Senior Regulatory Environmental Fate and Behaviour Scientist (Band 3/SEO)
Health and Safety Executive
Apply before Midday on Monday 25th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
This is an exciting time to join Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) with opportunities to develop and shape our regulatory schemes for the future. Our primary role is to deliver regulatory schemes intended to protect the health of people and the environment, balancing the economic and social benefits that chemicals offer to society and helping to ensure the safe and sustainable use of chemicals. We also have a role through guidance, partnership working and leadership to raise awareness and promote behaviour change to help improve the control of hazardous substances in the workplace.
We employ around 450 scientific, policy and support staff in various locations, including York, Bootle, Bristol, Milton Keynes, Edinburgh and London.
Please note that these posts are office based roles and they are not a remote location based or home worker post. Successful candidates will also be expected to undertake some face to face training upon joining HSE and this will be office based.
There may also be the need for occasional travel to any of our offices.
Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 22.2 hours over 3 days per week.
Job description
As a Senior Regulatory Scientist you will be part of a team that is delivering HSE objectives. The UK having left the EU offers an exciting opportunity to develop and shape our regulatory schemes for the future.
With a world-class reputation for safeguarding the health and safety of people at work, HSE is adapting and evolving to meet the new challenges ahead. To help us meet these challenges, we require an ambitious Senior Regulatory Environmental Fate and Behaviour Scientist to join us.
Environmental fate and behaviour specialists will evaluate data from standard regulatory studies examining degradation and mobility of substances in soil, water, sediment and air as well as environmental monitoring and literature data. This information is used to assess the environmental hazards and exposure levels and contributes to the assessment of risk of a variety of chemicals, including pesticide and biocide active substances and products. These assessments are performed for substance approval and product authorisation under the GB PPPR (Plant Protection Product Regulation) and GB BPR (Biocidal Product Regulation) and to support hazard classification under the GB CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) Regulation.
As a senior specialist you will mentor and support members of the team, provide peer review of work, lead on specific technical aspects including the development of new guidance and processes, and provide advice to specialist and policy colleagues as well as wider stakeholders. There will also be opportunities for you to lead for HSE on national and global activities, to ensure we keep pace with new and emerging issues in the field of regulatory environmental fate and behaviour.
You will also have opportunities to provide training at external commercial events organised by CRD.
Responsibilities
- You will be one of our Senior Regulatory Environmental Fate & Behaviour Scientists, with a vital role in delivering our business plans
- Understand and apply the relevant regulations, guidance and models in relation to complex and challenging situations to make important decisions on the hazard and risk assessment of chemicals
- Work flexibly to support the approval/authorisation of biocides and pesticides and GB CLP
- Staff management and development of a team including motivating staff, identifying training needs and taking a leading role in building capability
- Motivate and lead teams to identify requirements, plan work and manage delivery to quality, time and cost
- Provide guidance and deliver training to internal and external stakeholders on various aspects of the regulations
- Represent HSE, including presentation of your conclusions to a variety of internal and external stakeholders, e.g., expert groups and other Government Departments
- Lead key projects of work areas, monitoring and reporting on progress and delivery of projects to deadline and legislative targets
Person specification
Essential skills and criteria
- Experience of undertaking environmental fate and behaviour hazard, exposure and risk assessment of chemicals, including the evaluation of complex, contradictory and/or incomplete datasets
- Technical credibility and experience of performing representational roles at national and international meetings
- Experience of leading teams and/or projects, developing yourself and others, and delivering to time, cost and quality criteria
- Initiative and decisiveness, supporting your ability to make effective decisions, while being open to challenge and involving others
- Comprehensive analytical skills with the ability to write and present effective technical information in a clear, concise and timely way
- Effective communication skills, enabling you to collaborate effectively and engagingly with others
- Experience in building and maintaining strong, positive working relationships both internally and externally
- Good organisational skills in managing a varied workload to demanding deadlines
Qualifications
Environmental sciences
Biological Sciences
Chemistry
Natural Sciences
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Experience of leading on relevant environmental fate and behaviour technical issues, including mentoring and supporting colleagues, and sustaining team technical capability where appropriate.
- Experience in a regulatory or scientific area relevant to the environmental fate and behaviour role and knowledge and experience of the environmental hazard and risk assessment of plant protection products, biocides and/or general chemicals.
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- Competitive rates of pay
- Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97%, far more than in the private sector
- Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
- Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
- 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave
- Parental leave benefits
- As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E-Gift Cards and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application Information
As part of your application, you will be asked to complete an anonymised CV which should include your job history, key responsibilities and membership of any professional bodies/societies. Your CV will be used for information purposes only and will not be scored.
You will also be asked to complete a Personal Statement, of no more than 750 words, in which you should provide additional evidence to explain how your experience meets the person specification for the role.
As part of your application, we will also assess your technical skills. You will be required to provide evidence of your experience against the technical areas specified within this advert (250 words each).
Application Guidance
Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a Personal Statement About the application process , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)
Sift Information
The sift is due to take during place week commencing 25th November where you will be assessed on your Personal Statement and the advertised Technical Skills.
Interview Information
The Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams on 5th, 6th, and week commencing 9th December where you will be assessed against the Behaviours listed in the advert combined with your environmental fate and behaviour technical knowledge/skills for this role.
Please note that dependent on numbers of applications received these dates could be subject to change.
AI Tools & Platforms
During the application process candidates are allowed to utilise AI (artificial intelligence) platforms and Tools to support them in writing their Behaviours, CV’s and Personal Statements. However, all information submitted must be factually accurate. This includes presenting the ideas and experience of others, or those generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. All presented information will be assessed at the Interview Stage.
Sponsorship
This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.
Further Information
Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months. There is no guarantee you will be offered a role from our reserve lists, so if you see a vacancy on Civil Service Jobs that you are interested in, we recommend you apply.
It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached HSE Terms and Conditions document.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.
We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all disabled applicants who provide evidence of meeting the minimum requirements necessary for the post.
If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk.
If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.
Any move to HSE 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 here.
Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : James Hingston
- Email : james.hingston@hse.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : HR.Resourcing-Team@hse.gov.uk
Further information
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/civilservicecodecomplaints/
