Job vacancy: Field Epidemiology Training Programme Fellow, UK Health Security Agency, London

Job summary

Main area: Epidemiology Training
Grade: AfC Band 7 or NHS: Speciality Registrar
Contract: Fixed term: 2 years (Commencing 11th September 2025 until 10th September 2027)
Hours: Full time - 40 hours per week (37.5 hours per week)
Job ref: 919-HM-309963-EXT

Employer: UK Health Security Agency
Employer type: Public (Non NHS)
Site: Various in UKHSA Offices, Public Health Agency Northern Ireland, Public Health Wales
Town: London
Salary: £40,661 - £63,152 per annum, pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 22/12/2024 23:59

Field Epidemiology Training Programme Fellow

AfC Band 7 or NHS: Speciality Registrar

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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the role are detailed in the attached job description. Other expectations are detailed below.

Relocation: Individuals currently contracted by UKHSA and working in a UKFETP training site are expected to relocate to an alternate site for the duration of the programme. However, consideration will be given for extenuating circumstances

Sites: Different training sites are available each year on a rotational basis. The location of the training placement for each individual will be determined after interview based on the fellow’s learning needs and work interests, and on performance at interview.

Full time: The fellowship must be completed full time.

Travel: Training within or outside the UK may necessitate week-long residential stays. Fellows may also have the opportunity to undertake national projects and international missions.

Previous FETP: We would not consider applications from those that have already completed an advanced FETP programme.

Other Information

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

Applicants are strongly advised to read the instructions on how to complete the application and the criteria in the Person Specification of the Job Description as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria.

For further details relating to this post, please refer to the accompanying Job Description and Person Specification and the UKHSA website on Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP).

Successful applicants must have the right to work in the UK by the start date (11 September 2025). The UKFETP cannot provide sponsorship.

For an informal discussion, please contact the UKFETP office at [email protected] , additionally, a Q&A live event will be held on Thursday 5 December at 2pm during which information about the FETP and the application process will be provided with an opportunity to ask any questions. Participation in this meeting will be anonymous.

To join the meeting follow the link below: If link does not open for you please contact the office on [email protected]

FETP Fellowship 2025 Pre-Application Event

Invitations to interview will be sent out in mid March 2025. Interviews will be held in central London between 31 March - 3 April 2025. Successful candidates will begin the programme on 11^th September 2025.

Closing Date: 23.55 22/12/2024

Hybrid Working

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our lab/office in various UKHSA offices, Public Health Agency Northern Ireland and Public Health Wales. 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).

Security Clearance

Successful candidates for this role must pass an enhanced disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed. 

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

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Masters’ degree or PhD in a scientific discipline with a significant health (human or animal), public health, epidemiology or data analysis component OR A minimum of four years supervised experience in Public Health, Epidemiology or Health Protection with evidence of publication at the time of application. For Public Health Specialist registrars ONLY Completion of exams required as part of specialist training, e.g., passed both DFPH (formerly Part A) and MFPH (formerly Part B) exams of the Faculty of Public Health examination.

Desirable criteria

For applicants without a masters’ degree Two first author peer reviewed publications on an epidemiological / health protection topic

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

Demonstrable experience of working within Public Health, Health Protection or epidemiology for at least 18 months by the date of application deadline *1
Experience of managing data, undertaking basic analysis and presenting information in reports and presentations

Desirable criteria

Experience of audit/evaluation or research activities

Skills, Capabilities and Behaviours

Essential criteria

Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Be able to demonstrate a keen interest in applied epidemiology, such as evidenced by career progression and/or CPD to date
Be able to demonstrate how the UKFETP will be of benefit to them and their career path
Be able to demonstrate an enthusiasm for being in a learner role and receiving supervision and feedback

Desirable criteria

Able to undertake statistical analysis of epidemiological or health datasets

Equality and Diversity

Essential criteria

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

Interpreting Data Skills

Essential criteria

Experience of interpreting and evaluating data in response to an evolving situation or incident response
Able to make sense of complex information and imperfect data to draw meaningful conclusions

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.

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.  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 can not 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.

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.