About the job

Job summary

Diverse Perspectives and experiences are critical to our success, and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

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 successful candidate will be joining HSE's Explosive Atmospheres team, working from our Buxton laboratory and test facilities. The team is largely focused on the safe development of new technologies and achieving safe net zero, primarily for heat & transport.  Work includes large (outdoor) and lab scale experimental programmes, consultancy and the delivery of specialised training, giving opportunity for both practical and desk based work.  Several of the team's larger ongoing projects are high profile collaborations with other scientific organisations/government departments, which offers opportunity to publish work and present at conferences.

The work of the team is not just limited to energy.  You will be contributing to a diverse range of projects within the health and safety sector both directly for HSE and or commercial clients.  

As part of the Explosive Atmospheres team, you will join a number of specialists with a range of technical backgrounds, who work together to create innovative solutions to technical challenges. As part of the wider Major Hazards group within Science Division, you will also have opportunity to collaborate with technical experts across many other disciplines, including material scientists, risk experts, modellers and human factors specialists.

On occasion you will have opportunity to work with HSE regulatory colleagues, providing scientific support to investigate causes of industrial accidents occurring across the UK.  In recent years these have included dust explosions, electrostatic ignition sources and vapour cloud explosions.  Investigations can include attending site, taking and testing evidence samples and contributing to an accurate report written in clear language - suitable for use in legal proceedings. 

To view a short video of some of our test work, please follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE2mnZRMHB4

Job description

We are looking for someone with experience of working in a scientific or engineering environment to join our team. You will be contributing to the design, build and delivery of in/outdoor scientific experiments. The scale of these experiments ranges from lab based, to 1:1 scale outdoor test facilities. Your immediate team is comprised of approx. 12 scientists and engineers of varying experience. 

This role will suit someone with a mix of practical skills and theoretical knowledge, with the opportunity to develop competence in the following areas specific to team, such as DSEAR, Fluid Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Process Design (P&IDs), Process Instrumentation, Data Logging, or Combustion Physics. The role will involve a significant amount of problem solving and allow you diversify your range of expertise.

We are aware the combination of practical research and theoretical knowledge in this area is relatively niche, so we are looking for team members who have an appropriate background and aptitude for this type of work, to develop their skills, whilst working alongside existing team members.

As a member of the team, you will be expected to contribute to its effective running, which may include contributing to the maintenance of team facilities, quality systems, or health safety matters. 

We sponsor our team members professional memberships and will support Chartership applications where relevant.  For the right candidates, we may also support further study.

Occasional travel and overnight stays may be required.

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

You will be able to:

• Work on a range of projects that can be hazardous and complex, in a safe, scientifically robust way, that meets the required scope
• Provide technical leadership and management for projects of an appropriate size and complexity
• Work to high professional standards in science and engineering, including constructively challenging approaches and techniques
• Write or contribute to, high quality, accurate scientific reports or papers that are suitable to be submitted to customers, journals or as evidence in legal proceedings.
• Support the presentation of technical work to expert and non-expert audiences, which may include travel (on occasion international).
• Be proactive in pursuing own continuing professional development in line with business need.

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 27.1%, 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

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 Information

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a CV that displays your qualifications and any work experience. You will also be asked to complete a personal statement (of no more than 1000 words) which should demonstrate the following:

Present as much evidence as you can demonstrating your knowledge, skills and/or experience that relates to the criteria described in the job specification and description. Use of examples (academic or industrial) are welcomed (see STAR method) that highlight your suitability for the role. A couple of well-considered examples would be preferable to lists with limited detail.  

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 during week commencing 15th January 2024, where you will be assessed you on your CV and personal statement.

Interview information

The interviews will be held at our Buxton site (SK17 9JN), during the week commencing 29th January 2024. You will be assessed against the advertised Behaviours and Technical Skills. 

Further Information

Please note that a reserve list will be held for the period of up to 12 months.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

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 document. 

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 at here 

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   

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

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.