Public Health Careers Weekly | Edition 011
Missed this week’s email? Welcome to the online edition of Public Health Careers Weekly. Every Friday, we publish carefully selected public health opportunities, sector updates and practical career advice to help you build your career in UK public health. If you’d like future editions delivered straight to your inbox every Friday, subscribe to Public Health Careers Weekly.
🌟 Opportunity of the Week
Project Administrator, UK Public Health Rapid Support Team
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
£34,741 to £38,986 pro rata | Full-time | Fixed term
Closing: 15 September 2026
Support the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team with administration, finance and logistics for work strengthening infectious-disease outbreak response internationally.
Why it matters: A particularly interesting route into health protection for someone whose strengths are organisation, coordination and programme support rather than advanced epidemiological analysis.
💼 Featured Opportunities
UK-PHRST Project Manager
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
£45,728 to £51,872 pro rata | Full-time | Fixed term
Closing: 15 September 2026
Manage planning, budgets, contracts, monitoring, research governance and partner relationships within the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team.
Why it matters: Shows how established project-management skills can translate directly into infectious-disease preparedness and response.
Research Programme Manager, Infection Research
University of St Andrews
£47,389 to £58,226 | Full-time | Fixed term for 36 months
Closing: 25 September 2026
Coordinate infection research spanning antimicrobial resistance, pathogen genomics, diagnostics, global health, health inequalities, pandemics and health security.
Why it matters: A strong mid-career opportunity for someone who can combine scientific understanding with project management and stakeholder engagement.
Mycoplasma Scientist and Laboratory Manager
Animal and Plant Health Agency
£34,434 | Permanent | Full-time
Closing: 17 September 2026
Support national and international reference laboratory work, surveillance and research on veterinary Mycoplasma species.
Why it matters: A useful example of the One Health workforce, where laboratory science, surveillance and disease prevention intersect.
Research Assistant, NIHR Policy Research Unit in Reproductive Health
UCL
Salary not stated in the listing | Full-time or part-time | Permanent
Closing: 22 September 2026
Support research designed to inform reproductive-health policy in England, with a focus on health inequalities and co-production.
Why it matters: A good opportunity for someone developing a research career around policy, inequalities and women’s health.
📰 This Week in Public Health
Wales publishes new guidance on digital exclusion
Public Health Wales has published a practical guide to help organisations identify and address barriers to digital participation, including affordability, accessibility, connectivity, confidence and language.
Why it matters: As health information and services become increasingly digital, digital exclusion is also a health inequalities issue.
Scotland invests £7.6 million in neurodevelopmental support
The Scottish Government announced £7.6 million on 9 September to strengthen local support for children and young people with neurodevelopmental needs, working across councils, health, education and the third sector.
Why it matters: It highlights the cross-sector workforce needed to address population needs that do not sit neatly within one service.
London programme reports reductions in childhood asthma emergencies
New NHS England reporting on Brent’s proactive asthma programme says it identified 1,877 children with suspected asthma and 922 at high risk. Early results show a 31% reduction in asthma-related A&E attendances and a 10% reduction in hospital admissions.
Why it matters: It is a practical example of targeted prevention, health inequalities work and population-level case finding translating into measurable outcomes.
🎓 Learning Opportunity
From consultation to co-creation
The Faculty of Public Health and University of Staffordshire’s Centre for Health and Development are hosting a free online webinar on 28 September exploring place-based co-creation with marginalised communities.
Why it matters: Useful for anyone working in health improvement, inequalities, community engagement or participatory research.
View the webinar and register
💡 Career Insight
Health protection needs more than epidemiologists
This week’s vacancies include project administration, programme management, laboratory surveillance and infection research coordination.
If health protection interests you, do not assume you need to enter through an epidemiologist job title. Operational, scientific and programme skills are also part of the workforce.
✍️ Application Tip
Do not stop after the essential criteria
Essential criteria determine whether you are appointable, but desirable criteria can help separate strong applicants.
Once you have clearly evidenced every essential requirement, check whether you can demonstrate any desirable criteria without weakening the rest of your statement.
Essentials first. Desirables second.
🎤 PHCH Resource of the Week
Interview Preparation
Already shortlisted?
PHCH Interview Preparation combines role-specific interview strategy with a mock interview and personalised preparation guide.
Explore PHCH Interview Preparation
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