Job title: Biosurveillance Research Scientist
Location: On-site at our Porton Down facility
Help protect the UK from emerging infectious threats.
Join the Diagnostics & Pathogen Characterisation Division at Porton, where our teams tackle some of the world’s most important public health challenges. Within the Virology, Pathogenesis & Pathogen Characterisation group, you’ll work at the forefront of surveillance for arboviruses, viral haemorrhagic fevers and other high‑impact zoonotic pathogens.
We’re looking for a Biosurveillance Research Scientist to play a hands‑on role in our animal sentinel and vector surveillance programmes — with opportunities to support human serosurveillance too. If you want a role that takes you from the field to the lab to the data dashboard, this is it.
What you’ll do
- Collect samples in the field and support citizen‑science surveillance.
- Process and test samples using ELISA, RT‑PCR and high‑throughput workflows.
- Maintain biobanks and manage high‑quality datasets.
- Carry out statistical and spatial analyses, including GIS.
- Contribute to reports, presentations and scientific outputs.
- Travel for fieldwork and sampling as needed.
This is a rare chance to be involved in every stage of the biosurveillance pipeline — a varied, meaningful role with real public health impact.
What you’ll bring
- A BSc in a relevant biological science.
- Experience in vector‑borne disease or zoonosis surveillance.
- Strong data skills: databases, data handling, visualisation and statistics.
- Practical experience with ELISA and RT‑PCR.
- Excellent communication skills, from public engagement to scientific reporting.
- Strong organisation, problem‑solving and attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently and adapt to changing priorities.
- A valid UK driving licence.
Desirable:
- R or other coding experience, and fieldwork involving animals, vectors or ecological studies.
Click ‘apply’ to access the full advert and application details on Civil Service Jobs.
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