About the job

Job summary

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice, and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy. 

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our people are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes. 

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?  You will be helping to make a difference to the UK and contributing to global efforts to control and eradicate disease in plants, animals and protecting global biodiversity. 

The post will lead test development, validation and packages of underpinning applied research work in support of the National and International Reference Laboratory (NRL/IRL) functions of the Mycoplasma Team, within the Exotic Bacteria Workgroup of the Department of Bacteriology at APHA Weybridge. The role will develop underpinning technical expertise and provide advice to the leadership team within the NRL and to stakeholders. The post provides opportunities for developing and extending expertise through collaboration, necessitating occasional national and international travel.  The post holder will manage and coordinate research, test development and validation activities within the Mycoplasma team, delivering workstreams aimed at control and prevention of economically important diseases of livestock.   This is a laboratory based post based at Weybridge, Surrey.

Job description

1. Develop and validate new tests within a team of NRL/IRL scientists.
2. Manage delivery of research project work employing cultural, molecular and phenotypic tools to detect, identify and characterise veterinary mycoplasmas, working to project milestones. This may require working at SAPO3/CL3 containment.
3. Support the Mycoplasma NRL laboratory diagnostic capability, by developing and maintaining expertise required to deliver results under UKAS accreditation.
4. Collaborate with scientists and veterinarians within the agency and at external organisations, including internationally, to deliver science and expand knowledge and skills commensurate with NRL and Defra requirements.
5. Preparation of validation documentation, peer-reviewed scientific publications, presentations, and SOPs.
6. Represent the NRL and APHA at national and international meetings, visiting oversees collaborators and hosting visitors.
7. Liaise closely with managers/project leads, and internal/external collaborators to help meet deadlines and assist in project budget management.
8. Management and support of other scientists.
9. Develop concept notes, research, and other proposals.
10. Liaise with co-workers and Team Lead to maintain Mycoplasma emergency response capability for range of livestock.
11. Maintain a safe working environment. Implement and ensure personal compliance with all health and safety requirements.
12. Ensure maintenance of ISO9001 and ISO17025 quality systems.

Person specification

We are seeking enthusiastic applicants who will be able to deliver the development and validation of new PCR and serology tests for detection and identification of economically important veterinary mycoplasmas in support of Reference Laboratory activities. You will manage research and test development work, with an emphasis on expanding expertise in molecular and field applicable test applications, within a workgroup focussed mainly on bacteria causing notifiable and reportable diseases. You will support the research work of the team in the day-to-day management and delivery of research aimed at diagnostic tool development and control of exotic mycoplasmas. You will be helping to support national and international engagement by developing other staff and training visiting scientists, as well as interacting with veterinary and science leads and representing APHA nationally and overseas. Post-holders will be required to work within a CL3 containment facility environment.

Experience

• Strong scientific background.
• Experience of working within a microbiological/molecular diagnostic or applied microbiological research environment and working to ISO9001 or ISO17025 quality standard.
• Proven ability to publish own work.
• Experience of leading own work and those of others.
• Experience of test development and/or validation.
• Good written and oral communication skills.

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government’s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all postholders based, or working frequently, on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,857, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £9,681 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 Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement & 250 word statement on the lead behaviour.

Candidates are to give details within their personal statement, in no more than 500 words, of how they are suitable for the post by demonstrating the skills and experience they have from the information listed in the Job Description.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.  

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, "Changing & Improving". 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 behaviours, technical skill & experience.

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed to assess your technical skills.

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

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.

Reserve List

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

Salary

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

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 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.

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.

Full time only

This is post is full-time, but we may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. The post is based at the Weybridge APHA laboratories. Attendance at the laboratories is essential and therefore the post holder needs to be able to work from the APHA Weybridge site.

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.

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government’s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason all postholders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the CTC residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have a minimum of 3 years continuous UK residency.  If you cannot meet this criteria CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post.

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. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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.