Environmental Public Health Practitioner
UK Health Security Agency
Bristol, BS1 6EH
Job Summary
The Environmental Hazards and Emergencies (EHE) Department provides authoritative scientific advice to government, NHS and other bodies. EHE’s mission is to prepare for and prevent future health security hazards, strengthen capability and respond to chemical and environmental emergencies, and build the UK’s capacity on health security for new and long-term exposure to environmental hazards.
The EHE Department comprises of multidisciplinary teams of scientists working across geographically dispersed locations within England & Wales. The department is responsible for providing specialist advice at local,national and international level on the public health impact of acute and chronic non-infectious environmental exposures.
Working for your organisation
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. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Scientists collaborate with academia on research and evidence reviews to underpin this advice, such as via the National Institute of Health Research Health Protection Research Units (HPRU). Many scientists sit on cross government and multi-agency expert groups relevant to environmental public health. EHE also provides support to the Government’s expert Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP).
The post holder, based within one of the chemical and environmental hazards teams (see job advert for location), will respond to chemical & environmental hazard incidents and enquiries which threaten people's health, through provision of public health risk assessments. Such threats might involve chemical fires, chemical contamination of the environment, or deliberate release of chemicals. The postholder will contribute to development of evidence and provision of expert environmental public health advice to government, multi-agency stakeholders and members of the public.
Responsibilities Will Include But Not Be Limited To:
- Incident Response:
- Contribute to the UKHSA Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response arrangements as a Category 1 responder
- Collaborate within EHE, relevant regulators and others to promote an effective public health response service, providing advice on public health protection
- Undertake environmental public health risk assessments for acute & chronic chemical and environmental hazard exposures to prevent or mitigate risks to the public
- With support, critically analyse and interpret complex data and evidence to inform public health assessments and advice Publication & communication:
- Review environmental permit applications; health impact or environmental impact assessments or planning applications providing advice on threats to public health
- Plan and carry out, with support, complex scientific studies of high quality to formulate robust evidence-based advice for environmental public health
- Contribute to research papers for submission to peer reviewed journals
- Participate in scientific meetings and conferences, presenting papers describing research activities. These may be at internal (UKHSA), national, European or international events
- Training:
- Disseminate information and knowledge gathered from participation at workshops, meetings, seminars and conferences to EHE colleagues
- Assist in provision of training on environmental public health issues for a range of stakeholders, in support of EHE training courses
- Assist in reviewing any training materials to improve training outcomes
- Participate at multi-agency training including emergency planning, chemical incident exercises and other technical workshops
This is not an exhaustive list.
Scientists collaborate with academia on research and evidence reviews to underpin this advice, such as via the National Institute of Health Research Health Protection Research Units (HPRU). Many scientists sit on cross government and multi-agency expert groups relevant to environmental public health. EHE also provides support to the Government’s expert Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP).
The post holder, based within one of the chemical and environmental hazards teams (see job advert for location), will respond to chemical & environmental hazard incidents and enquiries which threaten people's health, through provision of public health risk assessments. Such threats might involve chemical fires, chemical contamination of the environment, or deliberate release of chemicals. The postholder will contribute to development of evidence and provision of expert environmental public health advice to government, multi-agency stakeholders and members of the public.
Responsibilities Will Include But Not Be Limited To:
- Incident Response:
- Contribute to the UKHSA Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response arrangements as a Category 1 responder
- Collaborate within EHE, relevant regulators and others to promote an effective public health response service, providing advice on public health protection
- Undertake environmental public health risk assessments for acute & chronic chemical and environmental hazard exposures to prevent or mitigate risks to the public
- With support, critically analyse and interpret complex data and evidence to inform public health assessments and advice Publication & communication:
- Review environmental permit applications; health impact or environmental impact assessments or planning applications providing advice on threats to public health
- Plan and carry out, with support, complex scientific studies of high quality to formulate robust evidence-based advice for environmental public health
- Contribute to research papers for submission to peer reviewed journals
- Participate in scientific meetings and conferences, presenting papers describing research activities. These may be at internal (UKHSA), national, European or international events
- Training:
- Disseminate information and knowledge gathered from participation at workshops, meetings, seminars and conferences to EHE colleagues
- Assist in provision of training on environmental public health issues for a range of stakeholders, in support of EHE training courses
- Assist in reviewing any training materials to improve training outcomes
- Participate at multi-agency training including emergency planning, chemical incident exercises and other technical workshops
This is not an exhaustive list.
Person specification
Essential Role Criteria
- Degree in science or environmental science, or equivalent Level 6 qualification, or equivalent experience in a similar role
- Analysis of scientific and technical data
- Experience of scientific project work
- Ability to observe and question when gathering information, and identifying key issues
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage own workload
- Good presentation skills with experience of creating and giving presentations to varied audiences such as team colleagues and external stakeholders
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships
- Proficient working knowledge of Microsoft Office
Desirable Role Criteria
- Broad general knowledge of environmental sciences and environmental public health
- Experience of scientific research and development
- Ability to write evidence based scientific material
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Please note that for roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.
Alongside your salary of £33,422, UK Health Security Agency contributes £9,682 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your behaviours, strengths, ability, experience and technical skills.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 8 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of:
- an application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- a 1000 word supporting statement.
This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.
Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 words. We will not consider any words over1000 words.
Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:
- Meets all essential criteria
- Meets some essential criteria
- Meets no essential criteria
Only those meeting all essential criteria will be taken through to shortlisting.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
- Degree in science or environmental science, or equivalent Level 6 qualification, or equivalent experience in a similar role
- Analysis of scientific and technical data
- Experience of scientific project work
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a face to face interview in Bristol. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Behaviours, strengths, ability, experience and technical skills will be tested at interview.
You will be required to prepare a 10 minutes presentation on 'Describe a key public health challenge in the UK' as part of the interview.
The Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be:
- Working Together (Lead behaviour)
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communication and Influencing
Interviews will be held 16th July 2026. Please note, these dates are subject to change.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working based in Bristol.
We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, averaged over a month) on-site.
Eligibility criteria
Option 1 - External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Security clearance level requirement
Part 1
Successful candidates must pass a basic Disclosure and Barring Security (DBS) check before they can be appointed.
Part 2
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard clearance.
Salary information
If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary.
Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Careers website
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
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)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
- Name : Jon Payne
- Email : ***email_hidden***
Recruitment team
- Email : [email protected]
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
