Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location New Haw, South East England, KT15 3NB About the job Job summary The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice, and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy. The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our people are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes. More than ever before the health of our environment, plants, animals and bees matters. Do you wish to be part of are part of an amazing, diverse team on the frontline in researching, investigating, and acting to protect the UKs animal, health? You will be helping to make a difference to the UK and contributing to global efforts to control and eradicate disease in animals and protecting global biodiversity. An experienced scientist with experience and interest in research and development of diagnostic tests is required to support of the National and International Reference Laboratory (NRL/IRL) functions of the Mycoplasma Team, within the Exotic Bacteria Workgroup of the Department of Bacteriology at APHA Weybridge. The post holder will manage and coordinate research, test development and validation activities within the Mycoplasma team, delivering workstreams aimed at control and prevention of economically important diseases of livestock. The post holder will develop underpinning technical expertise to provide advice to the leadership team within the NRL and to stakeholders. The post provides opportunities for developing and expanding expertise through external collaboration, with occasional national and international travel. The post is full-time, we may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. The post is based at the Weybridge APHA laboratories. Attendance at the laboratories is essential and therefore the post holder needs to be able to work from the APHA Weybridge site. Job description Develop and validate new tests within a team of NRL/IRL scientists. Management / delivery of underpinning research employing cultural, molecular, genomic analysis and phenotypic tools to detect, identify and characterise veterinary mycoplasmas, working to project milestones. There will be a requirement for some work at SAPO2/CL3 level containment. Support the Mycoplasma NRL laboratory diagnostic capability and official laboratories, developing expertise to provide advice to customers and other stakeholders. Collaborate with scientists and veterinarians within the agency and external organisations, including internationally, to deliver science and expand knowledge and skills commensurate with NRL and Defra requirements. Preparation of peer-reviewed scientific publications, presentations, validation reports and SOPs. Develop concept notes, research, and other proposals. Represent the RL and APHA at national and international meetings, when visiting official laboratories, collaborators and stakeholders and hosting international visitors. Liaise closely with managers/project leads, and internal/external collaborators to help meet deadlines and assist in project budget management. Manage and support development of other scientists. Liaise with co-workers and Team Lead to support Mycoplasma emergency response capability for range of livestock. Maintain a safe working environment. Implement and ensure personal compliance with all health and safety requirements. Ensure maintenance of ISO9001 and ISO17025 quality systems Person specification We are seeking enthusiastic applicants who will be able to deliver the development and validation of rapid molecular and phenotypic tests for detection, identification, and characterisation of economically important veterinary mycoplasmas in support of Reference Laboratory activities. You will manage research and test development work, with an emphasis in diagnostic tool development and control of notifiable and reportable mycoplasmas, within a workgroup focussed mainly on bacteria causing exotic diseases of livestock. You will be helping to support national and international engagement by providing advice to stakeholders, developing other scientists, interacting with veterinary and science leads, and representing APHA nationally and overseas. There will be a requirement for some work to be conducted within a CL3 containment facility environment. The applicant must have Strong scientific background in a discipline related to the advertised post. Experience of working within an applied microbiological research environment. Working knowledge of development and evaluation of diagnostic tests. Experience of leading own work and managing work of others. Good written and oral communication skills, including publish and present own work. Knowledge of working to ISO9001 and/or ISO17025 quality systems. The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason all postholders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least 3 years continuous UK residency. If you cannot meet this criteria CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post. Qualifications Degree in a relevant scientific subject Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Seeing the Big Picture Working Together Changing and Improving Managing a Quality Service Benefits Alongside your salary of £37,480, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £10,857 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support as the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employer contributory pension (28.97%), staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time if accumulated), three paid volunteering day per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack. Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role. Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. Application Process As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV & personal statement. Candidates are to give details within their personal statement, in no more than 500 words, of how they are suitable for the post by demonstrating the skills and experience they have from the information listed in the Job Description. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. Sift Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed. Interview If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on behaviours and experience. Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview. A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed. Location As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s) Where the location is National the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defras location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes. Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes. The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations. Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time. Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD. Reserve List A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Salary New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. Visa Sponsorship Statement Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Criminal Record Check If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check maybe carried out. In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. Reasonable Adjustment If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs Complete the Assistance required section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional Accessibility If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. Internal Fraud Database Check Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. Working Pattern This post is full-time, but we may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. The post is based at the Weybridge APHA laboratories. Attendance at the laboratories is essential and therefore the post holder needs to be able to work from the APHA Weybridge site. NSV For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting Higher Security Clearance Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter. The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason all postholders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least 3 years continuous UK residency. If you cannot meet this criteria CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post. Childcare Vouchers Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk 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. Medical Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical. 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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. 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). Apply and further information This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. 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 : Name : Anne Ridley Email : anne.ridleyapha.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : defrarecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information 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: Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/ to visit Civil Service Commission. Attachments APHA Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1896kB) JD Post 5057 BAC5 research and test development HSO Myco final Oct 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 56kB) Share this page Print Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn GMail