UKHSA Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ.
Job Summary
The UKHSA Personal Dosimetry Service (PDS) is a commercial service, approved by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), that measures and reports the radiation doses to employees working with ionising radiations in various sectors, such as industrial, research and medical. PDS uses passive personal dosemeters, which are worn by the workers and then sent back to PDS for analysis. PDS also contributes to UKHSA’s expertise and advice on radiation matters and generates a significant income for UKHSA. PDS has a staff of around 35 people and serves over 90,000 workers in the UK and abroad.
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.
Job Description
We are looking for an organised and motivated individual to work as part of our technical team at Chilton. The Dosimetry Manager has direct responsibility for the PDS Laboratories to provide quality and timely dosimetry to several thousand PDS customers by managing all the resources effectively. You will also help PDS maintain its status as an HSE Approved Dosimetry Service and an ISO17025 accredited Laboratory.
You will support the PDS Manager in proactively developing the services and business, providing technical support and advice on dosimetry to customers plus ensuring good communication with a range of internal and external sources. Therefore, excellent communication skills are required to suit a varied audience. You must have the ability to prioritise, plan and work proactively to meet business demands with tight deadlines.
You will deputise for the PDS Manager and help with long term planning and development of the services plus manage projects and teams. The post holder will also investigate and solve complex queries, look for technical improvements/enhancements and offer solutions to the PDS Manager for implementation.
It is essential that post holder has extensive experience in delivering radiation protection services in a commercial environment with direct contact to customers, plus experience of laboratory operation & techniques particularly using personal dosimetry systems (especially Thermo/Harshaw TLD) is desirable.
The post holder will be required to manage a busy team which is responsible for issuing and assessing the dosemeters for PDS customers, over 500,000 per year; as well as support the PDS Manager in technical and scientific duties for the PDS business.
The Key Responsibilities Will Be:
* Responsible for overall operation of PDS TLD laboratories,
* Fully supporting the Laboratories team; ensuring staff management, development and training
* Responsibility for resource management; including allocating, prioritising and managing staff, equipment, supplies with forward planning. Liaison with internal and external suppliers.
* Attendance at scientific conferences and meetings; Liaison with other dosimetry groups and industry professionals
* Ensuring continuation of HSE Approval of the dosimetry services, and other accreditations and approvals as necessary.
* Ensuring the laboratories comply with ISO17025 standard PDS Quality Management System requirements to provide a high-quality and reliable dosimetry
* Developing documentation, procedures, internal service level agreements etc
* Major involvement in projects to develop the dosimetry services
* Oversight, in conjunction with local management, of the PDS operation at UKHSA Leeds including co-ordination of PADC services between UKHSA Leeds and Chilton
* Pro-active liaison with customers to ensure best quality of service, including customer meetings, exhibitions, and conferences.
* Health and Safety responsibilities as needed: radiation protection; source safety; equipment etc. Ensuring safe working practices for all staff.
* Helping the PDS Manager to plan for the future of the service and providing ideas for improvements, development or research
* Complex office duties e.g. writing and authorisation of reports, answering technical queries, dealing with difficult clients, and providing advice to clients and colleagues.
* Act as Deputy Head of Service for whole body and Extremity TLD services within PDS.
* To deputise for the PDS Manager/Head of Service using experience to cover duties and liaise with all staff to continue an efficient and effective service, including when necessary, covering for laboratory staff in routine tasks.
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
* Level 6 qualification (e.g. degree) in a Physical Science, or equivalent experience
* Extensive experience in delivering radiation protection services and laboratory operation & techniques
* Extensive experience in a staff managerial role, to include team management, leadership, ability to motivate (self & team), performance & appraisals.
* Understanding of physical principles of radiation interactions; radiation safety issues, methods of monitoring radiation and knowledge of the Ionising Radiations Regulations.
* Ability to communicate effectively: formally, informally, orally and in writing, to customers and colleagues on a range of subjects of varying complexity. Competent computer skills (e.g. Outlook, Word, Excel and web-based products)
* Excellent organisational and planning skills; prioritising work of self and team to meet tight deadlines and provide a proactive and responsive service.
* Excellent customer care skills and the ability to form good working relationships with customers and staff; working flexibly within the PDS team.
* Ability to negotiate/liaise effectively with customers, suppliers, intermediaries, UKHSA colleagues and senior management on a range of matters.
* Ability to assess complex situations and interpret detailed documents that may include legislation, analysis of technical data and or income/expenditure; and make informed decisions
Alongside your salary of £56,503, UK Health Security Agency contributes £16,368 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 will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You Will Be Required To Complete An Application Form. You Will Be Assessed On The Listed 9 Essential Criteria Selected From The Job Description, And This Will Be In The Form Of A:
* Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
* 1000 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 9 listed essential criteria.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
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.
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
Please note that only those applications meeting all essential criteria will be put through to short listing.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
* Extensive experience in delivering radiation protection services and laboratory operation & techniques
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a single face to face interview.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.
There will be a presentation.
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
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Location
This role is being offered as lab based at our Scientific Campus in UKHSA Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.
Security Requirements
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 Checks.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
* Name : Jon Payne
* Email : jonathan.payne@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : jonathan.payne@ukhsa.gov.uk
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: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk 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 #J-18808-Ljbffr