HM Specialist Inspector - Major Hazard Risk Assessment - (Band 3/SEO)

Job summary

Are you looking for a role like no other? Are you curious about conditions that lead to major hazards and how risk assessment is used to manage and reduce their occurrence? Do you want to protect people where they live and work? If so, then this is the perfect role for you!

At the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), we believe everyone has the right to come home safe and well from their job. That is why our mission is protecting people and places with the vision of helping everyone lead safer healthier lives: Protecting people and places: HSE strategy 2022 to 2032.

Within HSE, the Chemicals, Explosives & Microbiological Hazards Division (CEMHD) regulates health and safety across Great Britain’s onshore major hazard industries including chemical manufacturing, explosives manufacture and storage, and the handling of biological agents. The purpose of CEMHD is to make sure that the businesses with the potential for catastrophic events are managing those risks properly. This is accomplished through the collaboration of specialist inspectors from multiple fields, all working to protect people and their workplaces. This is an exciting time to join CEMHD with opportunities to develop and shape how we work in the future.

The Major Hazards Risk Assessment Unit (MHRAU) within CEMHD is responsible for contributing to the regulation of onshore major hazard sites. Under the Control of Major Hazards (COMAH) this is achieved by evaluating the suitability and sufficiency of an operator’s major hazard risk assessment. The unit also undertakes its own risk assessments of hazardous substances to inform HSE statutory advice to the planning system on public safety in the vicinity of major hazard sites and pipelines.

As a Specialist Inspector of Major Hazard Risk Assessment, you will be a key part of CEMHD’s work to regulate major hazard industries. You will use your technical knowledge and expertise to regulate major hazard industries and provide expert advice, thereby helping to prevent catastrophic accidents and reduce risks to people.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success, and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

Working Pattern

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours per week.

Job description

Our Specialist Inspectors of Major Hazard Risk Assessment help to ensure employers and the public across Great Britain are as safe as practically possible. You’ll work alongside other technical specialists to ensure the work activities of those we regulate are operating within the legislative frameworks.

There are two main ways you will impact protecting people and places. First, through the regulation of COMAH sites and secondly, by providing expert safety advice to the local planning system on public safety arising from major hazard sites and pipelines.

In this role, you will review risk assessment demonstrations from COMAH operators and use a combination of your influencing skills and regulatory powers, as appropriate, to gain compliance within the legal framework. You will achieve this through the assessment of COMAH Safety Reports or by undertaking on-site inspections. Risk assessment – including hazard identification, scenario analysis, cumulative risk calculations and identifying further risk reduction measures – is fundamental to a COMAH operator’s demonstration that all necessary measures are in place, and to the work of other inspectors.

You will undertake hazardous substance consent public safety risk assessments to establish the impact on existing land use in the vicinity and hence provide statutory advice to hazardous substances authorities. You will also provide technical input to support HSE’s advice regarding proposed developments in the vicinity of existing hazardous sites and pipelines. Our advice helps to mitigate the consequences of major accidents to the public. This will involve using your knowledge of first-principles engineering, scientific and mathematical reasoning to analyse major hazard scenarios (such as modelling fires, explosions and toxic releases), integrating these to evaluate the cumulation of risk to individuals and communities.

Our advice helps to mitigate the consequences of major accidents to the public. This will involve using your knowledge of first-principles engineering, scientific and mathematical reasoning to analyse major hazard scenarios (such as modelling fires, explosions and toxic releases), integrating these to evaluate the cumulation of risk to individuals and communities.

Maintaining public safety assurance in the land use planning system in relation to major hazards is a core activity of the unit.

A career with HSE gives you a rare opportunity to inspect and interact with different and diverse employers and work activities. One day you could be inspecting a large petrochemical complex, the next day assessing the suitability and sufficiency of a major hazard risk assessment presented in a COMAH Safety Report, the next day presenting to a local authority to explain why consent for a hazardous installation should not be granted to protect public safety, or commissioning scientific research to respond to emerging novel technology. As you can see, this role will broaden your knowledge and your professional credibility like no other role can.

Responsibilities:

• Assess COMAH establishments on their demonstration that all necessary measures are in place. This may involve inspecting sites alone or with specialist teams to ensure hazards are identified, suitable analysis has been completed, cumulative risk calculated, and further practicable risk reduction measures considered. Where gaps are identified, you will drive improvements and secure compliance with the law.
• Undertake risk assessment and establish the risk to the public to enable you to provide statutory expert advice on the risks arising from onshore major hazard installations and pipelines as part of the planning system, to a range of stakeholders including local planning authorities, other government departments and developers.
• Maintain and develop technical policy topics, related methodologies, hazard assessment or quantified risk assessment tools, and their supporting guidance. Commission science and oversee its delivery. Contribute to peer review processes and technical discussion.
• Represent HSE at land-use planning appeals and inquiries, and at technical gatherings of fellow professionals and other stakeholders.
• Prioritise, plan, manage and deliver your work allocation to agreed deadlines, following current procedures and to the required quality standards.

SpecialistTraining Programme

You will be supported by your manager and colleagues to understand your role in HSE, develop your skills and support you in your continuing professional development. For the legal requirements of the role, you will be enrolled on the Specialist Training Programme (STP) and will be required to study for and successfully complete a formal assessment. We also have a strong focus on ongoing technical CPD and training in our core subject areas.

