Senior Surveillance Data Scientist

London, London (region), E14 4PU Job Summary The Senior Data Surveillance Scientist will analyse and interpret surveillance data and develop automated routines and solutions as well as overseeing and responding to more complex or sensitive data requests. The Centre for Climate and Health Security (CCHS) provide scientific advice and support to local, national and international partners to ensure that the impacts of climate change on public health are considered and embedded in system design. Possessing multi-disciplinary teams, scientific infrastructure, and a broad network of partners, UKHSA will speak with an authoritative voice that will aid the design of local, national and international policies, as well as the organisations responsible for delivering them. Situated within UKHSA’s ‘Centre for Climate and Health Security’, the Extreme Events and Health Protection (EEHP) team is a focal point for the UKHSA's national health security work for adverse weather events, including aspects of climate change adaptation and health system resilience. The team’s objectives include developing the evidence base for the public health impacts of extreme weather events; co-ordinating the Adverse Weather and Health Plan for England; providing public health guidance about flooding and drought. The team also act as a focal point within UKHSA for the National Adaptation Programme. Job Description Surveillance and Data Analysis • Support the development, operation and improvement of the enhanced surveillance system to ensure a detailed long-term understanding of threats to health in region including and beyond adverse weather events • Identify surveillance needs within given lead areas and support developments. • Create surveillance system specifications and develop and oversee surveillance systems. • Conduct complex statistical analyses of epidemiological data. • Interpret surveillance data and make appropriate recommendations. • Assure on the preparation, quality and delivery of routine and ad hoc surveillance reports. • Oversee data requests and identify common themes or issues to be addressed. • Develop automated routines and solutions for surveillance data reports. • Contribute to public health scientific analyses and writing reports on specific projects, regular and ad hoc publications and peer reviewed publications • Present, communicate and disseminate epidemiological products effectively, appropriately and with high impact using the most appropriate medium to visualise data to tell compelling and actionable stories relevant for business goals. • To develop statistical models on the impact of adverse weather on health and assess the impact of interventions. • To develop methods to make better use of data to inform models and to take advantage of increases in the volume and richness of data sets. Adverse Weather response support and Investigations • Oversee the information and data management to support an adverse weather response epidemiological investigation • Provide expert advice on information governance aspects of adverse weather response • Supervise the epidemiological investigation of increase in observed adverse health impacts, mainly on mortality. Software And Statistical Skills • Apply a range of common statistical tests and algorithms including time trend analysis • Translate statistical processes into automated solutions where appropriate. • Use common statistical/database/mapping/web tools such as R, ArcGIS, network analysis, SQL and SharePoint in routine reports, surveillance activities and the development of solutions. • Undertake complex analytical and programming tasks using common and specialist software packages to support data extractions, analysis and validation Research • Project manage epidemiological research studies. • Advise on information governance aspects of research such as data sharing and ethical approval • Perform systematic review of literature • Publish and present scientific papers on public health surveillance and adverse weather in collaboration with health, public health, academic and other partners Teaching / Training • Contribute to teaching/training programmes and activities on surveillance, epidemiology, information management and governance. Collaborative Working • Support collaborative working closely with health protection surveillance, epidemiology & intelligence colleagues across UKHSA to promote synergy of operation wherever possible and appropriate. • Liaison with colleagues across the Met Office, wider UKHSA and colleagues at regional/local level as appropriate. • Present to local partners and at scientific conferences on lead area / specialty. Strategic thinking • Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders and partners • Actively engage in meetings with internal and external colleagues Project Management • Coordinate and lead projects such as the implementation of new systems and processes Professional development • To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training. Audit, Quality and Governance • Advise on quality and governance issues including information security • Evaluate existing surveillance systems and act on results locally • Be responsible for the quality of data collected, stored and extracted and transferred, including maintaining EEHP Data Protection Impact Assessment Other Duties • The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager. • The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of UKHSA’s CCHS and EEHP. Surveillance and Data Analysis • Support the development, operation and improvement of the enhanced surveillance system to ensure a detailed long-term understanding of threats to health in region including and beyond adverse weather events • Identify surveillance needs within given lead areas and support developments. • Create surveillance system specifications and develop and oversee surveillance systems. • Conduct complex statistical analyses of epidemiological data. • Interpret surveillance data and make appropriate recommendations. • Assure on the preparation, quality and delivery of routine and ad hoc surveillance reports. • Oversee data requests and identify common themes or issues to be addressed. • Develop automated routines and solutions for surveillance data reports. • Contribute to public health scientific analyses and writing reports on specific projects, regular and ad hoc publications and peer reviewed publications • Present, communicate and disseminate epidemiological products effectively, appropriately and with high impact using the most appropriate medium to visualise data to tell compelling and actionable stories relevant for business