About the job

Job summary

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.

HSE leads the way but doesn’t act alone. Working in partnership is one of our strengths. It’s at the heart of how we protect workers and the public. We are firm and fair when using our legal powers. Inspection helps us check that serious risks are managed sensibly. When things go wrong, investigation helps us get to the truth and learn lessons. We hold employers to account for their failures and get answers for victims and make workplaces safer. The benefits that our work brings to business, workers and the UK economy are clear. Improved health and safety risk management protects workers and translates into reduced sickness absence, lower healthcare and welfare costs, and better productivity.

Chemicals, Explosives and Microbiological Hazards Division (CEMHD) is responsible for the GB-wide regulation of onshore high hazard premises and installations as well as the chemicals manufacturing sector as a whole. This involves delivering regulatory interventions in workplaces, engaging with key industry stakeholders and providing assurance that major accident risks are being properly managed. HSE are responsible for securing safety across a range of industries including, energy production (oil, gas and emerging technologies), chemical/pharmaceutical production and storage, microbiological agents, explosives and pipelines.

HSE Specialist Inspectors work across all of Great Britain and whilst we would consider all CEMHD office locations we would be particularly interested in applicants who would be based in HSE offices in: Scotland, Midlands, North East, Wales and South West.

Job description

Our main responsibility is to address major accident hazards in relation to electrical, control and cyber security at onshore major hazard installations, which includes oil refineries, oil and gas storage, chemicals production, explosives and microbiological sites. 

Additional responsibilities include addressing the Network and Information Systems (NIS) regulations in relation to assuring continuity of essential services for applicable Onshore Oil & Upstream Gas installations.

You will: 

• Inspect a variety of major hazard installations, either on your own or as part of an expert team, to make sure risks associated with industrial control systems are suitably managed and that operators comply with the law.
• Technical assessment of safety reports provided by major hazard sites (both new and existing).
• Investigate safety related accidents and incidents involving industrial control systems in the major hazards industries.

Key Responsibilities:

• The production of technical inspection reports that identify risk gaps and failure(s) to comply with the law.
• Taking suitable enforcement action to address significant risk gaps on operator’s sites e.g. prohibiting processes or activities.
• Forensic analysis of the electrical or control systems elements of accidents in major hazards industries in order to identify root causes and where necessary, leading the technical aspects of the investigation, calling in other expert support and supporting legal enforcement action to prevent a recurrence.
• Provide expert opinion on the management of industrial control systems and, when required, work as a  specialist investigator or expert witness at tribunals, inquests and legal proceedings.
• Advise colleagues on technical matters out with their area of expertise e.g. standards for electrical equipment in explosive atmospheres, and how the conditions compare with minimum legal requirements and relevant good practice.
• Liaise with other Government departments, the public, industry, professional bodies and trade associations in order to secure intelligence, share information and contribute towards policy, research and guidance on functional safety, electrical equipment in explosive atmospheres and cyber security for industrial automation and control systems (IACS).
• Using your expertise and experience to drive improvements in technical and operational standards nationally and to promote better health and safety at UK forums, and at relevant conferences.

The post offers excellent development opportunities in both your legal and technical skills, and can include work with industry bodies and Institutions e.g. the IET and with suitable experience, there may be promotion opportunities to manage a team of Specialist Inspectors operating nationally.

Person specification

The role of a Specialist Inspector is challenging yet rewarding and offers a breadth of work that is unique across a huge variety of industrial sites and processes.  

Inspectors can be involved in detailed technical analysis of Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) safety reports on one day, inspecting control systems and talking with engineering staff on site the next or perhaps involved in the aftermath of a major accident, working to find out the root causes and prevent a re-occurrence.   

It’s also an engineering role where you may be appearing in Court as an expert witness or perhaps working with committees on new Standards to drive improvements in industry. You’ll often have to make difficult decisions and use your enforcement powers to ensure compliance with the law but you’ll receive world class training to give you the skills to do this.

