Guidance

Professional pathways

Published 21 May 2024

About

Learn more about the work each of our professions at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), how they fit into our mission and the opportunities they provide for your growth.

Science

We’re extremely proud of the scientific expertise within UKHSA, which is essential to ensure UKHSA fulfils our remit to prevent, prepare for and respond to public health threats.

Watch epidemiologist Neelam Iqbal on her career at UKHSA

Working in science at UKHSA

Our team of researchers, scientists, and analysts are at the forefront of understanding diseases, developing innovative solutions, and analysing health trends. We provide intellectual, scientific and operational leadership on public health at national and international levels.

Whether it’s conducting ground-breaking research on infectious diseases or environmental hazards, studying the efficacy of vaccines and other interventions, or analysing data to predict and prevent outbreaks, our scientists play a vital role in safeguarding public health.

Career development

Through continuous learning and development opportunities, including access to state-of-the-art laboratories and collaboration with leading experts, our scientific professionals have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, refine their skills, and make meaningful contributions to the health and well-being of communities across the nation and beyond.

We offer externally and internally funded PhD studentships across the full range of different disciplines, we support colleagues to undertake a number of different science specific apprenticeships, and we offer health care and clinical scientist training programmes in partnership with NHS England.

Scientific disciplines

Our scientific disciplines include:

• environmental hazards and epidemiology
• infectious diseases epidemiology
• healthcare epidemiology
• microbiology
• virology
• data science
• toxicology
• genomics bioinformatics
• biostatistics
• modelling
• public health
• medicine
• physics and radiation protection
• chemistry
• biomedical sciences
• engineering
• immunology
• behavioural and social sciences
• health economics

Commercial

Our commercial professionals manage relationships with external partners, vendors, and suppliers to ensure the efficient procurement of goods and services that we need.

Whether negotiating contracts, overseeing procurement processes, or managing supplier relationships, they all contribute to the effective functioning of our organisation.

With alignment to the government commercial function, we provide training in contract management and negotiation skills to enhance their expertise and contribute to cost-effective solutions that support our mission of protecting public health.

Communications

Effective communication is essential to protect public health. Our communication strategies ‘warn, inform and alert’ the public to heightened health risks, promoting actions such as vaccination or raising awareness of anti-microbial resistance. Our goal is to increase understanding of how behaviours impact public health and can empower people to protect themselves and each other.

In their vital role in shaping perceptions and sharing accurate information, our communications professionals might be developing communication strategies, drafting press releases, managing social media channels or internal events and intranet content.

All our communications professionals are members of the Government Communication Service. To support them, we provide training in wide range of topics such as crisis communication and media relations to enhance their skills and contribute to building public understanding and confidence in our organisation.

Data, Analytics, and Surveillance

Our talented community of data, analytics, and surveillance professionals play a critical role in collecting, analysing, and interpreting health data to inform public health decisions.

They apply cutting-edge technologies and methodologies to monitor and track disease trends, detect outbreaks, and assess the effectiveness of interventions. They contribute to evidence-based decision-making across the agency, helping to shape public health policies and make a real tangible difference in protecting the health of the population.

Economics

Economists at UKHSA play a crucial role in evaluating the economic impact of public health policies and interventions.

Whether assessing the cost-effectiveness of vaccination programs or conducting economic evaluations of healthcare services, our economists provide invaluable insights that inform strategic decision-making and resource allocation.

Through ongoing learning and development opportunities, including training in health economics and policy analysis, our economics professionals have the chance to deepen their expertise and contribute to evidence-based solutions that promote public health and well-being.

Finance

Our finance professionals manage financial resources, budgeting, and financial reporting to support our mission of safeguarding public health.

Whether analysing financial data, developing budgets, or ensuring compliance with financial regulations, they provide essential support to our organisation.

Training in financial management and accounting principles enhances their skills and contributes to sound financial stewardship helping us to achieve our goals.

Geography

Our geographers use spatial analysis and geographic information systems (GIS) to understand the distribution of health outcomes, identify vulnerable populations, and target interventions effectively.

Whether mapping disease outbreaks, assessing environmental health risks, or optimising healthcare resource allocation, they play a critical role in promoting health equity and resilience.

They have access to training in GIS technologies and spatial epidemiology, enabling them to develop their skills and contribute to evidence-based strategies that improve health.

