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.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Fluid Flow Modeller to join our team in HSE’s Science Division. You will apply mathematical modelling and numerical analysis to a wide range of health and safety-related applications. The successful candidate will be involved in modelling anything from releases of cryogenic hydrogen to explosions to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. 

This post will be based in the Science Division of the HSE at our Science and Research Centre 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.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.

Our role goes beyond worker protection to include public assurance. We work to ensure people feel safe where they live, where they work and, in their environment.

Great Britain’s health and safety record is the envy of much of the world. Central to this is our work to protect people by managing risk in a proportionate and effective way, supporting innovation and increasing productivity.

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for a Scientist to join our Fluid Dynamics Team in the Risk and Human Factors Capability Group in a growing organisation. The team carry out numerical analysis across a broad range of fluid flow problems using various techniques including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Our main expertise lies in the analysis and modelling of fluid flows using approaches ranging from simple empirical and integral models to large complex three-dimensional CFD simulations. We apply mathematical skills in a wide range of health and safety-related applications areas such as gas dispersion, two-phase flows, fire and smoke movement, source terms and explosions.

The work carried out by the team is project based and can vary greatly in nature. Projects may be internally or externally funded, research or support projects, or incident investigations. There is a strong emphasis on team working and collaboration, and you will be expected to work with specialists and technical experts across many other disciplines.

At HSE, we are proud to be able to offer our people the opportunity to work in a hybrid way which combines working from home and the office. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your allocated office will be your contractual place of work. There will be a requirement to travel to the office on a regular basis to access the computing facilities in addition to other activities including, for example, collaborative working, supporting and training colleagues. If hybrid working is suitable for you and your role, the arrangements will be determined primarily by business need, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. Therefore, we would encourage candidates to consider if the commute from home to the office is a feasible distance to travel before making an application. Please note that if you are successful, hybrid working will be discussed prior to taking up the post.

Please note: as part of this role there will be some occasional travel required, this will include travelling for meetings and events. Full notice will be provided if successful in post when this will occur. 

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 28 hours per week

Person specification

You will be able to:

• Apply knowledge on fluid dynamics and modelling in research projects for HSE or externally funded projects
• Report the outcomes of scientific work through writing reports and papers, presentations and providing verbal feedback to customers
• Liaise with colleagues in other parts of HSE to support multi-disciplinary teams to offer the best possible service to customers
• Manage your time and resources within your control to ensure that projects are completed to time and cost
• Contribute to the development of future work for the Team by providing ideas and technical input to bids
• Take personal responsibility for ensuring that your training and development are aligned with business objectives

Essential skills:

• An in-depth understanding of fluid flow behaviour and expertise in fluid flow modelling which can relate to relevant health and safety applications
• Good communication skills, including report writing and presenting to customers
• Ability to work with scientists from a range of disciplines

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,802, Health and Safety Executive contributes £8,856 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 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/  

Application Information

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a CV, Personal Statement and a 250 word Technical Skills Statement, further information will be included on the application form.  Please ensure you complete your career history, your experience and qualifications.

For further information on technical skills please see here GSE Career Framework (opens in a new window).

Sift Information

At sift, you will assessed on your CV, personal statement and technical skill.

The sift will be conducted the week commencing 19th February 2024.

Interview Information

At Interview, you will be assessed on the advertised behaviours, technical skills and experience.  

Interviews will take place the week commencing the 26th Feb and 4th March 2024. Interviews will take place in our Buxton office, SK17 9JN, and further information will be sent to candidates who are successful at sift.

Please note that the advertised interview dates may change, you will be provided with full notice if this is to occur. 

Further Information

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

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.

(Please note that candidates must be able to supply current 3 years residency within the UK. If they do not hold 3 years residency, they will fail the check)

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. 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.