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Deputy Chief Scientific Officer

Employer
Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs
Location
London (Central), London (Greater) (GB)
Salary
Circa £68,000
Closing date
Nov 18, 2019

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Locations: Predominantly London, with the possibility of working from a flexible location some of the week

At the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) our responsibilities are large and wide-ranging. Our work is aimed at creating a cleaner, healthier environment, developing a world-leading food and farming industry, expanding a thriving rural economy and securing robust defences against natural threats and hazards across the UK. This exciting work will only increase in complexity as the nation moves closer to leaving the EU and responds to the challenges of reaching net zero emissions. