This role is being offered as office based at our Scientific Campus in Porton. If based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Job Summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join the UKHSA SEQOHS (Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service) accredited service. You will work within a multidisciplinary OH team that are nationally based with some staff site based, hybrid or home based.
The multidisciplinary team includes 4 travel health and Immunisation nurses across 2 sites (Porton and Colindale – including this role), Senior Occupational Health Advisors (Specialist Community Public Health Nurses) , Head of OH and 2 OH Clinical and Governance Managers (all SCPHN), OH Service Lead, an administration technical support team and a part time OH Physician and Physiotherapist (OH workplace adjustment assessments) through contract.
We are looking for an experienced Travel Health and Immunisation nurse, the role is key to the OH service ability to respond to the current and evolving needs of the organisation. Previous experience of assessing for and delivering vaccinations is essential. Travel health training would be advantageous, but will also be provided. You will provide travel health risk assessments, immunisations and advice to UKHSA staff both in onsite clinics, Microsoft teams and by telephone.
They will ensure service delivery is in line with best practice, compliant with departmental policies & procedures and meets all legislative requirements. This specialist nurse will demonstrate the competencies outlined in the RCN Travel Health nurse competency framework (2018).
Job Description
- Providing a comprehensive and proactive travel health service for all staff required to travel for business purposes for UKHSA referring to external specialist services as required.
- Accurately record and collate all health data and communicate appropriate clinical advice and highly sensitive information verbally and on the electronic OH records management system.
- Liaise with the Global Operations team to ensure that the level of OH support pre, during and post deployment is in line with that indicated through the travel approval process.
- Manage and deliver the workplace immunisation and immunity screening program for site-based staff working with infectious pathogens in accordance with local risk assessments.
- Support with the planning and delivery of the internal staff annual influenza immunisation programme.
- Undertake statutory Health Surveillance activities( including spirometry) for staff identified as working with hazardous substances in accordance with local risk assessments.
- Undertake Fitness for Task Medical Assessments for staff undertaking specified roles that have additional identified medical assessment requirements.
- Carry out pre-placement and new starter health assessments for new staff joining the organisation. This may include venepuncture for work related serology ( e.g. Hepatitis B antibodies).
- Providing a comprehensive and proactive travel health service for all staff required to travel for business purposes for UKHSA referring to external specialist services as required.
- Accurately record and collate all health data and communicate appropriate clinical advice and highly sensitive information verbally and on the electronic OH records management system.
- Liaise with the Global Operations team to ensure that the level of OH support pre, during and post deployment is in line with that indicated through the travel approval process.
- Manage and deliver the workplace immunisation and immunity screening program for site-based staff working with infectious pathogens in accordance with local risk assessments.
- Support with the planning and delivery of the internal staff annual influenza immunisation programme.
- Undertake statutory Health Surveillance activities( including spirometry) for staff identified as working with hazardous substances in accordance with local risk assessments.
- Undertake Fitness for Task Medical Assessments for staff undertaking specified roles that have additional identified medical assessment requirements.
- Carry out pre-placement and new starter health assessments for new staff joining the organisation. This may include venepuncture for work related serology ( e.g. Hepatitis B antibodies).
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- NMC Registration (working in accordance with the NMC Code as a registered nurse)
- Training and experience of working in travel health nursing, undertaking clinical consultation, vaccine administration and delivering risk-based travel advice for overseas deployments
- Understanding of health threats posed by working in field conditions during disease outbreaks or humanitarian response and in low- and middle-income countries.
- Ability to work as part of a team, be enthusiastic, conscientious and well organized
- Excellent IT skills and ability to work with patient data systems; maintains records in line with data protection requirements and the NMC Code of Conduct
- Provide advice and support to staff in a work-related context in the event of pandemic or disease outbreak.
- Attend site and organisational meetings as required such as site Health and Safety meetings.
- Support in the management and signposting for care of staff who have been involved in an exposure incident within the workplace.
Desirable Role Criteria
- Formal travel medicine training at post graduate level
- Membership of the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM), and/or Associate Membership of the Faculty of Travel Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
- Experience of working in an Occupational Health setting with a multi-disciplinary team delivering a national service
- Experience of quality improvement activities
- 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%
Selection process details
Stage 1: Application & Sift
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
You Will Be Required To Complete An
- Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- (up to 1000 words) word supporting statement.
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role.
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)
Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we may longlist into 3 piles of:
- Meets all essential criteria
- Meets some essential criteria
- Meets no essential criteria
Only those who meet all essential criteria will be taken through to the next stage.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
- NMC Registration (working in accordance with the NMC Code as a registered nurse)
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.
Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Interview Stage (competency Based)
You will be invited to an in-person interview.
Interviews will be held week commencing Monday 3rd November 2025, please note these dates are subject to change.
This vacancy is being assessed using competency based framework. During the interview we will assess against the below:
- Knowledge
- Experience
- Skills and Abilities
You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-10 minute presentation at the start of your interview. This will entail and for you to present, a quality improvement project that you have been involved with, in relation to travel medicine.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Security Clearance Level Requirement
All successful candidates must meet the basic security requirements before they can be appointed.
- Successful candidates must pass an enhanced disclosure and barring security check.
This role is being offered as office based at our Scientific Campus in Porton Down . You will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Eligibility Criteria
External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).
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.
NHS Pension
This role is offered under Agenda for Change (AFC) Terms and Conditions.
If you are already on AFC T&Cs or accept the role on a fixed-term contract, you will be enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme or keep your current AFC Pension.
If you take the role on a loan or temporary promotion, you will retain your existing substantive T&Cs.
If the role is available under either AFC or Civil Service T&Cs depending on your registration, your pension scheme will align accordingly.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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).
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 : John Inglis
- Email : john.inglis@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
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: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk 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
