About the job

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a Veterinary Lead for Toxicology and Chemical Feed and Food Safety in APHA’s Surveillance Intelligence Unit (SIU). You will be APHA’s lead expert in this subject area and you will bring together a network of expertise to enable identification, investigation and characterisation of toxicology-related disease threats.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and 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 the economy.

The Science Directorate delivers high quality, high impact relevant multidisciplinary science. Our people are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.

The SIU is a multi-disciplinary team in the APHA Science Directorate. The team is responsible for collecting, collating, presenting and analysing scanning surveillance data. This exciting work includes evaluation of potential threats to animal health and welfare, public health and environmental health, working within the principles of One Health. A significant component of the data that inform potential threats are generated through the APHA’s network of Veterinary Investigation Centres (VICs) and diagnostic laboratories, alongside horizon scanning activities. A full description of the scanning surveillance network is available at: http://apha.defra.gov.uk/vet-gateway/surveillance/index.htm

As the Veterinary Lead for Toxicology and Chemical Feed and Food Safety you will work closely with other specialist groups in APHA including the Species Expert Groups (each having their own Veterinary Lead in SIU) and colleagues involved with toxicological testing, external toxicology groups, and Government policy teams.

Leading on delivery of the Government-funded projects for Toxicology and Chemical Feed and Food Safety in England and Wales. Consultancy across a range of animal species and an understanding of the veterinary context within which toxicological incidents arise is important. The primary aims of the work area are detection, investigation and characterisation of toxicology-related threats; provision of toxicology expertise to APHA and Government policy customers; maintenance and development of toxicology expertise within APHA; and development of toxicology knowledge exchange networks. Leading on reports relating to the subject area and contributing to the toxicology component of various other communications, as well as contributing to the continuous improvement of these outputs. Examples of some of these reports can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animal-disease-surveillance-reports.

Job description

You will be responsible for building capability, expertise, and networks in key areas of our science. You must possess expertise in this subject area; and ensure continuing development of this expertise in yourself and others, so that APHA can maintain capability and resilience, and adapt to our customers’ requirements.

 As the Veterinary Lead for Toxicology and Chemical Feed and Food Safety you will:

• Lead on providing consultancy and advice on toxicology and other chemical issues for Defra, and on the investigation of On-Farm Chemical Food Safety Incidents for the Food Standards Agency. This includes consideration of differential diagnosis for other diseases that might cause similar clinical presentations.
• Interact and work cooperatively with Veterinary Investigation Officers, Field teams, policy advice teams, Species Expert Groups (SEGs) in the Surveillance Intelligence Unit (SIU), and other work groups across APHA, to ensure approaches to toxicology and chemical exposures are coordinated across APHA and with key partners.
• Work with resource managers to ensure capability is developed and maintained for toxicology and Chemical Feed and Food Safety response in APHA.
• Ensure that APHA is working collaboratively with other Agencies and Government Departments appropriate to the chemical source or investigation.
• Ensure that APHA is aware of analytical capabilities in the UK and elsewhere.
• Provide timely advice for emergency response and incident management. This will include establishing an out of hours rota of suitably informed vets in APHA to offer advice in the case of an emergency situation.
• Be familiar with risk analysis and its individual components of risk assessment, risk management and risk communication, in relation to solving a toxicological problem.
• Use expertise to understand potential and real exposures to chemicals.
• Lead on communicating and engaging with stakeholders (both within Government and external and where necessary throughout the UK, Europe and worldwide) to ensure their awareness of chemical-related threats and best practice for detection and control or to respond to their queries in relation to animal health and welfare.
• Be able to advise accordingly on best practice for detection of a threat in animals and contribute to risk management.
• Join up activities in the area of chemicals across APHA championing best practice and the professional development for colleagues working in this area.
• Undertake regular horizon scanning for potential threats to the UK.
• Evaluation and investigation of potential new and re-emerging toxicology-related threats and make decisions on further actions including characterisation, mitigation, communication and escalation to Government Risk Assessment groups (including the Veterinary Risk Group, acting as risk manager for toxicology).

Person specification

Skills and Experience

• You will be an expert in the field of toxicology, ideally in (but not necessarily restricted to) the context of solving livestock incidents. This may include working towards, or having achieved, a specialist toxicology qualification.
• A good understanding of livestock diseases and differential diagnoses especially in relation to livestock nutrition, to understand the context within which toxicological incidents may occur.
• Knowledge of risk analysis. Training in specific areas of the UK chemical industry, chemicals, toxicology and ecotoxicology can be provided.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective networks and relationships.
• A strategic thinker with analytical and creative problem-solving abilities and well-developed decision-making skills.
• Evidence of collaborative working with other experts or diagnostic investigators in the field of veterinary toxicology.
• Good awareness of diagnostic approaches to toxicology testing.
• An ability to support a learning culture with a strong focus on continuous development and building capability in others, particularly in relation to building expertise to investigate toxicology related on farm.
• Evidence of impartiality and objectivity for scientific evidence and advice.
• Highly motivated, with high inner resilience and calm under pressure.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and will need to be comfortable communicating with people and groups with a range of scientific knowledge.
• Awareness of the disease surveillance landscape in GB, and other sources of data and information.
• Knowledge of common toxicological diseases in farmed livestock, and chemical food and feed related issues.
• Experience of working with and providing advice to Government policy and Incident Management teams.

Qualifications and memberships

Degree in Veterinary Medicine that is recognised in the UK and registration with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Security clearance

The post can be based at any of several sites across APHA’s estate. If you chose to work from the Weybridge site, this 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 staff 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 residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement to work at the Weybridge site. 

 A valid full driving licence is necessary or access to an alternative means of transport.

Benefits

Benefits

In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training as inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA.  Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employee contributory pension (27%), and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time if accumulated) and paid volunteering days per year. At the Weybridge site there is an onsite canteen and free parking (other locations will vary). Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.  

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role.   

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.

Application Process

As part of the application process, you will need to complete a CV-style application and this will include: CV (job history and qualifications) and a Personal Statement (1000 words), Please provide:

• Your career history that is relevant to this post, with key roles and responsibilities, including the personal impact you had in each role.
• a Personal Statement that shows how you match the skills and experience detailed in the Person Specification in no more than 1000 words.

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

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours and your experience.

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 and details of this will be given prior to interview. The interview will consist of questions against the specific Civil Service Behaviours listed below and we will assess your understanding of animal disease surveillance, toxicology and chemical food safety, and your investigative, analytical and communication skills.

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.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

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/Disclosure Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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.

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.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to Weybridge may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer. 

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.