About the job

Job summary

The work that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) does is ostensibly about food, of course. But really, it’s about people. From our work on the frontlines of the food industry, to the wider policies that we champion and advise on, everything we do is led by an ambition to serve the needs of the public. 

Our Social Science team provides vital insight and guidance on how our work impacts, and is perceived by, the public. By understanding the social and economic realities that may guide - or themselves be guided by - the work that that FSA does, we are better able to make policy decisions that work for everyone. 

We are looking for a Senior Social Science Research Officer who can provide evidence-based insights across a wide range of future projects on the Social Science team. You will lead your own projects, adding invaluable new opportunities for understanding the work that the FSA does, and the way it will impact the lives of the public. 

These projects will vary greatly and may include evaluating the impact of policy changes, helping policy colleagues assess options, understanding how citizens see the changing world of food, tracking and monitoring changes in attitudes and behaviour, or working on behaviour change interventions and trials. You will be at the centre of exciting and timely work that plays an important role in the FSA’s decision-making process. 

Job description

You will need to be an excellent communicator. Building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders both in the FSA and externally, your work with others will help to create cost-effective research for the organisation. Managing individual projects whilst collating and reviewing evidence, you’ll also be responsible managing research contracts. As needed, you’ll also have the opportunity to deliver ad hoc analytical support to other areas of the Analytics Unit., you’ll need to be able to keep an eye on several priorities at once. 

If you are confident that you can manage these priorities whilst maintaining a quality service and delivering efficiently and effectively, do not hesitate to apply for the Senior Social Science Research Officer role today. 

Person specification

Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.

We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,611, Food Standards Agency contributes £10,735 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 and Experience.

Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack. 

Application and shortlisting

You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.  

Technical: You will be asked a question to confirm that you meet the Technical requirements of the role. 

• Degree: Hold a minimum of 2:2 in an undergraduate degree

AND EITHER

 [Qualification] The degree must contain substantial social research methods training (comprising around one third of modules taken on the course) including quantitative research methods and at least three of the following: systematic/literature reviews; qualitative methods; interpretation of data and presentation of results; study design, hypothesis testing and application of ethics to research.

OR

• [Experience] Extensive social research practice experience. This consists of experience working in a research agency, market research agency or specialist research team. You must make explicit the breadth and depth of your research experience and skills, which must include quantitative research methods and three of the following: systematic/literature reviews; qualitative methods; interpretation of data and presentation of results; study design, hypothesis testing and application of ethics to research.

If you cannot answer yes to this question – you will not be able to proceed further with your application.

You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.

Essential criteria

Experience

• Lead criteria: Experience designing, commissioning and managing the delivery of timely quantitative and qualitative social research projects to inform decisions
• Effective communication of evidence and the confidence to engage across internal and external stakeholders

Lead Criteria An initial sift may take place on just the identified Lead Criteria indicated.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.

Interview

If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Technical requirements of the role and Civil Service Behaviours Level 3

Behaviours

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.

Technical:

• Knowledge of research methods, techniques & application of these in more complex projects

Government_Social_Research_Technical_Framework_v4.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

As part of the interview process, you will be asked to prepare a seen presentation. Further information will be provided to you on the day / invite to interview email.

Expected Timeline

Advert closes: 24th March

Sift: Expected to take place 25th March

Final panel interview: Expected to take place 9th April

Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application.)

Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.

The FSA is dedicated to a policy of equal opportunity for all.

Being truly reflective of our society and building a culture where everyone can perform at their best is critical to the work of the FSA. We are looking to recruit from the widest possible talent pool and encourage candidates to apply from a diverse range of backgrounds. We are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer and are committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment and selection process and beyond. All appointments are made on merit.

Please be assured that diversity or socio–economic information requested during the course of your application plays absolutely no part in our selection processes and is not seen by anyone assessing applications.  Any information provided is anonymised and used for statistical purposes only.

We actively review the deployment of talent on a periodic basis in the interests of optimising personal development and the achievement of business plans.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reserve List

A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Candidates that do not pass the interview, but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.

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.