experience in a wide range of techniques within laboratory-based biological research
Experience of working practices within high containment environment
Experience of networking internally and externally to gain information, contacts, commitment, expertise to better ensure project outcomes
Experience of generation of innovative/creative solutions to scientific and experimental problems/et

Desirable role criteria:

Excellent communications, networking and influencing skills and with proven ability to influence at senior level.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

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

You will be required to complete an:

Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
An (up to 1,000 number of words) word supporting statement

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1,000 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)

If we receive a large number of applications an initial sift against the lead criteria of ‘Experience of developing and qualifying assays for GxP compliance’ will be conducted.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we may longlist into 2 piles of:

Pile 1. Meets the following essential criteria

Experience of developing and qualifying assays for GxP compliance
Extensive experience of research with models for ACDP HG 3 pathogens

Pile 2: Do not meet the essential criteria.

Only those who have sufficient evidence for the essential criteria listed above will be progressed to shortlisting.

Desirable criteria may be assessed in the event of a high number of successful candidates.

Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)

You will be invited to a face to face interview.

In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Interviews will be held week commencing 13/14th November, please note these dates are subject to change.

This vacancy is being assessed using Success Profiles. During the interview we will assess you against the below:

Behaviours:

Seeing the bigger picture
Making Effective Decisions
Leadership
Communicating and Influencing

Previous Skills and Experience: Technical skills and Ability

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

Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Security Clearance Level Requirement:

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

This role requires Security Clearance (SC):

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 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC). 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. 

Location:

You will be based at our scientific site in Porton, the following will apply:

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.

Eligibility Criteria:

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

Person specification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria

Statement of Suitability & CV

Behaviours

Essential criteria

Seeing the bigger picture,
Making Effective Decisions
Leadership
Communicating and Influencing

Previous Skills and Experience

Essential criteria

Technical skills and Ability

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

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. 

Given the nature of the work of the UKHSA, as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, you may be required in an emergency, if deemed a necessity, to redeploy to another role at short notice. You may also be required to work at any other location, within reasonable travelling distance of your permanent home address, in line with the provisions set out in your contract of employment.

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.