Healthcare Scientist Principal

Job Advert

Healthcare Scientist Principal

This post is an 18 Month Fixed Term / Secondment position. As per the Fixed Term Contacts Policy - Where individuals with continuous service within the NHS apply for fixed-term contract roles, NSS reserves the right to refuse any such appointment.

About the Organisation:
Public Health Scotland launched 1st April 2020 as a national health board, employing around 1200 people, and with an annual budget of around £101 million. Public Health Scotland wants to see a Scotland where everybody thrives, a Scotland where life expectancy improves and the difference in life expectancy between our poorest and wealthiest areas gets smaller.

The Post:
The role of the Clinical and Protecting Health Directorate is to protect the people of Scotland from infectious and environmental hazards; enable high-quality clinical and public health knowledge, research and innovation; and change clinical and public health practice by using audits at a national and local level.

Our Health Protection function has a number of specialist teams including Surveillance, Respiratory (Viral and Bacterial), Gastrointestinal and Zoonosis, Zoonotic Emerging Infections and Borders, Field Epidemiology, Environmental Public Health, Blood Borne Virus and Sexually Transmitted Infections.

We are seeking an experienced individual for the development, maintenance and delivery of key national health protection (HP) surveillance systems. Working closely with a multi-disciplinary team, you will support the evolution of HP surveillance tools. You will collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure surveillance systems are designed to maximise public health benefit.

The Candidate:
You will have a background in public health and knowledge of health protection surveillance.

You will have demonstrable leadership and management of staff. In this role you will analyse and interpret complex epidemiological data, produce regular surveillance reports, and provide expert advice to a wide range of stakeholders. Therefore, you should have excellent epidemiological and communication skills as you will be presenting highly specialised information at scientific and public forums.
Experience in evaluating the impact and performance of public health services/interventions and surveillance systems is essential, with knowledge of governance, ethical and legislative standards being advantageous.

If you choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced by AI or similar technologies.

Location and Working Pattern:
The post is based in either Gyle Square, Edinburgh or Bothwell Street, Glasgow. We are currently hybrid working; therefore, you will be expected to spend time in both PHS offices as well as the option to work at home.

There will be an expectation to travel to local areas for some meetings and events.

The work pattern is Monday to Friday, 36 hours per week.

PHS is a flexible employer, and we are happy to discuss requests for alternative working patterns

During times of public health emergency, or other urgent business need, you may be required on a temporary basis to work your normal contracted working hours over 7 days including weekends, in order to meet the needs of the service.

It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with PHS.

Benefits:
Our benefits package includes pension scheme, comprehensive range of work life balance policies, occupational health services, learning resource centres and discounted leisure, financial and shopping benefits. Click here to view the full range of the PHS Employee Benefits.

Further Information:
For an informal discussion on the post, please contact Fiona McKenzie, Head of Service via email [email protected]

Closing date for completed applications is Sunday 19th April 2026.

Further information on PHS is available from:

Please note that the majority of correspondence is sent by e-mail only, so please check your e-mail regularly (including junk folders).

Public Health Scotland is an equal opportunities employer and as such guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.