Person specification

Essential Skills and Criteria

• Have breadth and depth of major hazard risk assessment experience of the major hazard industries (e.g. involved in conducting risk assessments for safety cases or safety reports).
• Experience of using risk assessment techniques, methodologies and tools in the assessment of major accident risks. This includes hazard identification and scenario analysis (assessment of event frequency and the extent and severity of consequences).
• Be able to evaluate individual and societal risk, and how these are used to inform decisions on the management of risks arising from major accident hazards, i.e. in the evaluation of further risk reduction measures.

• Be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people at all levels of an organisation, to persuade and influence others. This should include communicating with both technical and non-technical people. You should also be able to communicate difficult messages that may not be popular, effectively but professionally.
• Be able to make effective decisions, based on the evaluation of the available evidence, and take accountability for these, whilst being able to challenge stakeholders at all levels.

The position requires visiting industrial process facilities; possessing the physical capability to navigate around an industrial process facility is crucial for this position.

At HSE, we are proud to be able to offer our people the opportunity to work in a hybrid way which combines working from home and the office. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement, and your allocated office will be your contractual place of work.

There will be a requirement to travel to the office for various activities, e.g., collaborative working, supporting and training colleagues. If hybrid working is suitable for you and your role, you will be expected to attend the office, or other business-related site, for 60% of your working week. The arrangements will be determined primarily by business need, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account.

Therefore, we would encourage candidates to consider if the commute from home to the office is a feasible distance to travel before making an application. Please note that if you are successful, hybrid working will be discussed prior to taking up the post.

For details of HSE locations please see here HSE Offices.

Licences

A full driving licence at the time of applying, that permits you to drive in the UK unless a case for reasonable adjustments can be made under the Equality Act 2010. Should a reasonable adjustment be required, please answer yes to this criteria.

Qualifications

A degree or equivalent (i.e. - a level 6 qualification) or higher qualification (i.e. a level 7/8 qualification) in Engineering OR Science, these include the following: Chemical Engineering, Process Safety, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Technical Safety and Reliability Engineering or equivalent. If you hold a similar qualification, please select "similar qualification held" and detail this within your application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Various risk assessment techniques, methodologies and tools in relation to major accident risks.
• Management of major accident hazards, principles of inherent safety, effective risk reduction processes and principles of ALARP.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,063, Health and Safety Executive contributes £15,951 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

We invest in our people with:

• Competitive rates of pay
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97% – far more than the private sector.
• 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave.
• 5 days of training per year
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career.
• Parental leave benefits.
• Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture.
• As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, discounted E-Gift Cards and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Information

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete an anonymised CV which should include your career history, skills, experience and qualifications. Please ensure you tailor your CV to match the Essential Skills and Criteria as detailed in this advert.

You will also be asked to complete an anonymised Personal Statement, of no more than 750 words, which demonstrates how you meet the Essential Skills and Criteria of the job advert.

Application Guidance

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a Personal Statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/

Sift Information

The sift will take place week commencing 21st April 2026, where we will check that you meet the qualification criteria and assess you on your Personal Statement and CV against the Essential Skills and Criteria listed in the advert.

Interview Information

Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams during week commencing 11th May 2026. You will be assessed at interview on your overall experience and the behaviours and technical skillsets detailed in the advert. As part of the interview you will also be invited to complete 2 additional assessments as follows:

1. You will be invited to complete a verbal presentation of 10 minutes. (The topic of the presentation will be shared prior to the interview)
2. You will be asked to complete technical scenario. Details of the scenario will be provided at the interview.

Sponsorship

This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.

Further Information

Due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and, Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.

Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months. There is no guarantee you will be offered a role from our reserve lists, so if you see a vacancy on Civil Service Jobs that you are interested in, we recommend you apply.

HSE reserve the right to conduct additional checks, including Google and social media checks, when recruiting candidates into a role within HSE. These checks will be carried out in line with the Civil Service Commission Principles and, if used all candidates will be subject to these additional checks.

From 23rd June 2025, if you are successful at interview, as part of your pre-employment checks, HSE’s Recruitment Team are required to check your details against the Internal Fraud Hub (IFH), using your personal details – name, NINO, and date of birth. If you are included on the database, you will be refused employment. If you believe that there has been an error in the inclusion of your data and wish to make an appeal, please contact the CO email box internal.fraud@cabinetoffice.gov.uk .

Details of the types of internal fraud/dishonesty covered by this process are defined by the Cabinet Office and can be found here Internal Fraud Register privacy notice - GOV.UK

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached HSE Terms and Conditions document.

Progression through pay ranges is subject to annual pay awards as permitted within annual Civil Service pay remit guidance and negotiations with Trade Unions.

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.

If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example, if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: HR.Resourcing-Team@hse.gov.uk

If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.

Any move to HSE 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.

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further;
Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Caron Maloney
• Email : Caron.Maloney@hse.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk

Further information

If you believe that Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition have not been met, you can raise a complaint by emailing: HR.Resourcing-Team@hse.gov.uk or by writing to HSE at the following address:
HR Resourcing Team, 2.3 Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 7HS. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact Civil Service commissioners:
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/civilservicecode…

Attachments

HSE Terms and Conditions - CSJ Advert Annex (4) Opens in new window (pdf, 116kB)