About the job

Job summary

More than ever before the health of our environment, plants, animals and bees matters. Do you wish to be 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 and animals.

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 the 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. This post is in the nationally & internationally recognised Biomathematics & Risk Research (BRR) Workgroup within the Department for Epidemiological Sciences (DES), working with risk analysts, modellers and other statisticians to provide high quality scientific evidence for policy formulation and outbreak response, as well as specialist support to research and operations in the area of animal and public health.

The application of statistical methods and modelling to animal and plant health research and management will depend on your contribution, especially as part of the strategy to achieve bovine tuberculosis free status in England. This role will include an unusually wide range of analytic challenges, requiring versatility and innovation that exploits your understanding of general statistics. You will support epidemiological and scientific research at APHA’s network of sites and laboratories and its international collaborators, as well as advising programmes for disease control in the field. You will identify, develop and lead opportunities to use statistics to improve the control of disease. We will be eager to hear how your expertise can improve the health of the UK’s livestock and crops.

This is a senior position that will include management of a small number of other statisticians and scientists, and you will continually seek opportunities to build both your own capability and empower your colleagues to use statistics more effectively.

Job description

You will work on a wide range of projects and tasks, which will require you to

• Take responsibility for the delivery of high quality statistical advice and analysis given by yourself and your team.
• Build the capability and delivery of others by effective management and sharing knowledge about data sources, data manipulation and appropriate innovations within DES or across business areas.
• Use the most appropriate methods and tools to deliver outputs, adapting their application as required to effectively manipulate a variety of data sources.
• Drive forward suitable technologies, tools and analytical techniques, leading the way in their application and act as a main point of contact to ensure effective delivery within, and across teams.
• Lead projects or their statistical components, including planning and resource management, to ensure their successful delivery.
• Perform statistical modelling to parameterise epidemiological models.
• Provide support of statistical design and analysis for research scientists to set world leading standards in science quality.
• Create new data solutions/collections through the manipulation of multiple data sources, to better understand animal and plant disease in the UK.
• Proactively engage early and often with the customer to share results, and to discuss findings, taking data limitations into account.
• Influence the debate and the decision-making process to ensure that it is informed by robust quantitative evidence.
• Promote BRR science at national and international meetings and conferences by presenting, and publishing in reports and peer reviewed journals etc.
• Deputise for the APHA lead statistician when required.

Person specification

• Strong analytical experience, including a track record in the practical application of analysis or research with an in depth knowledge of data sources.
• Versatile solver of statistical problems based on a good understanding of general statistics.
• Strong leadership skills with the capability and experience to overcome challenges in order to deliver quality business outcomes.
• Experience of managing a team and prioritising tasks in line with organisational objectives.
• A proven ability to manage the delivery of complex projects, delivering quality outcomes to deadline and identifying risks.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to clearly explain complex data to non-specialists and contribute effectively to discussions with ministers, senior officials and external stakeholders.
• Ability to deliver high impact analysis to tight deadlines, using forward planning to identify risks and issues, while including quality assurance and protection against errors.
• Curiosity to detect and preparedness to acknowledge and promptly correct any flaws in analysis or data.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,577, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £11,495 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, technical skill, personal statement & 250 word behaviour statements.

Candidates are to give details within their personal statement, in no more than 1000 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 CV. 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, experience and 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. 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

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.

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 preferred

This post is full-time. Part-time working is available with a minimum of 20 hours per week.  We may consider two part-time staff on a job share if continuity could 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.