Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
Principal Epidemiologist
🇬🇧London, England, United Kingdom11 hours ago
SeniorFull TimeEN
We are currently looking for a Principal Epidemiologist to join our Scientific Data & Insight Function within the Safety & Surveillance group.
This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU.
Who are we?
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.
To deliver effectively on our central mission of protecting public health, we need robust vigilance processes that are able to quickly detect, monitor and evaluate safety signals across the product lifecycle, the ability to critically evaluate the benefit/risk balance of signals of concern and design effective risk mitigations, to communicate effectively to patients and the public and a healthcare system able to implement them. The Safety and Surveillance Group brings together into a single integrated structure expertise on the safety of all medical products with enforcement capabilities. These functions are supported by the Agency’s data and evidence generating capabilities complementing our signal generating abilities delivered via the common vigilance platform SafetyConnect.
Safety remains at the heart of all our decision making across the product life cycle. The central mission of the Safety & Surveillance portfolio is to protect the public by appropriately identifying, assessing and managing the risks associated with medical products. In every aspect of this work, we harness the best science, technology, information and professional practice to protect patients in new and impactful ways
In support of this mission, the Scientific Data & Insight function is responsible for developing expertise in house to deliver evidence to underpin these new approaches. Quality and speed of regulatory decision making is dependent on having access to high-quality, representative data in a timely fashion but also being able to access and analyse in-house data and information in the most effective way. A critical aspect of this work will include the exploration and application of new analytical methodologies including AI and machine learning methods such as natural language processing, large language models and computer modelling and simulation approaches. Hence developing and strengthening capacity and capability in data science within MHRA is a key strategic objective to ensure we are best placed to address the future evidence generation needs for both medicines and devices.
What’s the role?
Medicines and devices regulation is at a critical juncture driven by a rapidly changing scientific, technological, and analytical landscape which, in turn, is driving a paradigm shift in the understanding of disease, drug development and device design, challenging all stakeholders to look beyond conventional sources of evidence to better support decision making.
We now have new opportunities to innovate and support more definitive and timely regulatory decisions with the scale, scope, and volume of healthcare and related data available. When combined with new analytical methodologies, this has the potential to deliver real time information on both benefits and risk of medical products. Routes to impact are challenging and will require collaborative working across continents and sectors to ensure co-ordination rather than duplication.
The Principal Epidemiologist will be placed within the Scientific Data & Insight function. This is a new and exciting senior thought leadership role that will be a critical catalyst of innovation in the agency. The role holder will apply their expertise and networking skills to drive forward an agenda of modernising our vigilance systems. This will include establishing new methodological approaches, forging collaborations with academia, and enabling us to deploy new state of the art methods to fundamentally change our approach to vigilance.
Operating with significant scientific autonomy, the Principal Epidemiologist will act as a thought leader and methodological innovator - driving forward high-profile projects, advising senior leadership, and contributing to the MHRA’s standing as a global leader in regulatory epidemiology. The role will require building and maintaining strategic partnerships with academic institutions, healthcare organisations, regulators and international bodies, ensuring the Agency’s work is informed by and contributes to the wider scientific and regulatory network.
This is a strategic role, focused on delivering high-impact, cross-cutting initiatives that have the potential to shape the Agency’s future capabilities.
Key responsibilities:
Lead the design, development, and application of advanced epidemiological methods to address complex regulatory challenges in medicines and medical device safety.
Identify and anticipate critical evidence gaps and deliver innovative real-world data analyses to inform regulatory decision making and public health protection.
Build and maintain strategic collaborations with UK and international academic, regulatory, and healthcare partners to enhance the MHRA’s epidemiological capabilities.
Proactively identify and secure external research funding opportunities, preparing high-quality proposals that expand the Agency’s resources and influence.
Represent the MHRA on national and international expert committees, advisory panels, and working groups, ensuring UK leadership in regulatory epidemiology.
Provide authoritative advice and thought leadership to senior Agency leadership, cross-Agency programmes, and government partners on methodological and regulatory issues.
Disseminate findings through high-impact publications, presentations, and stakeholder engagement, strengthening the MHRA’s standing as a global centre of excellence.
Mentor colleagues, foster innovation, and contribute to building in-house expertise and capability in pharmacoepidemiology and device epidemiology.
Who are we looking for?
Our successful candidate will:
Have expertise in advanced methods in pharmacoepidemiology.
Have a proven ability to shape organisational culture and strategic direction.
Be a recognised thought leader, evidenced by publications, invited keynotes, advisory roles, or leadership of expert working groups, both nationally and internationally.
Have a sustained record of high-impact scientific publication, including as first or senior (lead) author in leading peer-reviewed journals.
Have deep expertise in the use of real-world data assets, including advanced analytics in a regulatory or public health context.
Person Specification:
Method of assessment: A=Application, I=Interview, P=Presentation
Behaviour Criteria:
Seeing the Big Picture (A, I)
Changing and Improving (A, P, I)
Communicating and Influencing (A, P, I)
Experience Criteria:
Demonstrated leadership in solving complex, strategic challenges, using advanced epidemiological methods, with clear impact on regulatory policy, health system strategy, or major public health initiatives. (A, P, I)
Technical Criteria:
Doctoral qualification (or equivalent advanced experience) in epidemiology, statistics, or a closely related quantitative discipline. (A)
If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please read our Job Description and Person Specification!
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The selection process:
We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here.
Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application.
Presentation, to be prepared as part of your interview, with further information being supplied when you reach this stage.
Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.
Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency-based answers provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description.
Use of AI in Job Applications
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible.
Closing date: 01 June 2026
Shortlisting date: 03 June 2026
Interview date: 10 June 2026
If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk
Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.
Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:
Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Any move to the MHRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here.
Standard Cabinet Office rules on pay will apply to civil servants appointed on level transfer or promotion. Their salary will increase to the minimum of the SCS PB1 range or by a promotion award of up to 10% more than their current basic salary excluding all allowances (whichever is the greater).
Individuals appointed on level transfer will retain their existing basic salary excluding all allowances. You may be eligible for a non-consolidated annual bonus payment, subject to successful performance, in line with the Senior Civil Service pay arrangements. These are set annually within the guidelines laid down by the Cabinet Office.
Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk.
In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact careers@mhra.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
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About Us
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.
The agency is made up of c.1300 staff working across two main centres and peripatetically across the UK and abroad.
The agency consists of Corporate, Digital & Technology, Enablement, Healthcare Quality & Access, Partnerships, Safety & Surveillance and Scientific Research & Innovation.
