Regulatory Scientists (CRD Band 5/SO)

Bootle, York

HSE wants its workforce to represent modern Britain in all of its diversity

We want all our employees to feel that they can be themselves at work and to know that they are valued for the distinct perspective and experience that they bring.

We take the broadest possible view of equality, diversity and inclusion
We value the qualities that make you who you are
We believe that every member of the community has the right to work safely
We commit to nurturing and empowering our staff, so that they can progress their career as far as their talent takes them
We welcome applications from anyone who holds these same values and meets our personal specification for skills. We look forward to hearing from you.

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.

CRD employs around 330 scientific, policy and support staff in York, Bootle and London. 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 behaviour 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. The key pieces of legislation involved are The Plant Protection Products (PPP) Regulations, including Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs); The Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) Regulation; Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation; The Classification, Labelling & Packaging (CLP) Regulation; and The Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Regulation (the latter relates to export and import of certain hazardous chemicals to non-EU countries). Additionally, through intervention in the supply chain we seek to prevent the adverse effects of chemicals on people and the environment.

We have opportunities for regulatory scientists to work in the following areas:

Posts A - Human Health Regulatory Scientists
Posts B - Environmental Regulatory Scientists
Posts C - Regulatory assessment managers

Within CRD, our regulatory scientists work across the Biocides, Pesticides and REACH regimes.

You will be asked your preferences as to which one of the 3 posts you would like to work in within your application in rank order.

While we encourage you to express a preference of role in your application, we may match successful candidates to roles according to skills and experience. It is also expected that successful applicants will be flexible to respond to business needs and may need to work across the team when required.

The UK leaving the EU offers an exciting opportunity to develop and shape our regulatory schemes for the future. 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 ahead. 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 Band 5/SO regulatory scientists to join our Human Health, Environmental and Regulatory Assessment Teams.

You will work as part of a team and be responsible for technical assessments into regulatory programs on biocides, pesticides and general chemicals to support regulatory decisions in the UK. You will be expected to explain your decisions internally and externally, to Expert Committees, other government departments and relevant stakeholders.

You will get hands on experience of the work we do from day one. Enabling you to gain knowledge in the regulation of chemicals and gain valuable experience in regulatory science, working with national and international legislation, communicating with stakeholders, scientific writing and development of skills in regulatory decision making. CRD also offers stakeholders a comprehensive suite of conference and events training programme and the roles will include attendance at our UK events for training purposes.

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 programme, which over the course of a minimum of 18 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, as early as your second year as a Band 5, you will have the opportunity to apply for through-grading to Band 4 (HSO).

This training will be a blend of classroom based tutorials and workshops, and tailored on the job training, where you will take ownership of a portfolio of work in your department, which you’ll be supported on a one-to-one basis to deliver at the highest level.

Responsibilities

All Posts

1. To apply your scientific knowledge and skills to prepare written technical evaluations of data to meet internal quality standards.

2. To communicate clearly scientific and regulatory information both verbally and in writing, presenting clear summaries, conclusions and decisions.

3. Understanding and applying the relevant regulations, guidance and models. 

4. To analyse and interpret scientific information against relevant regulations, guidance and models in order to make robust regulatory decisions.

5. Working collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams.

6. Presenting your conclusions to a variety of internal and external stakeholders e.g. expert groups and other Government Departments.  

7. To provide scientific and regulatory advice and guidance to colleagues, applicants, stakeholders and members of the public.

Posts C Regulatory assessment scientist – additional responsibilities:

8. Co-ordinating the whole regulatory process to complete multiple substance and product applications within legislative timeframes.

9. Make decisions on the specialist knowledge required to evaluate applications and the relevant fees.

10. Managing applications through our systems, using the IT systems and databases effectively.

11. Monitoring and reporting on the progress of the specialist evaluations and delivery of the whole project to deadline and legislative targets.

For all posts we are looking for:

• Drive, determination and good planning skills which enable you to deliver at pace and to target.

• Good written and verbal communication skills, enabling you to collaborate effectively and engagingly 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.

• Commitment to learning and development , including on the job learning.

• IT skills, including experience in using Microsoft Office.

This is not an exhaustive list and there may be other tasks/responsibilities that will be required as part of these roles.

A degree, minimum 2:2, in a relevant science subject such as:

• Chemistry
• Environmental Sciences
• Biological Sciences
• Agriculture
• Horticulture
• Occupational Hygiene
• Biochemistry
• Pharmacology
• Toxicology
• Biomedical Sciences

We welcome applications from graduates with degrees pending award in 2021. Conditional offers will be subject to attaining the minimum of a 2:2 grade in one of the Science related subjects listed.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Developing Self and Others
• Making Effective Decisions

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?

We invest in our people with;

• Competitive rates of pay.
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute around 21%, far more than in the private sector.
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career.
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and Civil Service privilege leave.
• Parental leave benefits: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, and paternity leave of 2 weeks full pay

Allowances
This post is 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

For more information, please see the candidate pack attached.

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