Environmental Public Health Scientist - UK Health Security Agency

Environmental Public Health Scientist

SEO National £38,724 - £44,393 per annum

Based at UKHSA Manchester

Permanent Contract

UKHSA’s Environmental Hazards and Emergencies (EHE) Department is at the forefront of delivering expert scientific guidance to key stakeholders, including the government and the NHS, on the public health implications of environmental hazards and chemical exposures.

About the EHE Department:

Our multidisciplinary team, spread across the North, Midlands, and South, operates from nine strategic locations to deliver expert guidance on non-infectious environmental exposures at both local and national levels. Along with two specialist groups - Air Quality & Public Health and Noise & Health, the Department is dedicated to providing high-level advice on the public health ramifications of non-infectious environmental exposures, both acute and chronic.

Regional Teams based in London, Chilton, Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Cambridge and Bristol, are the backbone of frontline support for the UKHSA and local partners.

In your role within the chemical and environmental hazards team, you’ll tackle health threats posed by chemical incidents, delivering vital public health risk assessments, navigating challenges such as chemical fires, environmental contamination, or intentional chemical releases.

Role Overview:

Position: Environmental Public Health Scientist (SEO)

Location: Manchester

Based at UKHSA Manchester - You will be expected to attend contractual base office regularly and meetings nationally, with potential for flexible working arrangements as per UKHSA policy

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working - this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. UKHSA have office locations across the UK.

You will be expected to attend contractual base office regularly and meetings nationally, with potential for flexible working arrangements as per UKHSA policy

Working Pattern - Full Time

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.

Responsibilities include:

• Address and manage responses to chemical and environmental hazard incidents that pose health risks.
• Conduct thorough public health risk assessments in cases of chemical fires, environmental contamination, or deliberate chemical releases.
• Contribute to the development of evidence-based advice and provide expert environmental public health guidance to government officials, multi-agency stakeholders, and the public.
• Undertaking environmental public health risk assessments for both acute and chronic chemical and environmental hazard exposures to prevent or mitigate risks to the public
• Critically analyse and interpret complex data to inform the public health risk assessment
• Translate scientific evidence and policy into practical applications
• Contribute to the UKHSA Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response arrangements as a Category 1 responder
• Collaborate with stakeholders and multi-agency partners to ensure an effective and efficient public health response during emergencies
• Provide expert and authoritative advice in relation to chemical and environmental hazards to key stakeholders including Government departments, emergency services and members of the public
• Collaborate with stakeholders and multi-agency partners to improve the evidence base in order to protect the population from chemical and environmental hazards
• Effective communication of public health risk assessment and advice to stakeholders and members of the public
• Provide environmental public health training and teaching in relation to chemicals and environmental hazards

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Please see job description attached for full list of duties and competencies associated with the post.

Essential Criteria:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1250 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

Essential

• Good honours degree or equivalent in a scientific subject, or significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist area
• Good post-graduate Masters degree in a scientific subject or equivalent experience
• High level experience in the relevant scientific environment e.g. environmental hazards, public health protection
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, formally, informally, orally and in writing to UKHSA staff, and representatives from Government Departments and other organisations.
• Technical competence in analysing data coupled with good numerate ability and capable of analysing complex data

Desirable

• Experience in the provision of training
• Comprehensive knowledge of project planning and management
• Good presentation skills for training courses, scientific and more general meetings

Please ensure that your statement of suitability does not contain any personal identifiers such as Name, Gender, Location, Marital Status, Sexual Orientation or Religion. The UKHSA operates a fair and open recruitment policy.