Principal Scientist, Global Specialised Polio Laboratory - £58,983 p.a. + b

at  Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

JOB SUMMARY

We are currently looking for a Principal Scientist – Global Specialised Polio Laboratory to join our Vaccines Team within the Science, Research & Innovation group.
This is a full-time opportunity, on a fixed term contract/internal move or temporary promotion basis until 30 November 2027. The role will be lab based in South Mimms, Hertfordshire. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Be accountable to the Head of the Global Specialised Polio Laboratory coordinating with other teams and colleagues across the R&D function as required, to effectively manage the work programs on a day-to-day basis
• Develop and manage independent research collaborative programs aimed at improving methods and analytical algorithms to detect and characterize polio and non-polio viruses in sewage samples with a special focus on direct detection and nanopore sequencing (DDNS).
• Lead training and implementation activities in WHO GPLN laboratories around the world on DDNS of poliovirus from stool and sewage samples to expand capacity, increase demand and generate further data on performance (sensitivity, specificity, speed, accuracy, feasibility).
• Management of resources, laboratory facilities and a team of scientists working with a continual improvement ethos. These include responsibility for bio-containment Level 2 and 3 laboratories, submission of grant applications and management of grants liaising with funding bodies and academic collaborators
• Engage with national and international external stakeholders to deliver expert services, training, scientific and technical advice to support the statutory functions. Communication with the scientific community and public health bodies, leading submission of publications in peer reviewed journals and presenting scientific data at national and international meetings.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Our successful candidate will have:

• A PhD in a relevant field, or equivalent experience with evidence of R&D
• Excellent practical and theoretical knowledge of the WHO global poliovirus eradication initiative including surveillance activities and polio vaccines
• Experience of poliovirus (preferable) or RNA viruses research with national and international collaborations
• Highly developed skills in molecular assays applicable to primarily enteroviruses.

If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please read our Job Description and Person Specification!
Please note: The job description may not open in some internet browsers. Please use Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If you have any issue viewing the job description, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk
Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,983, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £17,087 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave on entry, rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): One month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months full pay/five months half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP’s Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join the Civil Service Motoring Association (CSMA)
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

Things you need to know

SELECTION PROCESS DETAILS

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here.

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application.
• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.

In the instance that we receive a high number of applications, we will hold an initial sift based on the lead criteria of ‘Highly skilled in deep sequencing laboratory methods and analysis particularly those applied to the direct detection of viral sequences from clinical and environmental samples using Nanopore’.
Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency-based answers provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description.

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)

WHAT’S THE ROLE?

The postholder will work in the WHO Global Specialised Polio Laboratory in the Vaccines team within the R&D function.
The role is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and aims at providing scientific-based guidance to the endgame strategies for the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Polio Eradication Initiative which includes supporting immunisation programs as well as clinical and environmental surveillance systems for the detection of polio and non-polio enteroviruses.
The role involves working in the area of R&D and control on poliomyelitis and poliovirus vaccines, providing senior level expertise. The post holder will be responsible for the scientific direction of research aimed at improving laboratory methods and analytical algorithms to detect and characterize polio and non-polio viruses in stools and environmental samples from different countries. The results will be used to analyse the prevalence and evolution of human viruses in different human populations and their link to human disease establishing early outbreak alert systems and monitoring the efficacy of immunisation programs.