Government Office for Science (GOS) - Leadership Development Scheme for Mid-Career Scientists and Engineers
Job summary
The Government Office for Science is launching a new Leadership Development Scheme for mid-career scientists and engineers.
- Do you work in academia, industry, or the public sector?
- Are you passionate about using your science or engineering expertise to make a difference to national challenges?
- Are you interested in developing your leadership skills and increasing your ability to influence and have impact on policy or government activities?
This part-time, 12-month learning and development scheme is designed to enhance your leadership capabilities and develop your understanding of how the Civil Service functions, including how government uses science and engineering to shape and deliver policy.
The scheme will build your effectiveness to be able to shape and inform policy issues and guide programme delivery. It will enable you to become more influential on national and international challenges, more impactful within a policy environment and more effective in using your expertise to deliver better outcomes for citizens.
As a participant, you will develop the knowledge, skills and understanding to help you engage effectively across government in your day-to-day role as a scientist or engineer. Exposure to senior civil service roles and functions, in addition to bespoke coaching and mentoring during the scheme, will help you explore what leadership means as a scientist, engineer, or civil servant, and how you can develop the skills and behaviours to support your career development.
Participation in this scheme will be offered approximately one learning day each month over the course of 12 months, starting from Spring 2026.
The course will be delivered primarily through online events. There will also be optional online learning modules, informal learning opportunities, and tailored mentoring which will be flexible around participant’s availability
Depending on candidate availability and feedback, we will also offer the option of in-person workshops in locations around the UK. Travel and subsistence costs and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed by the Government Office for Science in line with our expenses policy.
This is a pilot scheme in its first year and participants will be asked to provide feedback throughout the programme to shape activities and the approach for future years. This will also be used to refine the scheme for future iterations.
The deadline for applications is 23:55 Monday 9th February 2026.
Job description
Purpose of the Leadership Development Scheme
This new pilot scheme offers Leadership Development for mid-career scientists and engineers from across academia, industry and the public sector (public and civil servants) and related organisations.
The scheme aims to:
- Build awareness of how government works – by strengthening your knowledge of how the Government develops, creates and delivers policy. This will include an introduction to leadership, management, culture and ways of working across the Civil Service. Training on professional standards for Senior Civil Service recruitment and performance will also be delivered;
- Develop understanding of science and engineering advice for government - by giving participants an understanding of the range of ways in which science and engineering expertise and knowledge is used. This will include how it is utilised to shape, contribute to and inform policymaking and delivery of public services;
- Demystify Civil Service professions and functions – by breaking down barriers and challenging myths around the work of the Civil Service. This includes explaining Civil Service recruitment processes and learning about the roles of scientists and engineering in the Civil Service. Other professions and functions will also be explored;
- Support your leadership journey:
- Supporting participants to reflect on their own leadership and professional skills and experience and how these align to civil service frameworks and needs;
- Enabling participants to build networks of contacts within leadership cohorts across the wider Civil Service, industry and academia. Included in this is the option of an alumni scheme for continued engagement;
- Offer a mentoring scheme to participants on the programme to learn directly from Civil Service leaders across a range of different roles.
What is involved
This programme will be delivered by Government Office for Science, with support and in partnership with Senior Civil Servants from across government as well as the Government Policy Profession, government experts, and professional leadership development trainers.
Participation in this scheme will require a commitment of approximately 1 day a month over the course of 12 months, beginning from early 2026. A full schedule of activities will be provided in advance, with a minimum commitment of 12 days of core content plus optional additional opportunities including mentoring and participation on government events.
The course will be delivered through a blend of online and in-person events based in locations around the UK, with travel and subsistence costs and reasonable expenses reimbursed by the Government Office for Science.
By applying for this scheme, candidates confirm that they have discussed with their employers if necessary and have appropriate arrangements in place to support full participation across the year.
Please see the candidate pack for more details.
Person specification
Eligibility
This programme is for mid-career scientists and engineers who wish to develop their leadership potential, use their expertise in public service, drive forward new ideas or approaches to benefit others and make a significant contribution to national goals. It is aimed at those who have a strong interest in working with or in the Civil Service and who want to build their skills for leadership and influencing effectively in a policy or delivery environment or improving public service delivery.
