About the job

Job summary

Our priorities

Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world.

Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent.

Put public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people.

Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world.

Deliver legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.

Our Inclusive Environment

We have an inclusive culture which makes the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it helps us be more innovative.

We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion and fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process. 

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforsciencetechnologyandinnovation?

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

Please note that DSIT are currently reviewing our terms and conditions and pay arrangements following Machinery of Government changes and as part of the outstanding August 2023 pay award.  Please be aware that there may be changes to the terms and conditions and pay ranges listed in this advert ahead of you starting in post. Any changes would be implemented in early 2024.

Job description

We need adaptable, positive and forward-thinking people to help UK universities stay safe and secure when collaborating internationally.

The government intends to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030. This means supporting researchers to work internationally; but the openness which drives our research sector also makes it a target for hostile actors seeking to appropriate cutting-edge discoveries.

The Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT) provides advice and guidance to UK universities on how to protect themselves and their research from these complex threats.

We are looking for a Birmingham or Midlands-based adviser to join the team. RCAT is a regionally dispersed team with diverse skills and experience. If you are interested in the research landscape and our security policies and would relish the challenge of persuading researchers that security matters, this job is for you!

Person specification

This role will develop your influencing skills, and is an ideal job in which to gain experience of operational delivery and relationship management. Candidates who enjoy meeting people and helping them to tackle difficult problems will thrive. A key aspect of the job is advising and encouraging researchers to adopt new practices and behaviours within an existing open culture of research.

Day-to-day, this will involve proactively engaging with universities both remotely and in person, working with them to help risk-assure individual research projects which involve international collaborators. You will keep accurate records of your engagements and share information with other teams in government where it is relevant to their policy areas. You will be supervised and managed by the Birmingham Senior Adviser.

The team is organised into small, regionally based sub-teams, so a proactive approach to building and maintaining working relationships will be key. You will be part of the Birmingham sub-team, supporting the Senior Adviser to represent RCAT in the Midlands. To knit this team together, we want team members who are keen to grow and develop and who want to contribute ideas and energy.

Team members can expect to travel frequently in their region to visit university staff and researchers, occasionally requiring overnight stays. Occasional trips to other DSIT offices will also be required (especially London and Salford). You will also have the opportunity to work on projects with team members based in other regions.

If you want a greater sense of this area of work before applying, check out the Trusted Research website: https://www.npsa.gov.uk/trusted-research-academia

Summary responsibilities:

• Support universities with timely, accurate and informative advice to senior leaders and research staff on research security issues. This will involve delivering training sessions, remotely and in person, as well as responding to specific issues regarding research collaborations. You may do this by supporting your manager, though there will be plenty of opportunities for you to deliver these independently too.
  
• Support relationship-building to maintain productive partnerships with individuals and institutions, and help your manager to keep these relationships strong, leading where appropriate.
  
• Maintain expertise on security and research policy, and share knowledge and best-practice with the rest of the team. Making use of open-source research to understand the broader research landscape for the region and the institutions that you support. 
  
• Maintain accurate and timely records on the team’s software system, and work proactively and collaboratively across the team to share knowledge.
  
• Support your manager with the demands on their capacity, including deputising for them where required.

Skills and experience

Essential

• Experience collaborating with partners outside your organisation in order to deliver results
  
• Strong engagement skills, including building positive relationships across distributed teams
  

Desirable

• A background in one or more of: fundamental or applied research, research commercialisation, research funding, research policy, legal assurance in a research context
  
• Experience of a security-related field such as: cyber security, protective security, export controls, visas and immigration, due diligence, intellectual property protection
  
• Working knowledge of the UK higher education and research sector
  
• Experience using customer or knowledge management systems
• Experience with presentations and workshops and relationship management

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,860, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £10,492 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

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, personal statement and behavioural statements. 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 evidence of your suitability for the role with specific reference to the job description and skills specification.

Applications will be sifted on behavioural statements and personal statement.

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

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the 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.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 11/03/2024

Interview dates: w/c 18/03/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

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.

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. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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. 

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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 security check (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.