The postholder will be the lead modeller in the Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Division (IVPD) for respiratory virus diseases. This is a permanent post. This is a key post contributing to UKHSA’s capacity and capability in transmission-dynamic modelling and health economic evaluations to further understanding and inform decision-making. As well as requiring specific technical expertise, this post requires broad scientific knowledge and involves substantial interdisciplinary working (e.g. with medical, clinical, and scientific staff) within UKHSA and in other organisations, nationally and internationally. The postholder’s work will directly inform deliberations by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and UK policy.

The work done by the postholder will help shape future policy making and scientific advances in this field. Hence it carries considerable potential for original scientific work and requires a high degree of personal motivation.

Current work areas will include:

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme modelling, including population dynamics as vaccines for older infants and toddlers are developed, working with the Respiratory Infections HPRU and other organisations. Adult risk group RSV cost-effectiveness may be a further area of work in a lead or supporting role.

Influenza. Current activities include analysis of the impact of the seasonal flu vaccination programmes on hospitalisations and mortality, including identifying where additional data collection could reduce model uncertainty, and comparative cost-effectiveness of different vaccines including novel technologies. You may also contribute to influenza pandemic preparedness and countermeasures modelling. There may be opportunities to support analysis of geo-temporal patterns of influenza disease and their relationship with vaccine uptake. Collaborative work on forecasting seasonal influenza impact using population serosurveillance, strain diversity data and healthcare surveillance data is also within scope.

Human metapneumovirus vaccines are in development (many as dual vaccines with RSV) and this is expected to be a developing area of work in collaboration with academic partners to support programme decision making.