Job vacancy: Higher Radiation Protection Scientist, UK Health Security Agency, Oxfordshire

Job summary

Main area

Radiation, Chemicals, Climate and Environmental Hazards - Radiation Metrology - Radiation Protection Science

Grade

Civil Service: Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

Contract

Permanent

Hours

Full time
Part time
Job share
Flexible working

37.5 hours per week

Job ref

919-SH-302909-EXT

Employer: UK Health Security Agency
Employer type: Public (Non NHS)
Site: Chilton, Didcot
Town: Oxfordshire
Salary: £35,587 - £43,244 Per annum, pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 09/03/2026 23:59

Higher Radiation Protection Scientist

Civil Service: Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:

Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties in support of the Instrument Testing Service (ITS) team include:

Contributing to regulatory examination/test/calibration/repair upon radiological protection instrumentation, aiming to becoming a Qualified Person, making decisions on Pass/Fail criteria, motivating others ensuring a high level of quality is maintained.
Contributing to projects deciding depth and detail of work, drafting reports and assessing compliance against standards. Projects may include lead equivalence, lab characterisation, type-testing, technical development plus validation of procedures. Motivating team to complete projects on time/budget.
Maintaining procedures, guidelines and accreditations (ISO 17025 UKAS) to ensure compliance best practice/international standards.
Suggesting improvements to quality/efficiency via audits/documentation. Dealing with complaints/queries quickly to improve customer satisfaction.
Providing coaching to trainees, demonstrating good practice in instrument testing, correct use of radiation facilities and ensuring Health & Safety practice is followed.

Duties in support of the Environmental Survey (ES) team include:

Providing technical input into the Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR) portfolio: assessment of complex technical reports and data to produce detailed summary reports making judgements against regulations.
Contributing to on-site surveys/sampling, ensuring H&S of surveying team. Competent in use of radiation metrology instrumentation in lab conditions and during outdoor field operations on difficult terrain and all-weather conditions.

Other duties include:

Line management and career development of staff, acting as a point of contact, taking independent action, providing advice on procedures or processes.
Building/maintaining excellent working relationships with customers, suppliers and colleagues with a range of differing levels of knowledge from administrators to specialist radiation professionals. Communicating effectively using appropriate language, verbally/in-writing, to explain/resolve technical queries promptly and/or motivate them to deliver on agreements/contracts.
Providing updates to senior colleagues on status of work via briefings/presentations/reports with recommendations.
Fulfilling emergency role during radiation emergencies/exercises.
Delivering formal lectures and practical exercises on courses including Radiological Protection Training Scheme Instrumentation and assisting in the development/modification of course material.
Representing UKHSA at meetings/conferences maintaining a professional approach to build good relationships with customers/colleagues to promote UKHSA commercial services and expertise.
Write technical procedures, researching options to provide the best solutions to managers and colleagues.
Using sound judgement to address problems in project or service delivery i.e. technical issues, equipment failure, time slippage, variation from specification or quality and take responsibility to propose and implement solutions.
Self-motivation and initiative to continually drive own progress, determining work priorities, methods and allocation of time/resources.
Performing procurement and assisting in the preparation of competitive tenders, assisting with drafting specifications and business cases, upgrading or replacing equipment/sources/control systems.

The above is only an outline of the core components, tasks and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the division and the UKHSA.

Essential Role Criteria

Degree level and/or post-graduate qualifications in a physical science relevant to radiation metrology or substantial equivalent experience related to radiation protection.
Knowledge and understanding of the principles, methods, challenges, standards and legislation associated with ionizing radiation metrology.
Experience of working in a customer facing team that delivers technically complex services in an area with stringent technical requirements.
Ability to analyse scientific, technical and operational problems delivering sound recommendations.
Ability to follow and apply ISO and IEC standards relevant to the generation of reference radiation fields and perform tests in those fields.
Good interpersonal and written communications skills, and able to use the appropriate style and method for a wide range of situations.
Competent to use a full range of radiation metrology instruments in laboratory conditions and appropriate instruments during field operations.
Be adaptable and resourceful. Able to manage and prioritise a personal portfolio of short- and long-term work, make decisions autonomously, when required, working to tight and changing timescales.
Hold, or be willing and able to obtain, a full UK driving license as is required to be able to do on-site sampling and outdoor field operations.
Have an understanding of, and commitment to, equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable Role Criteria

Knowledge of Radiological Protection or radiation physics and experience in radiation metrology and instrument testing, including a good understanding of current best practice.
Experience of planning and implementing challenging projects, project management principles, techniques, and tools.
Experience of delivering formal lectures and training.
Evidence of continued professional development in the field of ionizing radiation metrology.
Knowledge and understanding of the legislation relating to licensing of nuclear sites and dose assessments from measurements against legislative requirements.

