Senior Clinical Fellow in Metagenomics in London

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 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.

An opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated registrar in Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology, Virology, public health or paediatrics (including paediatric infectious diseases) who also has a skillset in pathogen genomics and/or clinical epidemiology to join UKHSA as a senior metagenomics clinical fellow. UKHSA is delivering a 5-year pathogen genomics strategy. We are looking for a clinical fellow to work on clinical aspects of pathogen genomics transformation, within the Chief Medical Advisor Group on a workstream focusing on clinical oversight of metagenomics and governance.

This fellowship is an outstanding opportunity for the individual to gain experience and expertise at a national level in areas including pathogen genomics, clinical study leadership and governance, biosecurity and bio surveillance, investigation and management of major incidents and outbreaks; infectious disease surveillance; guidance and policy development and implementation; research; service development and improvement including close collaborative work across regional reference laboratories, directorate and divisions.

During the placement, the Specialty Registrar (StR) will be expected to gain understanding and experience of:

• The delivery of the national role of UKHSA.
• The delivery of the metagenomics programme, including clinical oversight and governance.
• Stakeholder management and oversight of strategic partnerships.
• The commissioning and financing of different aspects of the delivery of the programme and their impact on programme performance.
• The role of the various agencies in delivering, managing and monitoring the programme.
• Guidance and policy development (national infection guidance and policy).
• Service and quality improvement in relation to infectious disease surveillance, prevention and control.
• Providing public health input into commissioning and financing decisions with regards to the delivery of the programme.

The StR will develop skills in:

• Liaising with other stakeholders to optimise the delivery of the public health programme.
• Cross-divisional working within UKHSA.
• Providing clinical input into the delivery of the genomics programme and integration into other national surveillance programmes.
• Policy development and implementation.
• Clinical governance and study protocol leadership.
• Decision making and time management.
• Working on ad hoc analyses of each area of responsibility as directed by consultants and scientists.
• Identifying, investigating and responding to cases, clusters and outbreaks of communicable disease.

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.

An individual plan will be agreed with the Fellow depending on prior experience and interests, setting out their duties and objectives. This role is being recruited to until March 2029, which will take into account the needs of the Division, the pathogen genomics strategy and the individual.

The StR will be expected to agree a plan with their project and educational supervisors. The plan will be tailored to meet the individual StR's needs and the needs of the division and will include the objectives for the placement and the output and timescales expected for any projects.

The StR is expected to:

• Take responsibility for arranging 1:1 sessions with their supervisor(s).
• Inform their educational supervisor of any special requirements, ideally at the pre-placement meeting.
• Inform their education supervisor promptly of any difficulties, including concerns about lack of opportunities to gain experience.
• Attend the workplace as required and on time.
• Share their diaries with UKHSA staff.
• Notify their educational supervisor (or unit/department administrator if unavailable) when unwell.

To deliver the objectives set out in the plan, the StR will be expected to work closely with members of the individual teams. Short induction including familiarisation with base, the team, wider colleagues within UKHSA, and organisational arrangements. Dealing with enquiries from the public and health professionals as required. Issuing advice to clinicians on individual cases. Participating in the investigation of clusters/outbreaks. Participate in pathogen genomics and metagenomics meetings. Chair and support clinical mSCAPE meetings and participate in the duty roster. Develop and lead on study/surveillance protocols ensuring adherence to ethical and regulatory requirements. Liaising with other Divisions/Directorates where positive results are identified. Attendance at (and presentation where appropriate) key meetings relevant to the division. Attendance at UKHSA cross-organisation meetings related to training and/or project work. Support projects that advance strategic priorities within the division and across other divisions, tailored to the individual StR’s competencies and development goals. To meet regularly with their project and educational supervisors. To complete an evaluation of the placement. The StR should pursue a programme of continuing professional development in accordance with any relevant professional registration or statutory requirements, whilst maintaining appropriate awareness of service provider requirements.

The StR is encouraged to attend:

• Unit/departmental education meetings.
• Educational meetings with partner agencies.
• Other local/national training as appropriate.

This vacancy is open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

This job is broadly open to 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).

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.
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours).
• A generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package.

UKHSA operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow, providing greater flexibility about how and where we work.

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.