Job responsibilities
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
Acting as the UKHSA point of reference for authoritative advice in specific areas of toxicology, specifically:
- Develop and provide expert scientific advice on testing strategies for human health hazard assessment of chemicals.
- Collaborate with senior government officials and officials in national and international bodies in particular the OECD, in the analysis and interpretation of complex scientific data in a specific area and in the provision of advice.
- Represent UKHSA at a national and international level, providing advice with respect to chemical hazards protection policy and standards, and their implementation in practice.
- Collaborating to facilitate the necessary Research and Development to underpin UKHSAs capability to provide advice.
- Undertaking Peer Reviews of draft publications prepared by outside individuals, as required by journals and the OECD.
Using specialist knowledge and expertise acquired over a significant period of time working in toxicology, including a sound knowledge of (inter)national legislative requirements etc to:
- Provide highly specialised advice and communicate highly complex information on often highly contentious problems such as management of risk, and working within challenging environments where people hold strong opposing views, such as scientific meetings, meetings with policy leads, public meetings, international governmental level meetings etc.
- Liaise between agencies, organisations and individuals involved in the management of both chemical issues and associated health hazards
- Facilitate the initiation and delivery of projects and contracts in the chemical regulatory space. Seeking external funding for projects undertaken by the Group and contributing directly to the work and leading these where appropriate.
- Ensure the work of the Group is undertaken with appropriate quality.
- Communicate the Groups scientific work in peer reviewed journals, at conferences as well as within UKHSA and relevant OECD publications.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.
Please see job description attached for full list of duties and responsibilities.
Essential Criteria:
It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1500 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:
Essential
- Relevant PhD and/or equivalent detailed specialist knowledge
- Expert detailed specialist knowledge of toxicology, in particular chemical regulation, biological effects of chemicals, human health risk assessment
- Scientific insight, originality and creativity to develop future work strategies, interpretation of complex data sets and development of advice
- Substantial peer reviewed publications
- Staff and Project Management Experience
- Negotiation skills international in particular
Desirable
- Member of a Professional body - such as British Toxicology Society or inclusion in UK Register of Toxicologists
- International regulatory experience
Selection process details
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
STAGE 2 INTERVIEW
This competition will involve an in-person interview.
As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.
As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 510-minute presentation to the panel. This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment. The presentation will be designed to assess each candidates experience in line with the requirements of the role. Full details will be provided prior to the interview.
The Competency-Based framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate. The following will be assessed at the interview which will align with the essential and desirable criteria:
- Technical Skills
- Knowledge
- Experience
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on 10th December 2023 unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Shortlist:12 January 2024
Interviews: To be confirmed
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)
Nationality requirements
Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
Security clearance level requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard. People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.
For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
Please Note
This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&Cs are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.
Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
Complaint process:
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 in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email:Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.