goals. • To develop statistical models on the impact of adverse weather on health and assess the impact of interventions. • To develop methods to make better use of data to inform models and to take advantage of increases in the volume and richness of data sets. Adverse Weather response support and Investigations • Oversee the information and data management to support an adverse weather response epidemiological investigation • Provide expert advice on information governance aspects of adverse weather response • Supervise the epidemiological investigation of increase in observed adverse health impacts, mainly on mortality. Other Duties • The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager. • The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of UKHSA’s CCHS and EEHP. Person specification Essential Role Criteria (including Qualifications, Licenses And Registrations): • First degree (e.g. Data Science, Statistics, Biostatistics, Epidemiology) or demonstrable equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area (in the maintenance, analysis of data). • Higher qualification in Epidemiology, information science, public health or allied discipline or equivalent level of experience/education. • Knowledge / experience in data management and epidemiology for adverse weather incidents. • Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance, including data management, data transmission, data security, data quality, data analysis and interpretation including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting. • Demonstrable experience of public health, health protection, epidemiology or adverse weather/climate. • Experience in all aspects of the design, development, implementation and maintenance of systems including understanding of information governance issues. • Ability and skills to develop automated routines, reports and solutions as required. • Ability to use Office365, including SharePoint, OneDrive, OneNote, Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint • Proficient in the use of some of the following: spreadsheets, databases, GIS, statistical software. Experience of maintaining code using R or an alternative statistical package. • Ability to apply a range of common statistical tests and algorithms including time trend analysis and an understanding of exceedance. • Able to build and maintain effective relationships with co-workers and key stakeholders. • Excellent accuracy and attention to detail with proven report writing & presentation skills. • Good organizational, prioritisation and time management skills. • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships. Alongside your salary of £46,310, UK Health Security Agency contributes £13,416 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. • Learning and development tailored to your role • An environment with flexible working options • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity • A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles. 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 • Up to 1,500-word Supporting Statement. Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your statement of suitability must be no more than 1,250 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 CV –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 sifts against the lead behaviour/criteria of insert criteria/behaviour will be conducted. Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we may longlist into 3 piles of: • Meets all essential criteria • Meets some essential criteria • Meets no essential criteria The following will be taken through to the next stage: • Meets all essential criteria • Meets some essential criteria Shortlisting In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on • Knowledge of principles and practice of surveillance, including data management, data transmission, data security, data quality, data analysis and interpretation including descriptive statistics and graphics and data reporting. • Proficient in the use of some of the following: spreadsheets, databases, GIS, statistical software. Experience of maintaining code using R or an alternative statistical package. Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage. Stage 2: Interview (success profiles) You will be invited to a single remote interview. Behaviours will be tested at interview. Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be: • Changing and Improving • Making Effective Decisions • Working Together • Managing a Quality Service • Delivering at Pace You Will Be Asked To Prepare And Present 10-minute Presentation At The Start Of Your Interview. The Subject Of This Will Be: You are asked to lead work assessing the health impacts of extreme weather events using routine health and environmental data. How would you design your approach to ensure the evidence you generate supports timely public health decision-making and policy development, while maintaining high standards of data quality, security, governance, and equity?" Interviews will be held week commencing w/c 17th Nov, please note, these dates are subject to change. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Eligibility Criteria - External Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants). 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. Location This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Core HQ in London - Canary Wharf. 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). 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. 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 consider 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 it could be time accrued over that period. 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 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. Careers website Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Nationality requirements 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 Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) 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 equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. 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 equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window). Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job Contact : • Name : Rita Head • Email : extremeevents@ukhsa.gov.uk Recruitment team • Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk Further information 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: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk 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: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk http://www.healthjobsuk.com/vacancy/7548841