Principal Scientist and Technical Team Lead Explosives and Hazardous Materials (Band 2/Grade 7)
Health and Safety Executive
Apply before Midday on Monday 25th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
At HSE, we work with one goal in mind – to help keep Britain’s workforce safe and healthy. Our work touches virtually every sector of Great Britain’s industries. Combining specialists from numerous fields, we strive to keep people and their working environments safe.
We don’t just inspect workplaces and investigate incidents, we campaign for better H&S practice, we craft and review guidance and regulations, we provide specialist products and services both here and overseas, and we produce crucial research and statistics – all towards our goal of helping Great Britain work well.
This exciting opportunity will be based in the Science Division of the HSE at our research laboratory and unique outdoor testing facilities, in Buxton, Derbyshire.
HSE’s Science Division is a world leading provider of health and safety solutions to industry and government. The scope of our work requires a diversity of talented individuals.
Our capabilities encompass a wide range of topics including: fire, explosion, process safety and engineering; occupational and environmental health; risk assessment; work environment; and specialist photographic and analytical services.
This breadth of expertise underpins our particular strength in creating multidisciplinary teams to support major incident investigations and policy development, as well as undertaking high quality research.
This vacancy is for an experienced explosives scientist / engineer to lead practical testing and research work within the Hazardous Materials team in the Major Hazards Group at our licenced explosives site. This role is to provide leadership and technical insight for the whole team but with particular focus and experience required in the area of explosives testing. You will also contribute to the work of the UK Explosives Approved Body – this has replaced the UK Explosives Notified Body as the UK has left the EU. In addition, the role will involve working closely with business development staff and potential customers and other stakeholders to develop work in this area. This is an excellent opportunity to use your skills to contribute to innovative work to support industry and government funded research projects to directly improve the lives of people in their workplaces and ensure the safety of new emerging technologies.
In addition, you can expect to contribute to a diverse range of additional projects within the health and safety sector, for both HSE, other government departments and commercial customers. You will be part of a team of specialists and will also collaborate with colleagues across many other disciplines.
Job description
Your role will involve:
- Being the Technical Team Lead for the Hazardous Materials Team in the Major Hazards Group in Science Division. This role is one of technical leadership across the team, line management is not part of this position, but you will be expected to work closely with the Capability Team Lead.
- Taking a lead role in ensuring the safe delivery of experimental explosives and pyrotechnics testing across the team.
- Providing clear technical leadership of complex, high hazard experimental work. Ensuring that project output is scientifically robust and meets the required scope.
- Supporting and leading incident investigations, including fatalities, as required, working with other government agencies such as the Police, attending incident sites if appropriate and potentially acting as an expert witness. This will involve travel and occasional overnight stays away from home.
- Championing high professional standards in science and engineering, including constructively challenging existing methodologies and approaches.
- Working collaboratively with colleagues across HSE including with Explosives Specialist Inspectors, Regulatory Inspectors and Policy specialists
- Actively supporting the development of commercial research projects and testing by engaging with potential customers, providing robust technical content to proposals and presenting solutions to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Supporting the work of the Explosives Approved Body through potentially conducting audits or assessment for explosive articles to be placed on the market in Great Britain.
- Producing clear, high quality, accurate reports that are suitable to be submitted to customers or as evidence in legal proceedings.
- Producing and presenting peer-reviewed scientific papers at specialist conferences.
- Coaching and mentoring colleagues, continuing professional development, transferring own knowledge, in line with market and business need.
- Developing and maintaining a network with the wider explosives community including those in industry and across other government organisations.
- Providing highly effective review of technical work across a range of activities, not limited to individual personal area of expertise, utilising the specialist skills of others as appropriate and working with the Capability Team Lead to constructively challenge and improve standards.
Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours per week.
Person specification
We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:
- A proven ability to lead technical teams to deliver complex, high hazard research and testing work.
- Clear understanding of the fundamental aspects of explosives and pyrotechnics testing across a range of standard (UN and EMTAP) and bespoke test scenarios
- Clear understanding of the fundamental aspects of explosives and pyrotechnics safety and testing
- The ability to work well both independently and as part of a team
- Effective communication skills, experience of producing clear, concise documents coupled with the ability to interact productively with a diverse range of stakeholders
- Strong working knowledge in the broader field of energetic materials (oxidisers, organic peroxides) is desirable but not essential
Licences
Qualifications
Memberships
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Strong technical and practical competence in explosives testing
- Demonstrable technical understanding of the hazards and risks associated with working in the areas of explosives and pyrotechnics testing and/or energetic materials testing
- Significant experience of the leadership of delivery of scientific or engineering research or testing programmes
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 invited to complete an anonymised CV which should include your career history, experience, and qualifications.
You will also be asked to complete an anonymised Personal Statement, of no more than 1250 words which demonstrates how you meet the essential skills and criteria of the job advert.
Application Guidance
Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/
Sift Information
The sift will take place week commencing 25th November 2024. where you will be assessed on your CV and Personal Statement.
Interview Information
The interviews are due to be held in person in our Buxton office SK17 9JN, during week commencing 16th December 2024 where you will be assessed on the Behaviours and Technical Skills listed in this advert.
As part of your interview, you will also be asked to prepare a short technical presentation. The subject of the presentation will be sent to candidates who are invited to interview.
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, CVs 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.
Due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and, Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.
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 : Lynne Jones
- Email : lynne.jones@hse.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk
Further information
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/civilservicecodecomplaints/
