Nutrition Science Adviser

Job summary

We are looking for a passionate and analytical Nutrition Science Adviser to join the Science and Surveillance team within the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to meaningful work that helps ensure food is safe, accurately represented, and supports healthier, more sustainable choices for consumers.

In this role, you will use your expertise in nutrition science to inform policy and improve understanding of dietary health across Northern Ireland. Working with a range of internal and external partners, you will play a key part in shaping how evidence is used to support public health outcomes. This is an ideal role for someone who enjoys working with data, collaborating with others, and making a tangible impact through science.

Job description

You will take the lead in analysing and interpreting complex nutrition and dietary health data from multiple sources, using this insight to inform policy development, implementation and evaluation. You will manage and contribute to key surveys and research projects, ensuring data is translated into clear and meaningful outputs such as reports, briefings and presentations tailored to a range of audiences.

Working closely with colleagues across policy, science and social research teams, you will respond to enquiries, support the development of business cases for new initiatives, and contribute to performance monitoring and evaluation activities. The role also involves identifying research opportunities, supporting the commissioning of new work, and engaging with stakeholders across government and partner organisations to ensure a strong and evidence-based approach to dietary health in Northern Ireland.

Working pattern guidance

Applicants who wish to work compressed hours are welcome to apply - however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Please read before applying

This post is a temporary Fixed Term/Loan appointment available until the return of the substantive post holder, estimated to be 14/04/2027. There may be the potential, but no guarantee, of extension or permanency.

Candidates that are already established Civil Servants or from non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will come to the FSA on a Loan basis and will need to request permission from their Home Department for the Loan prior to applying for this vacancy.

Note for FSA employees

You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy - please refer to the ‘Temporary internal appointments framework’ on the FSA intranet for more details. Please note that if applying for a temporary post within the FSA or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion - you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).

If you are applying for a vacancy on a Loan basis you MUST seek approval from your Director in line with our FSA Staff loans policy

Person specification

Please read the attached job description to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.

We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.

Qualifications

Degree in Nutrition. Examples of suitable degrees include; Dietetics, Human Nutrition, Food and Nutrition, Food Quality Safety and Nutrition.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Degree in Nutrition. Examples of suitable degrees include; Dietetics, Human Nutrition, Food and Nutrition, Food Quality Safety and Nutrition.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,955, Food Standards Agency contributes £10,126 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Our careers page details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.

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 and shortlisting

You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.

Technical: You will be asked a question to confirm that you meet the Technical requirements of the role.

Degree in Nutrition. Examples of suitable degrees include; Dietetics, Human Nutrition, Food and Nutrition, Food Quality Safety and Nutrition.

If you cannot answer yes to this question – you will not be able to proceed further with your application.

You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.

Essential criteria

Experience

• Lead criteria: Experience post undergraduate level analysing and interpreting nutrition datasets to make evidence-based decisions and recommendations.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex scientific information to a range of audiences in a variety of formats.

• Experience of delivering projects/research to a high standard within agreed timeframes whilst managing competing priorities.

Lead Criteria An initial sift will take place on the Lead Criteria.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.

Interview

If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in whichwe will assess you against the following Experience requirements of the role and Civil Service Behaviours.

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at Pace

• Working Together

Experience

• Experience post undergraduate level analysing and interpreting nutrition datasets to make evidence-based decisions and recommendations.

Expected Timeline

Advert closes: 28th June

Sift: Expected to take place from 29th June

Final panel interview: Expected to take place from 16th July

Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application).

Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reserve List

A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that the FSA does not offer visa sponsorship and cannot provide advice on visa applications

Making a complaint

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated fairly in accordance with the principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should email the FSA’s Director of People at jo.bushnell@food.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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.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 : Naomi Davidson
• Email : Naomi.Davidson@food.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk

Further information

If you wish to raise a complaint then please email hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk in the first instance.

Attachments

Terms and Conditions as at April 2020 Opens in new window (pdf, 42kB)Nutrition Science Adviser - Job Description Opens in new window (pdf, 235kB)