Job Description
APHA York
Job Summary
Do you want to be part of a team protecting Great Britain from exotic notifiable diseases? Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare? If so, why not join us and make a difference.
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 UK’s animal, plant and bee health? You will be helping to make a difference to the UK and contributing to global efforts to control and eradicate disease in plants, animals (such as Avian Influenza) and protecting global biodiversity.
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.
APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions. We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.
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.
We’re recruiting a Laboratory Scientist to support and develop anti-coccidia product testing services and research for both internal and external customers, in line with regulatory guidelines. This post is on a fixed-term basis.
In this pivotal role, you will design and conduct in-vivo scientific procedures using a range of avian laboratory species. This includes techniques such as oral gavage, requiring expert animal handling, restraint, and the use of specialised equipment. You will also be responsible for sample collection and analysis, including the identification and quantification of coccidia (e.g. oocyst counts), ensuring robust and reliable outputs that meet customer requirements.
Job Description
As Laboratory Scientist, your role will involve a wide range of tasks and responsibilities including, but not be limited to the following:
* Maintenance of viable Eimeria sp strains in liquid nitrogen.
* Assisting Study Directors with the management of commercial studies and other contracts, including liaison with customers, sub-contractors and other people in APHA.
* Undertaking laboratory tests for parasites, esp. the identification and quantification of coccidia.
* Animal handling & observation and attending/performing post-mortems of poultry.
* Preparing parasite standards and reagents.
* Maintaining an awareness of new scientific and technical developments, which may be relevant to the work of the team, in particular developments in the field of Coccidiosis.
* Holding & maintaining a Home Office Personal License under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for the purpose of animal studies.
* Managing the laboratory phases of GLP, GMP, GCP (vet) and ISO17025 studies to ensure the work is undertaken reliably and accurately, within budget and in compliance with the relevant quality scheme.
* Quality control testing of APHA products as required.
* Preparing and checking Certificates of Analysis and Study Reports.
* The maintenance and validation of equipment, reagent stocks, etc.
* Writing, reviewing and updating Standard Operating Procedures.
* Writing reviewing and updating Risk Assessments.
* Validating test methods and Standard Operating Procedures and writing validation reports.
* Representing APHA at meetings with customers and at seminars, scientific meetings, industry shows, etc. as appropriate.
* Training and supervising visitors and students.
* To carry out all actions and responsibilities for safety management as detailed in the APHA Health and Safety Policy.
Responsibilities
As Laboratory Scientist, your role will involve a wide range of tasks and responsibilities including, but not be limited to the following:
* Maintenance of viable Eimeria sp strains in liquid nitrogen.
* Assisting Study Directors with the management of commercial studies and other contracts, including liaison with customers, sub-contractors and other people in APHA.
* Undertaking laboratory tests for parasites, esp. the identification and quantification of coccidia.
* Animal handling & observation and attending/performing post-mortems of poultry.
* Preparing parasite standards and reagents.
* Maintaining an awareness of new scientific and technical developments, which may be relevant to the work of the team, in particular developments in the field of Coccidiosis.
* Holding & maintaining a Home Office Personal License under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for the purpose of animal studies.
* Managing the laboratory phases of GLP, GMP, GCP (vet) and ISO17025 studies to ensure the work is undertaken reliably and accurately, within budget and in compliance with the relevant quality scheme.
* Quality control testing of APHA products as required.
* Preparing and checking Certificates of Analysis and Study Reports.
* The maintenance and validation of equipment, reagent stocks, etc.
* Writing, reviewing and updating Standard Operating Procedures.
* Writing reviewing and updating Risk Assessments.
* Validating test methods and Standard Operating Procedures and writing validation reports.
* Representing APHA at meetings with customers and at seminars, scientific meetings, industry shows, etc. as appropriate.
* Training and supervising visitors and students.
* To carry out all actions and responsibilities for safety management as detailed in the APHA Health and Safety Policy.
Person specification
You Will Need To Demonstrate The Following
* Experience working in a laboratory setting with avian species.
* Knowledge of Eimeria species and coccidiosis.
* Knowledge of other Parasite species (Trichinella, Anisakis, Echinococcus).
* Knowledge of Molecular Biology.
* Familiarity with regulatory frameworks (e.g. ASPA, ISO/IEC 17025).
Ways of Working
This post requires you to be working in the Laboratory five days per week or less for job share. The post is full-time, we may consider two part-time staff on a job share basis if continuity can be arranged.
Out of hours work may be required. When overtime or out-of-hours work is required, APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements. You may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment.
Qualifications
Degree in a relevant biological or veterinary science discipline
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Making Effective Decisions
* Leadership
Alongside your salary of £29,715, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £8,608 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 as inclusion, support and 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, 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 days 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.
Artificial intelligence
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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment
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.
Application Process
You will be required to complete the following as part of your application:
* A CV-style application submitted through an online tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobs website
* A 500-word Personal Statement of how you match the details in the Personal Specification – the written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. We encourage you to use the full word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed it
* Two 250-words Behaviour Statement for the following Behaviours: Making Effective Decisions, and Leadership. Please use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your application.
Scoring for all criteria of the application is from 1 to 7 – A score of 4 and above will progress to interview unless there is a large number of applications. In this instance, an initial sift will be conducted using the Lead Behaviour (Making Effective Decisions). The panel may agree a benchmark score higher than 4 with a rationale for the decision. Any candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who scores 4 or above on all of the criteria will be offered an interview.
For further guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV style application, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV, Civil Service Careers
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on
* Experience as detailed in the Person Specification section - Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK
* Behaviours (Making Effective Decisions) The Behaviour criteria outlined in the Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK framework for EO positions. Please use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your interview.
Your interview will be conducted face to face or online. You will be notified of the interview location and date when you invited for interview.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Reserves
In the event of more than one candidate meeting the criteria we may maintain a reserve list should a similar role become available in the subsequent 12 months following interview.
After the interview
Once all the interviews have been conducted, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. If you are successful at the interview stage, we will be in touch to offer you a role. Offers will be made in merit order.
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).
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 (excluding Northern Ireland), and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.
This role is based at APHA York only due to the nature of the role and the duties required. This post requires you to be working on-site five days per week or less if job-share.
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