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Senior Radiation Protection Scientist - Chilton

  • Public sector
  • London
  • 07/02/2025
  • £42,758.00 - £48,543.00 /yearly
  • Full Time & Permanent
Job expired!

Job Overview

Location

London

Job Type

Full Time & Permanent

Salary

£42,758 - £48,543 yearly

Date Posted:

07/02/2025

Expiration date:

20/02/2025

Additional Detail

Job ID

21198

Job Description

Chilton

Job summary

The Radiation Hazards and Emergencies Department (RHED) leads UKHSAs emergency response and preparedness function in case of radiation and nuclear emergencies. It also provides advice and support to external organisations and central Government on issues surrounding emergency response and countermeasures to be taken.

As a Senior Radiation Protection Scientist in the Radiochemistry Group (RG), the post holder will be responsible for a range of duties associated with laboratory-based analysis of environmental and industrial samples in support of RGs commercial contracts. They will be a Project Manager for a range of commercial contracts, or significant areas of larger environmental monitoring programmes as directed by the Team Leader, with the ability to troubleshoot analytical and/or instrumental problems as they arise. They will take the lead on Quality Assurance issues associated with these programmes.

Working with Team Leaders, the post holder will use their expertise and experience to take a leading role in in the development of new analytical protocols in support of RGs primary roles in emergency response and sample analysis, including design and testing of development programmes, introduction of new working procedures, preparation of validation reports and staff training.

The post holder will be Line Manager for some staff within the Team. 

Job description

  • Contribute to current commercial contracts e.g. sample analysis, report preparation etc
  • Project Manager for commercial contracts, significant programmes within larger contracts and/or development projects within RG. 
  •  Liaise with Team/Group Leaders and customers on the progress of projects
  • Ability to resolve analytical and/or instrumental problems
  • Responsibility for  Quality Assurance control within defined areas of work.
  • Ensure work is completed to pre-defined timescales and contractual deadlines
  • Lead, as directed, development of testing protocols for both commercial and emergency samples
  • Work, under the direction of the Team Leader, to ensure new protocols are written and implemented, and staff competency has been demonstrated and recorded. Lead the accreditation process for new procedures as required
  • Undertake other duties in support of UKHSAs emergency response preparedness and commercial activities
  • Line manage other staff within the team
  • Ensure their work satisfies all applicable QA requirements
  • Undertake broader corporate tasks as directed by the Group Leader and/or Head of Department

Working for your organisation

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.   

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.  

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Person specification

Essential criteria - you will be assessed on the below (12) essential criteria and (3) desirable criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.  

Essential

  • Graduate level in chemistry or a related discipline or equivalent level of experience
  • Good experience of radiochemical analysis
  • Experience of working in a formally accredited QA environment
  • Experience of line management of staff
  • Advanced MS Office skills
  • Ability to produce clear well-structured written material 
  • Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
  • Ability to work on several separate tasks at the same time, often independently, whilst keeping to agreed deadlines.
  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
  • Availability to work away from base occasionally.
  • Good problem-solving skills and adaptability to rapidly changing demands
  • Good understanding of the principles of analysis for a range of (radio)chemical processes

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a service focused environment
  • Experience in project management
  • Full/permanent Current UK driving licence (or equivalent) (there may be a need to visit other UKHSA offices, carrying out sampling audits or witness samples around the UK)
Alongside your salary of £42,758, UK Health Security Agency contributes £12,386 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
  • 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, Strengths, Experience, Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift  

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed (12) essential criteria and (3) desirable criteria, and this will be in the form of a:  

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
  • 1250 word Statement of Suitability.  

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.  

The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of: 

  • Meets all essential criteria 
  • Meets some essential criteria 
  • Meets no essential criteria  

The following piles will be taken to the next stage:

  • Meets all essential criteria 

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following:

  • Graduate level in chemistry or a related discipline or equivalent level of experience
  • Good experience of radiochemical analysis
  • Experience of working in a formally accredited QA environment

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment. 

Please do not exceed 1250 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number. 

Feedback will not be provided at this stage. 

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.  

Stage 2: Interview 

You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview at UKHSA Chilton. If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours, technical, experience, and strengths will be tested at interview.

There will be a 10-minute Presentation. 

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be 

  • Changing and improving - Lead
  • Working together
  • Developing self and others

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. 

Eligibility Criteria - External  

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).   

Location 

This role is being offered as office/lab based at our Scientific Campus in Chilton. If based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.   

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-terrorist Check.

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC).

Reasonable Adjustments 

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. 

To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. 

An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.  

This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.  

If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:  

Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.  

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/ 

International Police check: 

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check.  This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own. 



Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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.

Diversity and Inclusion

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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Recruitment team

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/

 
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