We welcome applications from academia, industry and the public sector including scientists or engineers currently based in a Government Department, Public Sector Research Establishment or Arms’ Length Body, who meet the criteria outlined below, and who are currently seeking a senior leadership role.
In line with the UK Government’s Places for Growth initiative, we would especially welcome applications from candidates based in academia, industry, and the wider Civil Service who are based outside of London and South-East England.
Please note the two essential criteria for this scheme:
- Academic or professional qualifications:
- Candidates from academia must hold a PhD in a science, engineering, or social/behavioural science subject
- Candidates from outside academia must hold a PhD or hold a post graduate qualification in a STEM field (at least Masters level) and a professional qualification that demonstrates depth of specialist science or engineering knowledge and its practical application to solve complex problems.
- Career stage:
Candidates must currently hold a position that demonstrates senior responsibility for science or engineering knowledge development, management of the work of other scientists or engineers, or management of projects including providing technical oversight. Responsibility should be equivalent to one of the following:
- For candidates from an academic or research environment, such as a university or research organisation, the expected level of seniority would range from Early Career Fellowship, Research Fellow or Junior Group Lead to Senior Lecturer or Associate Professor;
- For candidates from industry or public sector settings, the expected level of seniority would be equivalent to Senior Scientist or Engineer, Technical Leader e.g. Lead Technician or Lead Engineer, Programme or Project Manager or Director.
- Current civil servants applying for the scheme must be a substantive Grade 6 or Grade 7 and must not be undergoing any formal performance procedures.
Licences
Though specific licences are not required to be eligible for this scheme, you must confirm that you hold postgraduate and professional qualifications that meet the eligibility criteria for this scheme (as indicated in the candidate pack).Memberships
Though specific memberships are not required to be eligible for this scheme, you must confirm that you hold relevant experience that meets our definition of mid-career stage, as indicated in the candidate pack. You must indicate this experience on your CV.Benefits
Please see the attached Candidate Information pack for further information.Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.Selection process details
How to apply
You will need to register for a Civil Service Jobs account to complete your application.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit information on the following:
- The qualifications you hold.
- You should note the qualification requirements as part of the scheme’s eligibility criteria, and indicate any relevant qualifications in the ‘qualifications’ box in the Civil Service Jobs application portal.
- To ensure the fair assessment of applications, you should not indicate the academic institutions where you were awarded your qualifications.
- You qualification information will be checked against the essential criteria for this scheme.
- A CV, broken down into ‘Employment History’ and ‘Skills and Experience’.
- You should use the Employment History box (750-word limit) to concisely list your current and prior job roles, organisations/institutions (including academic institutions, if relevant) and dates.
- You should then use the Skills and Experience box (750-word limit) to expand on the specific skills and responsibilities of each role. This should also include any relevant professional qualifications you may hold (such as charterships or fellowships of learned societies).
- Your employment information will be checked against the essential criteria for this scheme.
- Your motivation for applying to this scheme.
- You will be asked to provide a 1250-word personal statement describing your motivation drivers and your interest in leadership and senior government work, referring to your prior experience where relevant.
- The personal statement should outline:
- why you have applied to join the Leadership Development Scheme, and which elements of the course are particularly important for you and your development
- how the scheme will benefit your career plans in the future
- what you can offer to others on the scheme, given the networking opportunities provided by this course.
- Your career track.
You will be asked to indicate the career background or sector from which you are currently based. Please select the label which best fits your current role:
- Academia
- Industry
- Public sector
- Civil service
- Other
Please note that this is not part of the selection criteria. We will use this information to confirm how the eligibility criteria outlined above applies to your application, and to evaluate our communications approach to ensure we attract a balanced sector diversity for the cohort.
- Your location. You will be asked to indicate your regional location as part of the application. Note: This is not part of the selection criteria – this information will be used to inform logistical planning for delivery of the scheme, and to evaluate our communications approach to ensure we attract a balanced geographic diversity for the cohort.
For further information, please refer to the candidate pack.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.