Animal & Plant Health Agency

Scientific Software Developer Biomathematics & Risk Research Animal & Plant Health Agency Closing date – 21st April £28,604 National, £31,916 London - £31,920 National, £35,620 London (HSO) + specialist pay allowance of £6,000 Location: Weybridge, Surrey or Sand Hutton near York Support vital epidemiological research through IT innovation About us An executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) works to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy. Our Biomathematics and Risk Research Workgroup provides advanced modelling, software development and scientific computing within the Agency. The role This is an opportunity to use your software engineering expertise to support planning for animal disease control in the UK. You will develop and support innovative applications, including simulation models of national animal disease spread, surveillance and management; and estimation of epidemiological parameters. Specifically you will design and lead the development of complex hardware and software systems, liaising closely with veterinarians, policy advisors and industry representatives. As a result, you will make an important contribution to reports, scientific papers, presentations and project proposals. About you A Scala software engineer with expertise in simulation and data analysis.  Skills in R scripting, Amazon Web Services, or visualisation using D3 JavaScript would all be desirable, but training is available. You are likely to have a degree in a scientific or IT-related subject. Exceptional analytical and communication skills are essential. Benefits As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits, including:   Regular performance and development reviews 25 days of annual leave on entry, increasing to 30 days after 5 years One further day paid privilege entitlement to mark the Queen’s Birthday Flexible working patterns including part- time or time-term working Generous paid maternity and paternity leave Interest-free season ticket and bicycle loans Competitive contributory pension scheme