Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Science Strategy and Professions Officer
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Job Summary
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.
Science, analysis and data are at the heart of Defra’s work. The Science, Data & Analysis Group (SDA) provides specialist analytical, scientific, policy and systems-thinking expertise to deliver high quality, impactful analysis, assurance and insight to underpin Defra’s work and to inform decision-making.
The Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) and SDA are responsible for overseeing the quality of evidence that the department relies on for policy decision.
The CSA also provides Ministers with scientific advice, sets the priorities for scientific research and evidence-gathering and is also leads our profession, championing science and scientists across the Defra group.
Job Description
This role sits within the SDA’s Central Science Division (CSD), and works on the priorities of the CSA. CSD provides 3 key functions across Defra science:
- Enabling – ensuring Defra has a strong science system, underpinned by clear strategy, skills and effective relationships with scientists across Defra group;
- Supporting – working strategically with priority policy areas, using research, innovation and partnerships to develop and strengthen the scientific evidence-base underpinning policy;
- Strategic – taking a proactive role in identifying and supporting cross-cutting and emerging scientific issues across Defra. CSD works in an agile and flexible way to support changing and emerging priority needs.
This makes the CSD a crucial work area for translating research into evidence for policy, creating that link between science and real-world-action.
We are seeking a new Science Strategy and Professions Adviser, with experience of working in science and an interest in putting that knowledge towards real-world-problems, to join the CSD. This is an excellent opportunity to help put science at the heart of Defra policies and to champion science and scientists across Defra Group. As part of this recruitment drive we are looking to generate a reserve list of candidates who, if they meet our criteria, may be offered other roles in science in Defra.
If you are interested in applying to this role, and finding out what it’s like to be a scientist in Defra, then please join us for an informative webinar on Tues 6th Oct, 13.30 - 14.00. Please sign up to the webinar via this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/science-careers-in-defra-applicant-information-session-tickets-2002198338127
We expect to interview from the week commencing the 2nd November.
Person Specification
This New And Exciting Role As a Science Strategy And Professions Officer Sits Within The Science Strategy, Quality And Reward Team Which Is Part Of The Central Science Division As Described Above. The Science Strategy, Quality And Reward Team Helps To Ensure:
- Central science resources sufficiently support priority science delivery across Defra
- Scientists have access to high-quality guidance on delivery
- That the professional science community across Defra’s organisations is connected
- Pay and reward for scientists reflects the specialist skills and expertise required to carry out their roles
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This is a dynamic role within a small team, which provides an opportunity to lead on self-contained, discrete project work, including owning and updating specific guidance and policies, but will also support larger projects and initiatives and broad engagement with the Science profession in Defra.
Essential Criteria
- A postgraduate science degree or equivalent, professional experience in a science or engineering discipline.
- Science and Policy: an understanding of how evidence, R&D, innovation and external expertise support policy, delivery and / or organisational resilience.
- Communication: experience briefing senior leaders, influencing stakeholders and communicating complex evidence or delivery issues clearly.
- Project delivery: strong organisational skills and experience delivering projects or programmes with multiple stakeholders, governance requirements and delivery milestones.
- Partnership development: ability to build productive relationships within and across organisational boundaries, including with academia, research organisations, PSREs, government departments or industry.
- Prioritisation and alignment: ability to understand and align your activity with wider team priorities, senior leadership expectations and future evidence needs.
- Risk Management: ability to identify emerging risks, opportunities and delivery gaps and translate them into practical interventions.
Candidates will be assessed on their experience and technical skills at the application stage, and the behaviours of communicating and influencing, working together and delivery at pace at the interview stage.
If a high number of applications are received, we will perform an initial sift based on personal statements.
Qualifications
A postgraduate qualification in science or engineering or equivalent, professional experience in a science or engineering discipline.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Technical Skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- What area of science/engineering is your postgraduate qualification/equivalent experience in?
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Assessment Process
- 500-word personal statement that details examples covering the essential criteria within the person specification.
- A CV detailing your last 5 years of employment, the positions and responsibilities you held, and the key knowledge and skills you used.
- We will provide a combined score for the CV and Personal statement based on the essential criteria.
- You will be required to provide an answer to a technical question also during the application process.
Interview
- The Following Behaviours Will Be Assessed At Interview:
- Communicating and Influencing - this will be tested via a presentation.
- Delivering at pace
- Working Together
- There will also be questions to assess your experience against the essential criteria.
- 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.
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Further Information
Salary
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
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.
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 perform all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to DEFRA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
Merit Lists
Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.
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 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
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