Main areas of work will include:
Act as Deputy for Work group leader, managing the diagnostic and research activities across the workgroup and as a member of the Workgroup’s senior scientist team; will contribute to strategic planning.
Contribute to Defra and APHA policies and duties regarding risks arising from notifiable and other diseases.
Liaise with the international teams to support our compliance to trading standards and international ambition for ODA.
Coordinate the disease outbreak preparedness and responses and liaise with other teams within Virology and across APHA and DEFRA.
Oversee and manage the execution of delegated project objectives, milestones, work plans, progress and deadlines. Assess performance against the various delegated tasks within the workgroup and monitor progress.
Obtain permissions for work (Home office and HSE), ensuring the work is delivered in accord with compliance with legal requirements and licenses as required.
Represent VI5 (and the Dept as required) for the agreed consultancy/expert groups and/or coordinate VI5’s interaction with such groups.
Identify potential funding sources and contribute to applications from concepts to full project proposals.
Seek and develop opportunities for the initiation of (collaborative) research proposals, both nationally and internationally specifically through accessing opportunities out with UK government funding.
Liaise with customers both inside and outside the APHA in managing and attracting commercial and collaborative projects.
Prepare reports and progress reviews for internal and external, stakeholders, customers and collaborators.
Remain up to date by reading relevant publications to maintain and develop breadth of knowledge.
Assist the communication of science and science-management through participation in internal and external meetings.
Ensure that self and staff maintain safe operation.
Ensuring appropriate CPD for self and WG in accordance with AZVDP and APHA strategies.
Liaise with APHA scientific and QASB, e.g. as commentator for EQA schemes.
Develop and maintain professional affiliations and positions as relevant.
Deliver value for money and support the WGL and WG manager to deliver to budget with due regard for planning and expenditure.
Deputise for the WGL on Health & Safety matters e.g. at the Departmental Safety Virology Management Team (SVMT) meetings.
Act as disease consultant (DC) or deputy DC as required.
Be a specialist in a scientific area linking to Virology and host-pathogen interaction.
Person specification
You will need to demonstrate the following:
Knowledge of and practical experience with Veterinary Virology
Experience with pathogenesis and molecular characterisation of viruses
Good written and oral communication skills (to deliver outputs such as manuscripts, presentations or applications and reports)
Working in containment level 3 and bio-safety expertise/experience
Experience with Good Laboratory Practice and/or Quality management systems such as ISO9001
Experience with Health & Safety regulations/operations
Experience in project management