Location

Multi-location from one of our FSA Offices (Belfast, Cardiff, Birmingham, London or York), or home based in the UK. OCCASIONAL TRAVEL TO LONDON OFFICE AND EXTERNAL LOCATIONS FOR MEETINGS, AS REQUIRED. Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.

About the job Summary

The FSA is a non-ministerial department of over 1300 people, with a big vision – to drive change in the food system so that it delivers “food we can trust”. Our primary goal is to continue to protect public health and consumers’ wider interest in food. As we have now exited the EU the FSA faces a significant period of change and activity.

Job description

During this time, it’s important that the FSA continues to act as a leading light in the food regulatory field, providing clear and reliable information that can continue to protect the public’s best interests. A key factor in helping us achieve these standards will be the continued excellence that the FSA offers in its scientific research and development.

Science sits at the heart of the Agency’s work, guiding our policy work, shaping our plans, and providing vital support to our on-the-ground food regulatory work. Ours is an Agency that relies on science to hold up all that we do, and as such we need to provide the strongest of foundations for it to stand upon. The role of the Research and Development Officer within the Strategic Research team enables this by ensuring that the Agency’s Research & Development (R&D) activities deliver the biggest impact possible for the UK food system.

The role provides key support across the Agency’s R&D commitments, including the development, implementation and evaluation of our research programme initiative, the contribution of continuous reviews to our Areas of Research Interests, and the governance of the Strategic Evidence Fund.

The post-holder’s work will play a pivotal role supporting the Agency’s research teams’ R&D work, delivering at pace and delivering to tight deadlines in order to maintain the flow of work within the Agency.

The successful candidate will be a fast learner who is able to adapt and flex to meet changing priorities as needed. If you are excited by the opportunity to work at the heart of the forward-thinking science work that the FSA does, do not hesitate to apply for this exciting opportunity.
 

Responsibilities

Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process. We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.

Things you need to know Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack. This will consist of shortlisting against the essential and desirable person specification criteria stated. If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to the final selection stage consisting of a behaviours-based interview.

In the event of receiving a large number of applications an initial sift may take place on just the identified lead criteria indicated below:
Project and/ or programme management experience
We particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within our organisation at this level. All appointments are made on merit.

We actively review the deployment of talent on a periodic basis in the interests of optimising personal development and the achievement of business plans.

Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached terms and conditions statement.

A reserve list will be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

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

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with (or eligible for) status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.