Senior Risk Scientist Buxton, East Midlands, England
Job description
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Fixed Term
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About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
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Location
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.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the independent regulator for work-related health and safety. We act in the public interest to reduce work-related illness, death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces.
This exciting opportunity will be based in the Science Division of the HSE. Science Division offers science and technical advice and support to HSE and commercial organisations. The scope of our work requires a diversity of talented individuals. Science Division employs around 360 people including scientists, engineers, economists, doctors, psychologists, social scientists, health professionals and other technical specialists.
Our capabilities encompass a wide range of topics including: occupational and environmental health; risk assessment; work environment; fire, explosion, process safety and engineering; specialist photographic and analytical services. This breadth of expertise underpins our particular strength in creating multidisciplinary teams to support major incident investigations and policy development, annual national statistics as well as undertaking high quality research and development and foresight work.
We have 3 positions available - 2 Permanent posts and 1 Fixed Term Appointment for a duration of 3 years. The permanent posts will be offered in merit order.
Job description
We are looking to recruit a Senior Risk Scientist to join our Risk Team in the Risk and Human Factors Capability Group. The Team carries out a range of research and risk assessment work including:
- Emerging technologies relating to; alternative fuels (hydrogen, ammonia, batteries) for transport and heating, carbon capture and sequestration schemes, UK Space Industry, Nuclear Fusion, automation and artificial intelligence.
- High risk buildings and land use planning assessments around sites and pipelines storing and transporting hazardous substances,
- Supporting HSE in its regulatory functions at major hazard sites, COMAH safety Reports and Incident work.
- Providing technical training to commercial customers and partner organisations.
Our expertise lies in hazard identification, risk assessment and identification of suitable risk reduction measures to reduce the risk as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP), finding solutions incorporating inherent safety, pressure relief systems, safety-related control systems, and fire/explosion prevention and protection systems etc.
As a Senior Risk Scientist, you will be expected to lead and contribute on a diverse range of projects especially on emerging technology, including both commercial and HSE work. There will be a strong emphasis on team working and collaboration. You will be expected to work with specialists and technical experts across many other disciplines.
Examples of the type of work involved are:
- To carry out projects and provide expertise in the application of risk assessment and process safety, including topics such as DSEAR, major accident risk reduction measures as well as the principles and application of ALARP.
- To lead hazard identification studies.
- To understand relevant aspects of toxics, fire and explosion safety, structural integrity relating to Building Safety Regulations, design for inherent safety and influence of human behaviour.
- To apply science to the development of policy and regulation.
- To assess relevant aspects of COMAH safety reports and other technical reports and information, including those in line with UK’s NetZero Strategy and other emerging technology.
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.
For any successful candidates there will be the expectation to travel to our Buxton Science and Research Centre 2 days per week.
Person specification
Essential:
- Expertise in chemical, fire or structural engineering or a related discipline relevant to health and safety applications.
- Good communication skills, including report writing and presenting to customers.
- Experience in planning, managing and delivering input to projects for customers.
- To be able to work with scientists and non-scientists from a range of disciplines.
Desirable:
- Membership / Chartered status with a relevant science or engineering professional body.
Responsibilities:
- Application of process safety principles, risk assessment and management as well as analysis in research, support and incident investigations for HSE and external customers, including international.
- Reporting the outcomes of scientific work through writing journal articles, reports and providing verbal feedback to customers.
- To technically lead packages of work, taking responsibility for their delivery to time, cost and technical quality.
- To liaise with colleagues in other parts of HSE and other government departments to provide multi-disciplinary teams that offer the best possible service to customers.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Changing and Improving
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Technical Presentation and Communication Skills
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- Competitive rates of pay
- Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 27.1%
- Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
- Carer friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career.
- 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1- day Civil Service privilege leave
- Competitive parental leave benefits
Allowances
The permanent posts will be eligible for Excess Fares Allowance. A successful internal candidate currently based at another office may be entitled to Excess Fares Allowance in line with HSE policy (http://intranet/finance/expenses/excess-fares-allowance-policy.htm)
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application information
As part of your application, you will be invited to complete a CV and a Personal Statement of up to 750 words which demonstrates how you meet the essential skills and criteria of the job advert.
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 Personal Statement.
The Sift will take place during the week commencing 13th February 2023.
Interview information
At interview, you will be assessed against the 2 behaviours combined with a 5-8 minute presentation to assess your technical and communication skills. We will give you further details of the presentation topic when invited to interview.
Interviews will take place during week commencing 27th February or 6th March 2023.
Further Information
Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months.
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 at 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: [email protected]
For the Fixed Term Appointment post - Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
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 formal action regarding 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
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team :
Further information
HR Resourcing Team, 2.3 Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 7HS. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact Civil Service commissioners:
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/civilservicecodecomplaints/
