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.

We are looking for compassionate, dedicated individuals who strive for excellence and integrity and who put animal health and welfare at the heart of everything they do.

Are you conscientious and an excellent team worker?

If the answer is ‘yes’, we would love to hear from you! 

To support scientific research carried out by the wildlife disease team within the National Wildlife Management Centre (NWMC) of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).  This is a great opportunity to gain new skills and valuable experience in wildlife-related fieldwork, animal handling and examination, data management and project management. 

The NWMC is based at two locations: York and Woodchester Park in Gloucestershire. The Woodchester Park team delivers a range of wildlife disease research, scientific, technical and field-based services and projects, particularly for Defra and Welsh Government in relation to badgers and TB.  This work supports the implementation of strategies to tackle bovine TB in cattle. The team also delivers a well-established long-term field study that provides fundamental insights into badger ecology and TB epidemiology, and maintains critical skill sets and expertise related to wildlife disease management. 

Job description

The postholder will support ongoing research across a range of wildlife projects, in particular work that supports government policy on managing TB in badgers. This includes supporting the delivery of research projects and managing associated data.

In particular, the post-holder will play a key role in the delivery of an established study of badger ecology and TB at Woodchester Park. This includes collating and managing data collected over several years, being involved in data analysis, managing fieldwork logistics, collection of field data (e.g. from radio-tracking and camera trapping). The job holder will be required to develop new skills related to fieldwork, animal handling and examination, and data analysis, and there may be opportunities to gain further qualifications. You will work within an integrated and dynamic team environment where several work programmes often involve sharing resources or team skill sets, you will therefore need to be adaptable and flexible in your approach.

Key responsibilities:

• Support research on TB in badgers, e.g. involvement in an on-going trap and release programme involving fieldwork and the examination and sampling of animals. Undertaking fieldwork including surveying, radio-tracking and deploying camera traps.
  
  
• Manage teams to deliver field research projects, including an established study of badger movements and social behaviour using radio/GPS collars and a study testing novel methods for wildlife surveillance. This includes co-ordinating staff, landowner liaison, organising equipment and arranging logistics.
  
  
• Liaise with a network of contacts external to APHA, to collect wildlife samples for disease surveillance. This will include expanding sample collection for an existing project monitoring coronaviruses in a range of wildlife species.
  
  
• Manage data collation and equipment for certain projects, for example data from wildlife cameras or from radiotracking.  This involves developing technical expertise in programming cameras and tracking devices, downloading and collating data, cleaning and extracting data for analysis and reporting.
  
  
• Support joint projects by liaising with teams based in other APHA locations and external researchers, for example to arrange diagnostic sample testing.
  
  
• Be an adaptable team member, able to undertake a variety of other functions and tasks as required.  These may be desk- or field-based, for example supporting wildlife biosecurity work or collection of biological samples from wildlife in support of a range of projects.

Person specification

Experience/Essential Criteria

• Experience of scientific project delivery, including having a keen interest in understanding project objectives, the purpose of data collection and using data to deliver high quality outcomes.
• Demonstration of competency in collecting and managing high quality, robust data. Ability to monitor the quality of collected data and to make necessary alterations to protocols to improve their reliability.
• Practical experience of field-based wildlife research and/or management, and some experience of handling animals in that context.
• Experience of scientific project support such as planning, monitoring delivery against milestones, monitoring a budget, organising logistics.
• Ability to work confidently within teams in field research delivery.
• Experience of data management, e.g. using bespoke databases to collate and manipulate data.
• An understanding of vertebrate ecology, and of the principles and practice of wildlife management for disease control.
• Ability/interest in developing scientific skills e.g. contributing to research publications and reports, contributing to data analysis.
• Computer-literate and proficient in a range of Microsoft Office applications (including Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, Powerpoint). 
• Comfortable with both field and desk-based work.
• Practical, with a flexible attitude and able to adapt to changing priorities.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,470, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £7,416 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 Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, 500 word personal statement of how you match to the person specification and required experience detailed above

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

The interview will include questions about your experience and technical skills relevant to the role described in the job description. 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed. 

Should you be successful at interview you will be required to undertake security checks including a Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) check. This includes identity, employment status, nationality and immigration status, criminal record and any other essential pre-employment checks.

The successful candidate will need to comply with several health protocols and wear protective clothing and Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (RPPE) as required.

Depending on the areas of work involved you will be expected to have any necessary vaccinations or health surveillance.  This will be arranged by the Health Team, Weybridge.  It may also be necessary to undergo a pre-employment medical assessment.

Periodic travel within the UK and EU may be required and this could include farm visits as part of ongoing research. The successful candidate may have to ensure that no contact is made with farmed animals for a period of 1-2 days or more before visiting livestock farms.

Out of hours work may be required (e.g. for fieldwork) and travel will be required to attend training courses and undertake field visits.

You must have a valid driving licence or be able to call upon suitable alternate means of transport.

Staff may be required to work rostered on-call duties, weekends, Bank Holidays and occasional evenings.  APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements.  You may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment.

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 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 may be 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.

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.