About the job

Job summary

We are currently looking for a Lead BP Scientist to join our Standards & Compliance Team within the Healthcare Quality & Access group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4P or Home Working*. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.

We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 4 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 8 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly. Remote working is potentially available for some specific roles. Please discuss this with the recruiting manager before accepting an appointment. 

 

*Remote working is also available for this role with occasional travel to our London office. Please discuss this option with the hiring manager before accepting the role. Salary arrangements depend on home locations with London-based employees receiving a London rate of £42,869

 

Who are we? 

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.  

The objective of the Healthcare Quality and Access Group is to drive quality and critically appraise benefits and risks to inform robust decisions on healthcare access including accelerated access pathways. It does this by bringing together a fusion of our capabilities across both medicines and medical devices to enable licensing and market access, as well as ensuring compliance with regulations and standards.

The Standards & Compliance function enables innovation and healthcare access across the global product lifecycle by risk proportionate standards development and compliance through the British Pharmacopoeia and MHRA Laboratory, the Inspectorate, the Inspection Action Group and Devices Audit and Compliance.

Job description

What’s the role?

The successful candidate will use your scientific expertise to support the development of legally binding standards in the British Pharmacopoeia (BP) and the establishment of supporting BP Chemical Reference Substances. 

You will manage and influence external Expert Advisory Groups, international stakeholders and/or key suppliers to ensure we get the right scientific advice and service delivery. 

You will also help support the future development of our Pharmacopoeia and Regulatory Science strategies.

 

Key responsibilities: 

• To contribute and support the work of the BP Commission including working with colleagues and groups of independent experts to develop and implement appropriate quality standards and guidance which contribute to the protection of public health.
• To lead or assist specific scientific or delivery areas/projects to ensure or improve the standards and services that we provide to our users. For example, activities such as coordinating the work to produce the text for the BP and BP Vet, development of scientific strategy/policy and coordinating the unit’s recruitment, training and development activities.
• To ensure that the interests of the BP and Laboratory Services Group are promoted strongly and positively through appropriate communication and joint working with internal and external organisations.
• To support the contract management, performance and delivery of the BP publication and laboratory services suppliers.

Person specification

Who are we looking for? 

Our successful candidate will: 

• Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact. Ensure communication has a clear purpose and takes into account people’s individual needs. Share information as appropriate and check understanding. Show positivity and enthusiasm towards work, encouraging others to do the same.
• Analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support decisions. Invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making. Consult with others to ensure the potential impacts on end users have been considered. Present strong recommendations in a timely manner outlining the consideration of other options, costs, benefits and risks.
• You will have In-depth knowledge of pharmacopoeias and the content of quality standards for medicines and experience of setting quality standards for medicinal products, working for a compendium/pharmacopoeia or standard setting body.
• You will also have experience of working with and influencing colleagues and/or groups of stakeholders to develop and implement appropriate standards and policy, with demonstrable outcomes and a good knowledge of analytical techniques and processes, chemical, physical or biological.

 

If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please read our Job Description and Person Specification! 

 

Please note: The job description may not open in some internet browsers. Please use Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If you have any issue viewing the job description, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,119, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £10,562 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

The selection process: 

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here. 

 

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles a statement of suitability, attached as a PDF demonstrating how you meet the person specification. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application. Please ensure not to include any personal identifying information on your supporting information.
• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles. 

 

Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency-based answers and the statement of suitability provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description. 

 

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible. 

  

Closing date: 20/12/2023

Interview date: W/C 01/01/2024

 

If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk 

 

This role is open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition, internal applicants). Appointments to roles within MHRA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNR). These can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules. This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
• This vacancy is also open to individuals normally exempt under the CSNR

 

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

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.

Any move to the MHRA 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 here.

 

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk.

 

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact Mira Mepa, Head of Recruitment and Operations, Mira.Mepa@mhra.gov.uk.  

 

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk 

 

info@csc.gov.uk 

Civil Service Commission 

Room G/8 

1 Horse Guards Road 

London 

SW1A 2HQ 

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.