About the job

Job summary

The Government Office for Science works at the heart of Government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It's an exciting time to join the organisation; we have outstanding and high-profile positions providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policy-making and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. If you are highly motivated and looking for your next career challenge we want to hear from you.

Our mission is:

1. Science advice mechanisms that are efficient, effective, speak truth to power and are embedded irreversibly in Government systems.
2. Visible impact through both pro-active and demand-led science advice that is relevant, excellent, and delivered fit for purpose.

Further information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-office-for-science

We strongly believe diversity of experience, thought, perspectives, skills, and background makes us a more innovative, welcoming Department, thus making better decisions and better delivering our objectives.  We are actively seeking applications from every part of the community and particularly welcome applications from candidates of any age, background, disability, or from an ethnic minority background and any other protected characteristics.  This will help us move to a workforce that reflects the people we serve to deliver better policies.

We are a friendly, inclusive team and emphasise personal development. We will ensure individuals with disabilities are provided adjustments to participate in the job application and interview process. We support your wellbeing by putting flexible working at the heart of our offer.; if successful, you will be able to discuss working arrangements with your new manager.

We maintain an internal surge capability of staff who may be called at short notice to support an activation of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). Training and support will be provided. This is an excellent opportunity to develop crisis management skills.

Job description

Our Team

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of the Government science advice and national security machinery. You'll work in GO-Science's National Security and Resilience (NSAR) team; the purpose of the team is to ensure cross government strategy, policy, preparedness and crisis response activities are informed by high quality scientific advice and evidence.

The Roles

The roles sit within the preparedness and crisis response side of the team. In these roles, you will get the opportunity to deliver real impact on national resilience and emergency preparedness. This includes delivering projects to continuously improve the functioning of SAGE and engaging with and influencing a wide range of stakeholders across Government and beyond. One of our key functions is to provide the secretariat for the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). SAGE can be activated by the Cabinet Office to provide scientific and technical advice to Government decision makers in an emergency.

One role will focus on SAGE Continuous Improvement and the other on SAGE Process, Operations and Exercising.

Person specification

The successful candidates will:

- Support the provision of a reliable and resilient crisis response function through SAGE. This includes being part of an out of hours duty rota for the SAGE Secretariat; (Both roles)

- Build and maintain strong relationships with science and operational stakeholders across Government to ensure they can access the scientific expertise and capabilities they need to deliver against national security and resilience objectives; (Both roles)

- Advise the Government Chief Scientific Adviser on national security and resilience risks and S&T issues; (Both roles)

- Lead and deliver projects to improve how SAGE and the SAGE Secretariat functions; (Both roles)

SAGE Continuous Improvement role only
- Support development and delivery of the continuous improvement programme of SAGE, ensuring lessons from previous SAGE activations (including Covid-19) and exercises are embedded into our policies and processes, and thinking innovatively to identify novel solutions to ensure SAGE is fit for
the future;

- Providing secretariat support of the Director-chaired SAGE Governance Board, developing a strong forward agenda, commissioning and drafting high-quality board papers, and ensuring there is good governance overseeing the development of SAGE.

- Be responsible for monitoring and supporting departments to improve how S&T informs their preparedness for accident and system failure risks that may require a SAGE. Examples include National Power Outage, Loss of Telecoms, and Loss of Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services; and Severe Space Weather.

SAGE Process and Operations role only
- Supporting SAGE operations work e.g. improving and maintaining the SAGE Standard Operating Procedure, managing the process whereby staff are surged into a response, and ensuring that the SAGE response mechanisms are fit for purpose;

- Supporting SAGE Emergency Response Training and Exercising to ensure the team and wider GO-Science are prepared for a SAGE activation;

- Be responsible for monitoring and supporting departments to improve how S&T informs their preparedness for a portfolio of risks that may require a SAGE.

Both roles will provide opportunities to work with a range of government stakeholders including policy and science teams, as well as across GO-Science, and provide an excellent opportunity for staff to develop their skills and careers.

The post holders will become part of the SAGE secretariat during emergencies requiring a SAGE activation. This may require fast paced work, including outside usual working hours for short periods. Training and support are provided.

Skills and Experience 

Essential skills, knowledge, and experience:

- Demonstrable understanding of the challenges of crisis response
- Experience building positive relationships with colleagues either in other government departments, in the private sector and/or in academia;
- A proactive approach and someone who is comfortable working independently but also has a strong team ethic;
- Ability to quickly grasp new and complex topics and communicate their understanding in a credible and persuasive way;

Desirable skills, knowledge, and experience:

- Experience of crisis response planning, exercising and/or delivery;
- An understanding the national security/resilience landscape and/or science advice mechanisms in government;
- Experience of working with multiple departments on cross- Government projects or programmes;
- Experience providing secretariat support or drafting papers for senior boards or audiences.

Scientific/technical understanding is helpful, but it is not required for these roles.

Applicants are not required to hold any level of security clearance to apply to the roles but will need to be willing to undergo Developed Vetting (DV) upon appointment.

DV clearance normally requires 10 years' UK residency in the past 10 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be required where individuals have not lived in the UK for the required period. This may mean that your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

The options for flexible working arrangements are limited due to operational requirements of the role, but we welcome all applications and can discuss individual circumstances/suitability accordingly.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,720, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £9,644 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 and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to outline how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the criteria in the job description and your interest in the role.

Applications will be sifted on CV and Personal Statement.

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

Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 18/08/2024

Interview dates: w/c 02/09/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

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

Further Information

Vetting

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

Reasonable Adjustment

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

Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance.  A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available. 

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section. 

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. 

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 developed vetting (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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.