Selection Process Details

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework assessing your qualifications, knowledge, experience, skills and abilities outlined in the listed Essential Criteria.

Application & Sift - Competency Based

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 10 Essential Criteria in this advert and will be in the form of:

An Application form (‘Employer/ Activity History section on the application)
1000 word Supporting Statement

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the Essential Criteria.

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

The Application form and supporting statement will be marked together.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500 but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 words.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications, we may longlist into 3 piles of:

Meets all Essential Criteria
Meets some Essential Criteria
Meets no Essential Criteria

Only those that 'Meets all Essential Criteria' & 'Meets some Essential Criteria' will progress to Shortlisting.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift on the following Essential Criteria:

Knowledge and understanding of the principles, methods, challenges, standards and legislation associated with ionizing radiation metrology.

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/successful candidates.

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Interview - Competency Based

You will be invited to a face-to-face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Interview location and date(s) to be confirmed.

Knowledge, experience, skills and abilities will be tested at interview.

You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-minute presentation at the start of the interview on a topic relevant to the role - Radiation Metrology. This must be emailed prior if progressed to interview.

You will also be asked at the end of the interview to participate in a practical test involving the use of a radiation monitor.

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). 

Salary Information

HEO Outer: £35,587 - £43,244 per annum, pro rata

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Location

This role is being offered as office based at our Scientific Campus in Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RQ.

Please note, hybrid working is not available for this role.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must also meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. 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.

Person specification

Application Form & Supporting Statement

Essential criteria

Application Form & Supporting Statement

Interview

Essential criteria

Questions on knowledge, experience, skills and abilities
Presentation regarding Radiation Metrology
Practical test involving the use of a radiation monitor

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Link below:

Artificial intelligence and recruitment | Civil Service Careers

This is a Non-Reserved post under the Civil Service Nationality Rules. To be eligible for employment in the UK Civil Service applicants must meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs) which operate independently of and additionally to the Immigration Rules. Applicants must also meet necessary security and vetting requirements, along with any other relevant pre-employment checks.

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

For more information on job nationality requirements and the right to work in the UK, see the Civil Service Nationality rules (opens in a new window) and the UK Visas and Immigration rules (opens in a new window)

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

The Civil Service pay structure and progression is different from NHS Agenda for Change (AfC), most local authority pay grades and other systems that have annual pay increments. For further details, please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.

For AfC or Medical/Dental posts, you must have the correct professional registration to be appointed. The pay will follow the AfC or Medical & Dental terms & conditions. You may be asked to provide evidence of previous service whilst we are conducting pre-employment checks to determine your starting salary.

For Temporary Appointments, if you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment.  You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy. 

Given the nature of the work of the UKHSA, as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, you may be required in an emergency, if deemed a necessity, to redeploy to another role at short notice. You may also be required to work at any other location, within reasonable travelling distance of your permanent home address, in line with the provisions set out in your contract of employment.

Late Applications will unfortunately not be considered.

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 equality of opportunity. 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 here.

Reserve List - If more than the required number of suitable candidates pass the interview criteria, you may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months subject to your agreement. You may be contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list.

The panel will assess if candidates meet the requirement of the role first, using a specific benchmark system. If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.

UKHSA is required to check employment and/or education history covering three consecutive years. Please ensure you give details of at least two different referees, even if you were employed in one company for three years or more.

If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

 Benefits of working at UKHSA include:

Generous annual leave:
-26 days for the first 5 years of continuous service
-28 days after 5 years of continuous service
-32 days after 10 years of continuous service
-Plus public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday
Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
We also promote flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours). UKHSA views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including working from home, compressed hours and job sharing.
We also offer a generous maternity/ paternity and adoption leave package.

Hybrid Working

UKHSA operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce.

As a hybrid worker, you will usually spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted hours (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (approximately 3 days a week pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home.

Disability Confident Scheme

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria at sift to ensure these candidates are invited to interview.   If you wish to be included in this scheme please tick the box on your application form.

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 take into account 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 could be time accrued over that period.

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.

Security Vetting

Please check the Security Clearance needed for the role and follow the link for more information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.