Microbiology Scientist (ID 4290)

Job summary

Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare?

Do you love working as part of a team, bringing an enthusiastic approach every day?

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions. We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our people are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.

Provide scientific technical expertise for a wide range of projects in the bacteriology field. This might include work for Defra, government organisations such as the Food Standards Agency, European projects, academia, or for pharmaceuticals. This is a laboratory post based at our site in Surrey.

Job description

Provide delivery of bacteriological science for Defra and a range of commercial customers including academia and those in the veterinary bioscience/pharmaceutical sector. You will be expected to work flexibly to contribute to a range of scientific projects. Scientific activities are likely to include some of the following:-

• Culture of different organisms (e.g. E. coli, Salmonella spp., Staph aureus, Brucella spp., Campylobacter spp., Mycoplasmas or Mycobacteria) on specialist media isolated from a wide range of biological samples (e.g. faeces, tissues, swabs, food or environmental samples).
• Phenotypic tests including bacterial sero/typing, antimicrobial or disinfectant resistance susceptibility testing such as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Speciation of bacteria by genetic and MALDI-ToF approaches.
• Molecular tests including DNA/RNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or isothermal amplification, targeted gene sequencing, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) approaches.
• Basic immunology including cell counting and immunoassay.
• Analysis of data generated from phenotypic, molecular, and immunological techniques. This could include bioinformatics analysis.
• Preparation of data in tabular or graphical formats (using MS Excel, PowerPoint, Graphpad), for presentation in reports and manuscripts.
• Responsibility as a room officer for a laboratory.
• Working to quality (9001:2015 or UKAS 17025) and the latest version of the APHA safety policies and standards.
• Quality assurance testing of media.
• Participating and assisting with bacterial in vivo infection studies.
• Support of farm/abattoir/hatchery/feed mill investigations might be required.
• Working on in vitro models to simulate environmental samples might be required.
• Working to tight deadlines of commercial customers.
• Depending on the team, line management duties may be a requirement

Person specification

You will need

• experience working within a biology laboratory.
• experience producing reports from collected data.
• Knowledge of laboratory quality systems.
• Experience working to standard operating procedures and risk assessments
• Experience working with basic software (such as MS Excel, PowerPoint, Access)
• To be currently resident in the UK & have at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement of the mandatory counter terrorism checks that are required to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

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

• Give an example of when you have had to interpret scientific data and how you presented the results.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £33,350, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £9,661 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support as the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employer contributory pension (28.97%), staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time –if accumulated), three paid volunteering day per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role.

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 Process

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and a Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 9th February 2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Do not leave completing the tests until the last minute in case you experience any access or technical issues. There may not be technical support available after business hours and after 2pm on the closing date of 9th February 2026.

While the tests should work on most operating systems and modern browsers a good internet connection, we cannot guarantee that every combination will work. At the beginning, the test will check which browser you are using, and alert you if it is likely to be incompatible.

It is highly recommended that you complete the online tests on a desktop computer, not a mobile phone or tablet.

Please note that online tests associated with this vacancy are not subject to time limits; for further information visit the Reasonable adjustments for online tests - a candidate guide

You will be required to complete the following as part of your application:

• A CV-style application submitted through an online tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobs website
• A 500- word Personal Statement of how you match the details in the Person Specification – the written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. We encourage you to use the full word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed it
• A 250-word Behaviour Statement for the following Behaviour: Making Effective Decisions . Please use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your application.
• Technical Skill (250 words) giving an example of when you have had to interpret scientific data and how you presented the results.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

For further guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV style application, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV , Civil Service Careers

Sift

Scoring for all criteria of the application is from 1 to 7 – A score of 4 and above will progress to interview unless there is a large number of applications. In this instance, an initial sift will be conducted using the Behaviour: Making Effective Decisions. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The panel may agree a benchmark score higher than 4 with a rationale for the decision. Any candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who scores 4 or above on all of the criteria will be offered an interview.

Candidates are to give details within their personal statement, in no more than 500 words, of how they are suitable for the post by demonstrating the skills and experience they have from the information listed in the Person Specification. As part of the assessment process you will be asked to give behaviour examples using the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) Model.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your experience and behaviours.

Your interview will conducted face to face at APHA Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB.

In the event of more than one candidate meeting the criteria we may maintain a reserve list should a similar role become available in the subsequent 12 months. Candidates who do not meet the criteria for appointment at the advertised Grade, but are considered a ‘near miss’, may be offered a similar post at a Grade lower than the advertised role should one become available.

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

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to DEFRA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check maybe carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Internal Fraud Database Check

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.

Working Pattern

This post is laboratory based and requires you to be working at the Weybridge site five days per week. This role is full time and based at the Weybridge site. We may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. Part-time hours will only be considered as part of a job share. Salary will be pro-rata for job share.

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website

Higher Security Clearance

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government’s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason all postholders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least 3 years continuous UK residency. If you cannot meet this criteria CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post.

Feedback

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 counter-terrorist 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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Miranda Kirchner
• Email : miranda.kirchner@apha.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here

Attachments

APHA Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1869kB)BAC generic SO job description Jan 2026 Opens in new window (docx, 59kB)