About the job

Job summary

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.  

More than ever before the health of our environment, plants, animals and bees matters.  

Do you wish to be part of are part of an amazing, diverse team on the frontline in researching, investigating, and acting to protect the UK’s animal, plant and bee health?  

Would you like a role helping to make a difference to the UK and contributing to global efforts to control and eradicate disease in plants, animals (such as Avian Influenza) and protecting global biodiversity?  

Do you have experience working with scientific data? 

If so, we would like to hear from you! 

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for one Senior Scientific Officer (SSO)  Modelling Coordinator for exotic disease to join our Veterinary Advice Services Team. 

You will play a key role in the coordination and administration of risk identification, assessment and advice to policy on new animal-related threats and vulnerabilities across the UK 

The key responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• To maintain capability and resilience in exotic disease modelling by building in house capability and forging national and international links to maintain and build external modelling capability. 

• Cross agency coordination of emergency animal disease quantitative modelling advice to UK policy teams and APHA. 

• Supporting the longer-term model development strategy, ensuring models remain fit for purpose and can produce useful outputs to support exotic disease policy development, as well as managing how models are used to inform APHA, Defra and devolved policy, ensuring that models used follow best practice, with the aim of building senior colleague and stakeholder confidence in model performance. 

• Senior scientist in National Emergency Epidemiology Group (NEEG) during outbreaks, supporting the G7 modelling lead on outbreak preparedness and response. 

• Lead, manage and develop science advice within the team. 

Person specification

We are looking for candidates that can demonstrate the following skills and experience: 

• Experience (e.g. a postgraduate qualification) of translating scientific data. 

• Experience of working in a ‘data rich’ environment and translating literature into a language and format suitable for use by a non-scientific audience. 

• Knowledgeable of notifiable diseases, outbreak management, and procurement.  

• Experience of evidence-based policy making and using technical information to inform others. 

• Experience of working with policy teams and having the ability to create and maintain close working relationships with partners and stakeholders to achieve common goals whilst dealing positively and effectively with conflicts and priorities. 

• A good understanding, gained through practical experience, of the issues associated with developing and applying mathematically based models to aid decision-making, and the ability to relate the principles to the animal health context. 

• An ability to persuasively present and explain complex and sensitive issues. An ability to adapt communication style to suit the recipient. 

• Can set clear team objectives and priorities and monitor their achievement. Can manage workflow by delegating and adapting systems or work methods to improve performance. 

• Experience of the application of models to policy analysis. An ability to engage effectively with modellers from the wider professions and offer authoritative advice on good practice. 

• Having the ability to lead and understand project management techniques defining project plans, managing reporting mechanisms and identifying and managing risks. 

• The ability to use a wide range of evidence from diverse sources to identify problems, understand them and develop effective solutions. The ability to understand the strengths and weaknesses of different kinds of evidence and data and reflect this in advice. 

• Experience in quantitative modelling or modelling techniques, covering epidemiology, resource, economic and integration models as well as experience developing and implementing working arrangements and service level agreements 

Learning and Development  

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role.  

In return for your dedication, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,439, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £10,069 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, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete the following as part of your application:

• CV, outlining your full job history, previous experience, and Qualifications.
• A personal statement of 500 words
• Two 250 word behaviour statements for Communicating and Influencing and Working Together. 

Sift 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing . Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed. 

Interview 

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your experience, behaviours, technical skills, and strengths 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed. 

For the purposes of the selection process, the Lead Behaviour will be 'Communicating and Influencing' 

Reserve List 

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. 

Near miss                                                                                 

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match. 

Merit Lists 

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application. 

Salary 

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. 

Location 

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

For most candidates your hours of work will be a blend of working from an  APHA workplace (specific to the team location) with working at home.  

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment 

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

- Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

- Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

Accessibility 

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.  

Criminal Record Check 

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check maybe carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/ Disclosure Scotland 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.  

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

Internal Fraud Database Check 

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. 

NSV

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

Higher Security Clearance

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to Weybridge may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer. 

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk 

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.