Senior Scientific Advisers

Job summary

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Science, analysis and data are at the heart of Defra’s work. The Science, Data & Analysis Group (SDA) provides specialist analytical, scientific, policy and systems-thinking expertise to deliver high quality, impactful analysis, assurance and insight to underpin Defra’s work and to inform decision-making.

The Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) and SDA are responsibile for overseeing the quality of evidence that the department relies on for policy decisions.

The CSA also provides Ministers with scientific advice, sets the priorities for scientific research and evidence-gathering and is also Head of Defra’s Science and Engineering profession, championing science and scientists across the Defra group.

Job description

These roles sit within the SDA’s Central Science Division (CSD) and work on the priorities of the CSA. CSD provides 3 key functions across Defra science:

• Enabling – ensuring Defra has a strong science system, underpinned by clear strategy, skills and effective relationships with scientists across Defra group;
• Supporting – working strategically with priority policy areas, using research, innovation and partnerships to develop and strengthen the scientific evidence-base underpinning policy;
• Strategic – taking a proactive role in identifying and supporting cross-cutting and emerging scientific issues across Defra. CSD works in an agile and flexible way to support changing and emerging priority needs.

This makes the CSD a crucial work area for translating research into evidence for policy, creating that link between science and real-world-action. These roles are an excellent opportunity to help put science at the heart of Defra policies and to champion science and scientists more widely across Defra Group.

As part of this campaign we are seeking 2 Senior Scientific Advisers, with experience of working in science and an interest in putting that knowledge towards real-world-problems, to join the CSD. As part of this recruitment drive, we are also looking to make a reserve list of candidates who, if they meet our criteria, may be offered other roles in science in Defra.

If you are interested in applying to one of these roles, and finding out what it’s like to be a scientist in Defra, then please join us for an informative webinar on Tues 6th Oct, 13.30 - 14.00. Please sign up to the webinar via this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/science-careers-in-defra-applicant-information-session-tickets-2002198338127

Person specification

You’ll work in one of the two roles outlined below. Both roles have similar functions as part of the overall scientific strategy work that is undertaken within the department. If you’re interested in capability building, innovation in research and Government Science then these roles would suit you well.

For either role you will be working across both internal and external stakeholders such as universities, UKRI, learned societies, research institutes and governmental Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs).

Role 1: Research and Development Fellowship Programme Co-ordinator

This role will lead the delivery and strategic development of the Defra R&D Fellowship Programme, ensuring it contributes to a more agile, responsive, trusted and porous evidence system. The R&D Fellowship Programme brings early- to mid-career scientists from academia and industry into Defra to give them experience working in a policy-focused environment whilst delivering a priority R&D project. The post holder will develop routes for the movement of people, ideas, methods and innovation across sectors, while ensuring programme activity is aligned with Defra priorities, wider government science ambitions and emerging evidence needs.

This role would suit someone with experience in fellowships, secondments or similar talent development schemes. An understanding of government R&D reporting, Frascati principles and research commissioning/evidence assurance would be advantageous.

Role 2: External Advice Co-ordinator

This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in strengthening how Defra accesses, commissions and uses independent expert advice. Working within the External Advice Team, you’ll lead the secretariat function for Defra’s Science Advisory Council (SAC) and its subgroups, support the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) in accessing expert evidence, and help shape Defra's future approach to bringing expertise into the department. You’ll be working at the centre of Defra's evidence governance landscape, working across policy, analysis and science communities, senior leaders, Ministers' offices, external experts, academia and partners across government. You’ll be given significant responsibility for improving services, developing new approaches, and ensuring that expert advice can be accessed rapidly and effectively to support priority and emerging Defra challenges.

This role would suit someone with experience of supporting boards, committees or governance groups. Previous knowledge of managing public appointments, recruitment and external networking would also be advantageous.

Essential criteria

• Postgraduate degree or equivalent experience in a science or engineering discipline.
• Leadership Experience: You will need to demonstrate both an understanding of scientific leadership (ie. how evidence, R&D, innovation and external expertise support policy, delivery and organisational resilience) and programme leadership (managing complex programmes or portfolios with multiple stakeholders, governance requirements and delivery milestones).
• Partnership development: You will need to demonstrate an ability to build productive relationships across organisational boundaries, such as with academia, research organisations, ALBs, government departments or industry.
• Prioritisation and alignment: You must demonstrate an ability to align your work with organisational priorities, understanding the expectations of senior leaders and anticipating future needs.
• Communication and influencing: experience briefing senior leaders, influencing stakeholders and communicating complex evidence or programme issues clearly.
• Delivery at pace: strong organisational skills, with the ability to work through ambiguity and deliver high-quality outputs against competing deadlines.

Candidates will be assessed on their previous experience and technical skills at the application stage, and the behaviours of Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace and Working Together at the interview stage.

Qualifications

Postgraduate qualification in a science, engineering or related subject, or equivalent experience

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• What area of science/engineering is your postgraduate qualification/equivalent experience in?

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,052, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £12,761 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).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

Assessment Process

500- word personal statement that details examples covering the essential criteria within the person specification, along with information on your scientific or engineering background.

A CV detailing your last 5 years of employment, the positions and responsibilities you held, and the key knowledge and skills you used.

We will provide a combined score for the CV and Personal statement based on the essential criteria.

If a high number of applications are received, we will perform an initial sift based on the personal statement.

You will be required to provide an answer to a technical questions also during the application process.

Interview

The following behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing - this will be tested via a presentation.
• Delivering at pace
• Working Together

There will also be questions to assess your experience against the essential criteria.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Salary

Existing Civil Servants moving on level transfer will retain their current salary or move onto the pay range minimum, whichever is the higher. Staff moving on promotion will have their pay increased by 10% or move onto the pay range minimum, whichever is the higher. As a general rule allowances and supplements will not be recognised.

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.

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 perform 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.

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.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to prove your preference.

Criminal Record Check

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

Higher Security Clearance

All these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made based on merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

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

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

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 are 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.

Further Information

Current Civil Servants (all contract types) will need to ensure that they are still employed as a civil servant at the point of starting in the relevant new post. If their contract ends (e.g. end of FTA contract or resignation) at any point during the recruitment/onboarding process for the advertised role, they will no longer be eligible and may be withdrawn.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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 : HRResourcingdelivery@defra.gov.uk
• Email : hrresourcingdelivery@defra.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