Health

Our team of dedicated teams of health specialists are committed to driving public health initiatives, promoting disease prevention, and improving community well-being.

Whether it’s designing and implementing vaccination programs, conducting health promotion campaigns, or providing expert consultancy and guidance on disease control and other health improvement measures, our health professionals play a critical role in protecting and improving the health of the population.

Our professional learning and development opportunities include training on public health strategies, epidemiology, and health policy. These offer those within our health functions the chance to deepen their expertise, broaden their impact, and contribute to positive health outcomes for individuals and communities nationwide.

Human resources

Our human resources professionals support the recruitment, development and retention of our diverse workforce, ensuring we provide fulfilling roles and careers for our employees. This ensures we have the talent and capabilities needed to achieve our mission of protecting public health.

Whether designing training programmes, driving organisational development and change, or providing guidance to line managers on people matters, they play a critical role in supporting the ongoing development of an inclusive, high-performance culture.

Legal

Our legal professionals provide expert guidance on public health legal matters including regulatory compliance, policy development, and risk management.

Whether drafting contracts, interpreting legislation, or providing counsel on ethical considerations, they ensure our organisation operates in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

We provide training in topics such as public health law and regulatory compliance, to deepen their expertise and contribute to the legal framework that supports our mission of protecting public health.

Operational delivery

Our operational delivery professionals are responsible for ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of our frontline services and operations.

Whether coordinating emergency response efforts, managing logistical support for field operations, or overseeing service delivery channels, they’re vital in safeguarding public health.

Ongoing learning and development in emergency preparedness and operational management supports them to develop their skills and contribute to the resilience and effectiveness of our operations.

Policy

Our policy professionals develop and implement policies and strategies to address public health challenges and advance our mission of protecting and improving the health of the population.

Whether drafting legislation, conducting policy analysis, or engaging stakeholders to advocate for evidence-based policies, they shape the public health agenda.

We support their work with learning and development around topics such as health policy analysis and advocacy skills to deepen their expertise and contribute to shaping policies that promote health equity and resilience.

Project delivery

Our project delivery professionals oversee the planning, execution, and monitoring of large-scale projects and initiatives to achieve our strategic objectives and priorities.

Whether managing complex projects, coordinating cross-functional teams, or implementing project management methodologies, or they ensure initiatives are delivered on time and within budget.

We offer training in line with the Civil Service project delivery capability framework which includes guidance for training in project management techniques and change management practices. This means our project delivery professionals can enhance their skills and contribute to the successful execution of projects that drive our mission forward.

Property

Property professionals at UKHSA oversee the management and maintenance of our physical assets, ensuring that our facilities are safe, functional, and conducive to our mission of protecting public health.

Whether managing leases, overseeing facility upgrades, or implementing sustainability initiatives, our property team members contribute to the effective operation of our organisation.

Through ongoing learning and development opportunities, including training in property management and facilities maintenance, our property professionals have the opportunity to enhance their skills and contribute to creating a supportive environment for our staff and stakeholders.

Security

Our security professionals ensure we safeguard the sensitive information we hold, the infrastructure we work within, and our people against potential threats.

Whether implementing cybersecurity measures to protect data integrity or ensuring the physical security of critical facilities, they provide essential support to our mission of protecting public health.

Training in security protocols and risk management strategies enhances their skills and contribute to a safe and secure environment for our people, stakeholders and the communities we serve.

Social research

Our social research professionals conduct research and analysis to understand the social determinants of health, inform public health policies and address health disparities.

Whether conducting surveys, analysing qualitative data, or evaluating intervention programs, they provide valuable insights that contribute to evidence-based strategies for promoting health equity and wellbeing.

Training in research methodologies and social epidemiology deepens their expertise and contributes to creating healthier and more equitable communities.

Technology

We recognise and embrace the importance of technology in enabling our success. Our people working in technology make sure we have the cutting-edge tools and innovations to enhance data analysis, track outbreaks, and improve healthcare delivery.

From developing sophisticated digital platforms for disease surveillance to implementing advanced analytics for public health decision-making, they’re at the forefront of driving innovation in healthcare.

Through ongoing learning and development initiatives, including training on emerging technologies and collaboration with industry partners, they continuously enhance their skills, stay ahead of technological advancements, and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of public health.

Search roles we are currently recruiting for on Civil Service Jobs.