Quantum Policy Advisers - Security and Investment

Job summary

DSIT

At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.

We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.

We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.

We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.

We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.

Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.

Our Inclusive Environment

We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.

Find Out More

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/Jae3B4w7xm

You can also follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/

Job description

Quantum technologies are set to transform how we solve some of society’s biggest challenges - from securing communications and accelerating drug discovery to revolutionising navigation and sensing. As one of six priority frontier technologies in the UK’s Industrial Strategy, quantum is central to the government’s ambition to drive national renewal through innovation, economic resilience, and global scientific leadership. The Office for Quantum sets the overall strategy, drives the policy outcomes, and oversees the collaborative delivery of our landmark National Quantum Technologies Programme, in close partnership with other government departments, delivery bodies, and industry.

This these are high-impact roles ideal for someone who thrives on complexity, collaboration, and shaping national priorities. You’ll work on policy issues at the intersection of technology, investment, sovereignty, and security, helping the team to navigate the key choices and trade-offs that shape the future of the UK and global quantum ecosystem.

We are looking for 2 Policy Advisors to support the team’s work across national and economic security issues, at a time when technology and geopolitics are increasingly interrelated and policy issues increasingly high profile. We are looking for candidates able to tackle complex policy questions, from inward investment decisions to supply chain assessments, drawing upon technical information, quantitative analysis, and expertise from the strong relationships they have been able to build across Government and the wider sector. We are looking for candidates who are confident communicators and project leaders, able to manage their time across multiple priorities, work with seniors to manage smooth decision-making, deliver concise written and verbal briefing, and work effectively across organisational boundaries.

The Investment Security Policy Advisor will work with the Business and Investment Lead in the Domestic & Growth team to ensure the Office for Quantum takes a strategic approach to the way Government supports the growth of quantum companies, in line with UK HMGs Modern Industrial Strategy and secure growth agenda. In this role, you will be the lead on investment security policy. This means you will be responsible for building out the team’s evidence base and working collaboratively with other DSIT teams (e.g. Trusted Capital, Economic Security) and Government Departments (e.g. CO, HMT) to develop long-term, strategic policy positions on inward investment, from regions such as the Gulf. This will be a strategic, cross-cutting role high-profile with opportunities to shape HMGs wider approach and the future of the ecosystem in an ever-changing and increasingly geopolitical landscape. To be successful in this role, you will be proactive and confident designing projects and programmes to support big picture objectives.

You will also lead on reactive NSI Act Casework to put this big picture understanding into practice on discrete cases. This will involve drawing upon expert views of the technology and the sector and Government’s understanding of risks to make robust assessments of live cases, and managing an effective decision-making process through senior leaders in order to provide timely recommendations to ISU. You will also have the opportunity to support the Business and Investment Lead on broader priorities, including managing the wider investment and company support pipeline, working with Public Finance Institutions to align investment strategies, and delivering an analytical project to quantitatively assess companies’ strategic value.

The National Security Policy Advisor will work with the National Security Lead in the International & Security team in the Office for Quantum to ensure the UK takes a pro-innovation and security conscious approach to quantum technologies, in line with the National Quantum Strategy and wider UK national security and growth objectives. In this role you will lead policy development on supply chain risks, working across DSIT and wider government to assess vulnerabilities and support the development of proportionate mitigation approaches. You will contribute to the development and application of the Own-Collaborate-Access framework, shaping how the UK identifies and manages strategic risk and advantage across the quantum landscape.

You will also be responsible for quantum standards and regulatory architecture. This includes building and maintaining a robust evidence base on regulatory and standards gaps, working with DSIT teams, delivery partners and cross government stakeholders to ensure UK priorities are reflected in emerging global norms and technical standards, and overseeing delivery of the UK Quantum Standards Network, a DSIT grant funded programme led by the National Physical Laboratory. In addition, you will be responsible for the Quantum Regulators’ Forum, acting as secretariat and driving its development as the primary mechanism for building awareness of quantum across UK regulators and shaping a pro innovation regulatory environment. Alongside these core responsibilities, you will support the National Security Lead on broader priorities to ensure the UK maintains strategic advantage in quantum technologies.

Success in these roles requires you to take initiative and work well independently to deliver complex projects, as well as be a team member and form strong relationships across other Government departments, policy owners, and external stakeholders.

These are excellent opportunities for individuals looking to develop and strengthen their skills at SEO grade. These roles do not require a specific background or expertise in quantum. We welcome applications from individuals of all personal and professional backgrounds to play a key part in our team.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

1. Forming policy positions – work with complex information and analysis and between conflicting/competing stakeholder views to develop a policy posture across technology security and sovereignty issues.
2. Delivering projects – lead discrete projects effectively and confidently, chairing meetings, working with seniors, and producing briefing to drive collaboration, progress, and decision-making.
3. Producing concise Ministerial briefings and advice using plain language, drawing upon strong written communication skills.
4. External engagement – account manage the team’s relationships with a set of companies, sharing knowledge across the team and wider Government to ensure a strong understanding of commercial developments that feeds into policy design and delivery.

Essential Criteria

• Proven ability to build and manage productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders, across teams, departments, and organisational boundaries.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to quickly produce clear and compelling materials, present complex information in an accessible way for senior stakeholders and provide high-quality advice and briefings to inform decision-making.
• High levels of motivation and resilience, with a track record of working independently to manage multiple priorities, delivering high-quality outputs to tight deadlines, and maintaining focus in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent critical thinking skills, with confidence in interpreting complex and sometimes incomplete data, drawing out strategic insights, and linking analysis to broader policy and delivery objectives to enable informed decision-making.
• Willingness to undergo DV.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience in economic, investment, and/or national security policy.
• Experience in frontier technology policy.
• DV Clearance.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,620, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £12,926 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.

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 and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

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

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to provide a short summary of your key skills, experience, and relevant qualifications, detailing how these meet the role profiles.

Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

Applications will be sifted on personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour questions.

Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.

Sift and interview dates

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

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

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance. A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Candidates who meet the minimum benchmark may be placed on a Reserve List for consideration for similar roles, including those at a lower grade. Candidates who narrowly miss the benchmark and are not placed on the Reserve List may still be considered for an offer in a similar role at a lower grade.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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.

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

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.

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.

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 developed vetting (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.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 : Will Lawson
• Email : will.lawson@dsit.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance DSITrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk . If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints.

Attachments

DSIT T&Cs v1.2 Opens in new window (docx, 179kB)