About the job

Job summary

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) prevents, prepares for and responds to infectious diseases and environmental, radiological and chemical hazards, to keep all our communities safe, save lives and protect livelihoods.​

We provide scientific and operational leadership, working with local, national and international partners to protect the public’s health and build the nation’s health security capability.​

​UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The primary roles/functions for this position are:

• The provision of commercial radiation protection services to a wide range of clients, advising on and assisting with regulatory compliance and implementation of effective safety management programmes for work with ionising and non-ionising radiations. This is achieved through visits to client premises, situation analysis/risk assessment and the preparation of persuasive and authoritative reports
• Contribution to the development and delivery of radiation protection training services, including acting as course manager for training courses
• Responding to enquiries on a wide range of radiation protection issues from the public, industry and local and national agencies
• Responding to radiation events and incidents on behalf of commercial clients
• Support and contribute to UKHSA’s emergency response role for radiological incidents and, when required, non-radiological events
• Training and supervising new and less experienced staff in RPA and RWA/LPA/MPE and other related activities
• Supporting UKHSA activities relating to the development of standards, legislation etc with respect to operational radiation protection issues

Location

Flexible locations across Chilton, Glasgow or Leeds. (Full, clean UK driving licence required)

The posts are based at our three sites on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in South Oxfordshire, Glasgow and Cookridge, Leeds.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations. Specialist or regional roles will be based at the appropriate UKHSA site. For certain roles, some additional flexibility may be possible, which will be agreed upon with the hiring manager based on individual requirements and business needs

Addresses:

Harwell Campus, Chilton, OX11 0RQ/ 155 Hardgate Road, Glasgow, G51 4LS / Oak Park Lane, Cookridge, Leeds LS16 6RW

Working Pattern – Full Time, Part-time, Flexible working

Job description

Responsibilities Section

The job holder will lead the work of a topic group of radiation protection specialists and radiation protection scientists who collectively focus on a particular area of radiation protection work. This will involve the development of internal policy and guidance on scientific and technical aspects of the work in addition to co-ordinating smooth service delivery, with emphasis on occupational exposure, patient exposure and exposures to members of the public.

The job holder will be required to carry out most of the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Leading scientific, technical and professional development for a particular area of radiation protection work, including development of internal policy and guidance, and ensuring written advice is of high quality
• Identifying, prioritising, leading and coordinating scientific and technical development needs for a particular area of radiation protection work
• Significant input into national standards, (eg drafting publications recommending revised national DRLs for patient exposure, involvement in development of guidance/protocols for emergent technologies, presentations at conferences) and input into international standards (eg commentary on draft revised standards, reviews of draft papers)
• Responsibility for all relevant equipment and facilities
• Financial responsibility for the income and expenditure in relation to the particular area of radiation protection work including preparation of bids for capital and revenue budgets and monitoring expenditure
• To act as a radiation protection adviser (RPA) and at least one of radioactive waste adviser (RWA), laser protection adviser (LPA) or medical physics expert (MPE) in support of RCE’s radiation protection consultancy services
• To provide expert advice on compliance with all relevant radiation safety legislation, which may include novel interpretation of complex legal requirements
• To develop, plan and conduct complex radiation safety audits at clients’ premises
• To critically examine and analyse newly installed equipment capable of emitting ionising radiation
• To give expert advice on the decommissioning of facilities where radioactive materials have been used
• To act as a specialist point of reference, providing expert advice on the design of new facilities and techniques where radiation is used

 

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

(Please see the job description for a full list of duties)

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 750 words (maximum 1,000) that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

Essential

• A good honours degree in a scientific subject, or, equivalent experience plus substantive experience in operational radiation and A-levels in science/maths
• Certificated Radiation Protection Adviser
• Proven experience in operational radiation protection with evidence of particular expertise in one or more areas of interest
• Ability to assess complex situations and interpret detailed documents that may include legislation
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, formally, informally, orally and in writing to customers, UKHSA staff and representatives from other organisations
• Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans
• High degree of self-motivation and the ability to motivate others, high personal integrity
• Well-developed capability with basic software tools (eg MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams etc)
• Must be willing and able to travel within the UK and abroad in support of UKHSA on national and international activities. Full, clean UK driving licence required
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable

• MSc (or equivalent), or experience in directing and managing a specific commercial service or area of work
• Membership of professional body, eg Society for Radiological Protection
• Certificated Radioactive Waste Adviser
• Certificated Medical Physics Expert
• Certificated Laser Protection Adviser

Please see the job description for the full list of essential and desirable criteria.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. 

Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

**Please do not submit your CV, we require you to complete the full application process including a Personal Statement/Statement of Suitability, as outlined below. Please ensure that your Statement of Suitability contains no personal identifiers e.g. name in either the file name or content of the document.**

You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

You must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for this post.

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an interview by video.  

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.  

Applicants will also be asked to participate in a short interview presentation. Full details will be provided prior to the interview.               

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 2nd June  2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Shortlist: w/c 3rd  June 2024

Interviews: w/c 17th  June 2024

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

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.