If you want job that is a change from the norm, then consider a role where you’ll secure the future safety of the public and people in these industries.

The post offers excellent development opportunities in both your legal and technical skills.

Knowledge and experience:

Extensive application and experience in applying Electrical Control and Cyber Security technical knowledge in a health and safety regulatory capacity, particularly those that apply to major hazards, to meet the developing challenges from both the technical and regulatory perspective.

Interpreting enforcement benchmarks for applying health and safety legislation, ACOPs, Standards and guidance.

Leading interventions with external industry stakeholders, including representing regulatory positions in relation to your area of expertise.

As well as your technical experience, you’ll be a strong communicator, with good analytical, decision making and planning skills. 

Essential Criteria:

• A proven track record in the selection, design, commissioning, operation and maintenance of process control and safety instrumented systems (SIS) in a relevant industry e.g. petrochemical (or similar onshore major hazard installation)
• Practical experience of the selection, design, installation, commissioning, inspection and maintenance of electrical equipment in explosive atmospheres (Ex)
• An understanding of the assessment of the cyber security risks posed to industrial automation and control systems (IACS) and safety instrumented systems (SIS) and the risk reduction measures that might be taken e.g. OG86 or IEC 62443
• An in-depth knowledge and application of relevant good practice (RGP) in the process industry sector or equivalent e.g. BS EN 61511, BS EN 60079 etc
• Have held a technical management role at a suitable level e.g. engineering manager
• Sound communication skills, be able to think strategically, spot underlying issues and persuade and influence people at all levels
• Able to produce detailed and clear technical reports, assimilate and analyse information and present complex technical information, including those for a non-technical audience
• The ability to work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, maintaining positive professional working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders

Desirable Skills: 

• Certified as a Functional Safety Engineer / Technician / Professional e.g. TUV
• Hold appropriate certification / demonstration of understanding and level of competency for working in potentially explosive atmospheres e.g. CompEx
• Experience and in-depth understanding of cyber risk assessments and methodologies in relation to Operational Technology (OT) / Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS), in the UK onshore Chemical Industries.

Given that HSE regulates across the whole of UK you will be expected to spend short periods working away from home which will include overnight stays.

Inspectors are required to work as part of a national team, with travel around UK to land-based high hazard sites, typically spending a day on a Duty Holders site, both in an office environment and also out on the process plant. This is typically followed by a period analysing the inspection findings and producing a technical report. 

Specialist Training Programme (STP)

On joining HSE, all new specialist inspectors are required to complete a 2-year Specialist Training Programme (STP). This two-year programme comprises of both in depth legal training and assessments and any further technical training that may be required.

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 for various activities e.g., 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.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £67,781, Health and Safety Executive contributes £18,300 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 Information

As part of your application, you will be invited to complete a CV and a Personal Statement (up to 1000 words) demonstrating how your experience meets the Essential Criteria listed in the job advert.

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 

At Sift you will be assessed on your Personal Statement only (1000 words). You will not be assessed on your CV. 

The Sift will take place w/c 12th August 2024. 

Interview Information

At interview, you will be assessed against the 'Technical Skills' detailed within the job advert.

You will also be assessed on the 2 behaviours within the job advert via a 10-minute presentation. More details of the presentation will be shared with successful candidates when invited to interview. 

Interviews will take place w/c 26th August 2024. 

AI Tools & Platforms

During the application process candidates are allowed to utilise AI (artificial intelligence) platforms and Tools to support them in writing their Behaviours, CV’s and Personal Statements. However, all information submitted must be factually accurate. This includes presenting the ideas and experience of others, or those generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. All presented information will be assessed at the Interview Stage.

Further information

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

Sponsorship
This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.

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 HSE Terms and Conditions document.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.

We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all disabled applicants who provide evidence of meeting the minimum requirements necessary for the post.

If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example 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

If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.

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.