About the job

Job summary

Diverse Perspectives and experiences are critical to our success, and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

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

We are looking for 2 Research Scientists to join the Risk team based at the HSE’s Science & Research Centre in Buxton. This an exciting opportunity to join a vibrant team that delivers cutting-edge, challenging research, regulatory support, and consultancy for a wide range of risk assessment and process safety topics.

As part of the Government’s response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is establishing the new Building Safety Regulator (BSR). Working with residents and industry to make sure everybody has a voice, BSR will oversee changes to the safety and performance of all buildings and raise industry professional standards year on year. The roles will help deliver research and provide scientific evidence to help reduce the risk of similar tragedies occurring in the future.  

Although these roles will be focussed on delivering research to support the new BSR function of HSE there will also be opportunities to contribute to other areas of research the team is involved with including innovative NetZero hydrogen and carbon capture technologies, aerospace technology, energy infrastructure, developments in nuclear fusion and other high hazard industries.  

Job description

• You will use your expertise to deliver high quality research focussing on building safety and risk management.
• Through the publication of papers and conference (and other) presentations, you will improve and widen HSE's scientific reputation helping to improve public understanding of risk concepts and raise awareness of HSE's work.
• Review and evaluation of technical evidence including risk assessments and safety cases in support of regulatory development and enforcement.
• Develop technical solutions and facilitate workshops for risk identification and the management of existing and emerging risks.
• Develop relationships with HSE policy and operational delivery colleagues to achieve mutual influence on the development and use of the science and its application to decision making in building safety matters.
• Work with other government regulatory bodies to ensure a consistent approach to risk concepts and their implementation.
• Provide technical/scientific leadership or steering group membership for cross-organisational research projects, or other scientific initiatives.
• Work with HSE science, operational and policy colleagues to update HSE risk guidance and influence duty holders to follow the guidance by raising the profile of HSE's risk management science.

At HSE, we are proud to be able to offer our people the opportunity to work in a hybrid way which combines working from home and the office. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your allocated office will be your contractual place of work. There will be a requirement to travel to the office for various activities e.g., collaborative working, supporting and training colleagues. If hybrid working is suitable for you and your role, the arrangements will be determined primarily by business need, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. Therefore, we would encourage candidates to consider if the commute from home to the office is a feasible distance to travel before making an application. Please note that if you are successful, hybrid working will be discussed prior to taking up the post.

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours per week. 

Person specification

You will be able to:

• Plan and lead delivery on research projects for HSE or externally funded projects
• Report the outcomes of scientific work through writing reports and papers, presentations and providing verbal feedback to customers.
• Collaborate with colleagues in other parts of HSE and in different organisations to support multi-disciplinary teams deliver the best possible research.
• Contribute to the development of future work by seeking opportunities for work and developing project proposals.
• Take personal responsibility for ensuring that your training and development are aligned with business objectives.

Essential skills and criteria:

• Practical experience and knowledge (either through academic research, work, or a combination of the two) in one or more of the following sectors:  Engineering (civil, structural, fire or environmental), architecture, construction management, building surveying, building control, or building safety
• Be competent at facilitating workshops/studies with a diverse range of stakeholders
• Experience of successfully planning and delivering research or technical projects to time, quality, and cost. 
• Have excellent communication skills with experience of technical report writing and presenting to a range of stakeholders.
• Be able to work with scientists and professionals from a range of disciplines.

Desirable

• Chartered membership of a relevant professional body.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,788, Health and Safety Executive contributes £11,013 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 Information

As part of the application you will be asked to complete

• a CV which should outline your career history and qualifications. Please also note the requirement for additional research or industry experience which should be clearly stated in your CV section.
• a personal statement (up to 750 word) that demonstrates how your experience, knowledge and skills meet each of the essential criteria detailed for the role.

Application Guidance

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/

Sift Information

At sift you will be assessed on your CV and your statement of suitability.

The sift will take place week commencing 22nd January.

Interview information

At interview, you will be assessed against the behaviours and experience detailed within the job advert, as well as a technical presentation where you will be assessed against the GSE framework: 'Applying Knowledge'. More details to be provided at the interview stage. 

Interviews will take place from week commencing 5th February.

Further Information

Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months.

Due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and, Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application.

For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached document.

Any move to HSE 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

If you have a disability and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk 

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any for attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

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 security 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.