About the job

Job summary

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 2,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice, and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

This advertised role is to join the Animal Sciences team as part of a team of specialist veterinary surgeons, bioveterinary scientists and animal technicians in Pathology Department’s Animal Sciences Unit, leading the delivery of live animal phases of infectious disease research and statutory disease surveillance functions, ensuring compliance with Home Office regulations (ASPA), providing advice on the welfare and treatment of the animals as Named Veterinary Surgeon, developing and promoting the animal science discipline, and managing specialist staff and facilities within APHA. 

The Weybridge site is undergoing a major structural transformation with new high tech animal facilities being constructed to support ongoing and new projects in the years to come.

This is a great opportunity to further your career if you have a keen interest in animal science. We have a variety of training opportunities available to support your career at APHA. We are after individuals with a passion for working with animals and promoting their welfare.

Job description

Animal science project delivery and capability leadership: to contribute to animal welfare of a wide range of animals used in research, development animal science capability and expertise and engage in policy relevant research across disease portfolios.

Named Veterinary Surgeon (NVS) responsiblities and associated duties outlined in the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.  This includes leadership of compliance and implementation of APHA’s Animal Welfare Standards with the animal technician team.

Veterinary duties: to provide basic medical care (diagnosis, treatment, prevention of illnesses and injuries) in animals

Staff and facility management: line management or functional management of scientific staff working in animal facilities. Responsibility for delivery of high disease containment animal studies (up to ACDP3, SAPO4), with responsibility for animal disease biosecurity and HO compliance, staff training and performance management.

Corporate activities: budget contribution, administrative responsibilities, CPD and other duties as required, including on call, duty rotas and emergency response; involvement in health and safety and quality processes.

• Animal science project delivery and capability leadership: to further welfare of a wide range of animals used in research, design and lead relevant projects across a range of disease or commercial portfolios. Development of animal science capability and expertise, including development and application of new technologies and advances relevant to Animal Sciences at APHA, and engagement in policy relevant research across disease portfolios. Opportunity for a post-graduate degree/PhD. Job holder must have a keen interest in research and proactively seek opportunities to develop modern welfare assessment tools. They will proactively contribute to the “3Rs” (reduction, refinement, replacement), particularly the refinement of experimental or veterinary procedures.
• Named Veterinary Surgeon: Provision of advice on implementation of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act (full training will be provided). Ensure veterinary care and attention is given to a range of experimental animals as appropriate. Ensure the veterinary team can deliver adequate veterinary cover and services at all times. A rota is shared with the other NVSs to respond to animal welfare emergencies. Advise on the health and welfare needs of a range of species, and the implementation of the 3Rs. Participate in study planning, execution and reviews, and ensuring appropriate records and documentation are kept and quality and safety standards are adhered to.
• Staff and facility management: line management or functional management of scientific staff working in animal facilities. Responsibility for delivery of high disease containment animal studies (up to ACDP3, SAPO4), with responsibility for animal disease biosecurity and HO compliance, staff training and performance management.
• Specialism: The jobholder will be expected to develop as a veterinary specialist with regards to the species and the infectious organisms used in their area of responsibility and an awareness of the policy relevance of the work undertaken. They will lead on the development of the science capability within the department and support the Animal Science discipline champion. They will be encouraged to obtain a personal Home Office licence in order to carry out regulated procedures.
• BioEthics, Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB): The jobholder will be an active member of the AWERB and its species care and use subcommittee, participating in meetings as well as have input into project licence applications, study and protocol reviews.
• Communication: The jobholder will be required to have excellent interpersonal skills liaising with a very diverse range of people with differing skills and expertise. They should be able to confidently deliver training and presentations, and chair meetings as required as well as write/contribute to scientific reports and publications.
• Budget and Financial planning: Sound resource management is important - they will be involved in planning of multidisciplinary work, liaising with departmental administration team to ensure good budgetary management, effective use of resource and workforce planning. They may have contract management duties.
• Safety Ensure that adequate training and planning for response to emergency scenarios is in place; actively lead and participate in safety inspections and audits. Work closely with safety representatives in respect of these duties.
• Quality: The jobholder will be required to keep up to date on all legislation that could impact on quality issues within the department (GLP, GMP, ISO9001) and will contribute to the preparation and planning of inspections and audits within the department, and be involved as required in pre-start meetings, facilitation on the day, wash-up meetings and management resolution of arising actions.

Person specification

Experience

• Clinical practice in small or food animal species or experimental models is required
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills – written and oral, team working and leading

Behaviours

• Seeing the Big Picture- Sift & Interview
• Working Together- Sift & Interview
• Making Effective Decisions-Interview
• Communicating and Influencing-Interview

Technical

• Statement of relevant technical skills for this post; e.g. veterinary expertise and skills, previous experience with experimental models or pathogens at different containment level

Qualifications

Veterinary degree

Memberships

The applicant must be registered with, or immediately eligible for Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). (Member of RCVS is essential for this post).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,577, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £11,495 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a comprehensive CV in the provided template. Please ensure this is completed in good time before moving on to complete the rest of the application. You also be required to give a 500-word personal statement stating how you match the essential skills and experience in the application form and two 250 word behaviour statements.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Sift and interview dates as well as the interview location to be confirmed.

Interview

As part of the assessment process you will be asked to give examples of Behaviours using Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR). Those invited to interviews will also give a presentation.

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.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed 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 carry out 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.

Salary 

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

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’re 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.

Criminal Record Check

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

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. 

Internal Fraud Database Check

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.

NSV

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

Higher Security Clearance 

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.

Full Time Only 

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. 

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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 counter-terrorist 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.