Cefas
Toxins Chemist
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Weymouth
Job Summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Toxins Chemist. The purpose of this role is to conduct chemical analyses, data reporting, and associated laboratory support duties on the marine biotoxin statutory monitoring programmes and to help develop the team’s expertise and capacity through participating in associated R&D activities in the area of analytical chemistry for food contaminants, particularly algal biotoxins.
This post will contribute to team delivery of key food safety work that supports public health protection and aquaculture sector sustainability.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
Welcome to Cefas (youtube.com)
Job Description
Your main duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Receipting and preparation of shellfish samples for testing, including shucking, box handling and dispatch.
- Extraction and analysis of shellfish for natural marine toxins.
- Shellfish extract clean-up using manual and automated solid phase extraction technologies.
- Daily operation of instrumental chemical detection tools to include quantitative high performance liquid chromatography, with various detectors.
- Major focus on the application of tandem mass spectrometry methods for lipophilic and hydrophilic marine toxins, plus cyanobacterial toxins.
- Assisting in trouble shooting of instrumentation problems, quality control and quality assurance issues.
- Assisting with investigations into performance issues and partaking in analytical research projects as requested.
- Supervision of placement students within the framework of ISO17025.
- All routine laboratory work conducted according to UKAS accredited procedures (ISO17025).
- Adherence to laboratory health, safety, and environment requirements.
- Assistance with general laboratory maintenance activities (accreditation, general housekeeping, calibration of equipment, preparation of reagents) as required.
- Support to programme coordinators in data handling, collation and reporting.
- Flexible work, responding to needs of business unit, group and/or team as and when required.
In addition, Cefas reserves the right to ask staff to take on additional duties and responsibilities which are commensurate with their grade. Management will have a discussion with staff to explain the changes that are to be made. A new job description will be issued if required.
Person Specification
Person Specification And Essential Criteria Section
The following are essential criteria required for this role and you must be able to demonstrate your skills and experience in the following areas:
- Practical and/or theoretical experience with analytical chemistry.
- Experience with the use of chromatography techniques.
- Previous laboratory experience, preferably working in a chemical testing laboratory to strict quality controls.
- Ability to work to written methods and procedures.
- Flexibility, including working flexible hours with some early starts (07:30) and the ability to work well in a team.
- Good timekeeping and IT skills.
- High focus on precision and accuracy.
- Must have the ability to open and process bivalve shellfish.
- Ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines.
- NB As this job will involve the physical opening and processing of bivalve shellfish, it is not suitable for anyone with a shellfish allergy. The successful candidate will be expected to have and maintain up to date tetanus immunisation. Hepatitis A vaccination will be recommended.
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Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Working Together
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Practical and/or theoretical experience with analytical chemistry.
- Experience with the use of chromatography techniques.
- Previous laboratory experience, preferably in a chemical testing laboratory to strict quality controls.
Salary and Benefits
- Alongside your salary of £29,744, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science contributes £8,616 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- Generous annual leave entitlement – Cefas offers 25 days' annual leave on entry (rising to 30 days over first 5yrs) for full-time new entrants to the Civil Service.
- Employees receive 8 public holidays a year, plus an additional day to mark the King's birthday.
- Access to learning and development tailored to your role.
- A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options.
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
- Eligible to join the Civil Service Pension scheme – more information can be found on the CSP website http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/
- Skills and Personal Effectiveness Allowances (SPEA) to recognise the development of capability and enhanced responsibility that it is possible to build up over time spent working at a particular grade (minimum of two years). These are non-consolidated.
- Biannual Personal Performance Payments (non-consolidated) linked to individual performance.
- Spot Performance Payments (non-consolidated) linked to outstanding work delivered, outstanding results achieved or outstanding contribution.
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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
Application Process
As part of the application process you are asked to provide a CV (job history, qualifications, past skills and experience), a maximum 750-word personal statement on how you meet the essential criteria as stated in the person specification and essential criteria section, and a maximum 250-word response to the advertised question below concerning the advertised lead behaviour – Delivering at Pace.
The question for applicants to respond to on their application form is:
How do you balance the need for speed with managing quality?
For guidance on Civil Service Success Profiles, this video tells you what you’ll need to provide throughout the assessment process with supporting guidance on each step. Link – Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) For guidance on how to construct your CV, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link - CV For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link – Statement For guidance on how to construct your lead behaviour statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link – Behaviours
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We would recommend the STAR model to structure your answers. We find this allows you to best demonstrate your skills and experience, we can get to know you and can support you to show your skills and experience to answer questions linked to the advertised success profiles.
What STAR Stands For
- Situation - the situation you had to deal with
- Task - the task you were given to do
- Action - the action you took
- Result - what happened as a result of your action and what you learned from the experience
How To Use STAR
You can use the STAR method to structure the examples you give to questions. You can use it to highlight particular skills and qualities you have that the employer is looking for.
When Using STAR, Remember
- you can use examples from work, home or volunteering
- keep examples short and to the point
- if shortlisted be prepared to answer follow-up questions about the examples you give at the interview stage
Sift
The sift panel will use the information in your CV and personal statement to assess your experience and how you meet the essential criteria as stated in the person specification and essential criteria section. The sift panel will also assess the lead behaviour statement for Delivering at Pace.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour – Delivering at Pace. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Interview schedule and details will be confirmed on release of the sift results.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the three advertised behaviours, three advertised technical skills, four strengths and experience. It is also important to inform prospective applicants that the interview questions will be provided to all shortlisted candidates in advance of the planned date and time of interview. The only questions that won't be provided are the strengths questions because strengths are defined as things people are good at and that energise us. It is important for shortlisted candidates to provide spontaneous responses that reveal genuine preferences and behaviours, rather than rehearsed examples.
The Three Advertised Behaviours
- Delivering at Pace - Lead behaviour
- Managing a Quality Service
- Working Together
The Three Advertised Technical Skills Are
- Practical and/or theoretical experience with analytical chemistry.
- Experience with the use of chromatography techniques.
- Previous laboratory experience, preferably in a chemical testing laboratory to strict quality controls.
These technical skills will be assessed through questions at interview as well through a pipetting test exercise. Shortlisted applicants will be taken to a laboratory and given a pipette, flask of water, balance and weighing boat and asked to pipette a given volume of water onto the balance three times and record the value each time. This exercise will test shortlisted applicants' familiarity with a pipette, understanding of volumes (microlitre vs millilitre), and precision in pipe
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