Health and Safety Executive
Regulatory Scientists (Band 5/EO)
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Job Summary
CRD employs around 450 scientific, regulatory, and support staff in Bootle, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, and York, and other areas across the UK. This is an exciting time to join CRD with opportunities to develop and shape our regulatory schemes for the future. Our primary role is to deliver regulatory schemes intended to protect the health of people and the environment, balancing the economic and social benefits that chemicals offer to society and helping to ensure the safe and sustainable use of chemicals.
We also have a role through guidance, partnership working, and leadership to raise awareness and promote behavioral change to help improve the control of hazardous substances in the workplace.
To achieve this and deliver improved regulatory outcomes, we work closely with small and large businesses, and key stakeholders, ranging from industry bodies and multi-national chemical businesses, other government departments (in particular Defra), and other regulators across Europe and internationally.
Specifically, CRD regulates pesticides, biocides, industrial and consumer chemicals, detergents, and the export and import of dangerous chemicals. Additionally, through intervention in the supply chain, we seek to prevent the adverse effects of chemicals on people and the environment.
With a world-class reputation for safeguarding the health and safety of people at work, HSE is adapting and evolving to meet the new challenges following our departure from the EU. At CRD, we work with one goal in mind – to protect human health and the environment from the effects of potentially harmful substances and mixtures.
To help us meet these challenges, we require a number of ambitious Regulatory Scientists to join our Delivery Teams.
Please note - we have specified that part-time positions are available, however the minimum number of hours per week is 30 hrs.
Job Description
We have opportunities for regulatory scientists to work in our various Regulatory Delivery Teams where work will be undertaken principally across the Biocides and Pesticides regimes. Although it is likely we will have further roles coming up soon within our other scientific/delivery areas.
For further details on these roles, please refer to the candidate pack, which can be found as a link towards the end of this advert.
Please Note We Will Match Successful Candidates To Roles According To Your Qualifications And Background/experience. Depending On Business Needs, We May Also Have Other Regulatory Scientist Roles That We Will Consider You For. It Is Also Expected That Successful Applicants Will Be Flexible To Respond To Business Needs And May Need To Work Across The Teams When Required. You Could Be Considered For Other Roles In The Following Areas:
- Chemistry
- Ecotoxicology
- Efficacy
- Environmental fate and behaviour
- Operator Exposure
- Residues
No laboratory or field work is involved in these roles. There may be opportunities to undertake visits to testing facilities, field trials, and external events for training and development.
You will join a structured training program which will take approximately 18 to 36 months, will introduce you to all the elements of your role, enabling you to gain in-depth knowledge of the regulation of chemicals and develop valuable experience in regulatory science. As you become proficient, you will have the opportunity to apply for through-grading to Band 4.
Key Responsibilities
- To apply your scientific knowledge and skills to prepare written technical assessments of data to meet internal quality standards.
- To provide scientific and regulatory advice and guidance to colleagues, applicants, stakeholders, and members of the public.
- To analyze and interpret scientific information against relevant regulations, guidance, and models to make robust regulatory decisions.
- Understanding and applying the relevant regulations, guidance, and models.
- Presenting your summaries, decisions, and conclusions to a variety of internal and external stakeholders e.g. expert groups and other Government Departments.
- To communicate scientific and regulatory information effectively.
- Working collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams.
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This is not an exhaustive list and there may be other tasks/responsibilities that will be required as part of these roles.
For further information about the work across our regulatory scientist teams, please see our attached candidate pack.
Person Specification
Essential Skills and Criteria
- Drive, determination, and good planning skills which enable you to deliver at pace and to target.
- Ability to communicate, enabling you to collaborate effectively and engage with others.
- Ability to work flexibly and as part of a team.
- Sound analytical skills with the ability to write/present effective technical information in a clear, concise, and timely way.
- Initiative and decisiveness, supporting your ability to make effective decisions, while being open to challenge and involving others.
Hybrid Working & Travel
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, you will be expected to attend the office, or other business-related site, for 60% of your working week. 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.
During training, you may be required to attend the office more often, this may include travel to other HSE sites and some potential overnight stays.
Qualifications
A degree, minimum 2:2 or a level 7/8 qualification (e.g. - postgraduate degree, postgraduate certificate) in a relevant science subject such as:
- Environmental Sciences
- Biological Sciences – for example Ecology, Zoology, Plant Sciences, Microbiology
- Agriculture
- Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Horticulture
- Occupational Hygiene
This is not an exhaustive list and qualifications will be reviewed throughout the recruitment process.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
Technical Skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- How you have used your scientific knowledge and skills to evaluate a range of data?
- How you have demonstrated clear oral and written communication of scientific information and presented clear conclusions and decisions?
- Conducting a scientific study
- Hazard and risk
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We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
- How you have used your scientific knowledge and skills to evaluate a range of data?
- How you have demonstrated clear oral and written communication of scientific information and presented clear conclusions and decisions?
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £31,657, Health and Safety Executive contributes £9,171 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
We invest in our people with;
- Competitive rates of pay
- Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97%, far more than in the private sector.
- Family-friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
- Carer-friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
- 185 hours annual holiday increasing to 222 hours after 5 years' service, plus public holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave (recorded as 7.4 hours in addition to your annual leave balance)
- Parental leave benefits
As a member of HSE, you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E-Gift Cards and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate, and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own), applications may be withdrawn, and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability, Experience, and Technical skills.
We will recruit in three stages:
Online tests
Please be advised that the tests ARE NOT timed.
Upon submission of your short application form, you will be invited to complete a Numerical Reasoning test followed by a Verbal Reasoning test.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible, within 24-48 hours is recommended, to allow time to complete your full application.
If you successfully pass the test, you will then be invited to complete the final stage of your application.
You must complete the online tests and your full application form by 12:00 pm midday on 26th October 2026. If you fail to complete the online tests and full application form before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.
Guidance for the tests will be available when you are invited to take the tests. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
Application Information
As part of your application, you will be invited to complete an anonymised CV which should include your career history, experience, and qualifications. Please be advised that the CV is for information purposes only and will not be scored.
You will also be asked to complete an anonymised personal statement
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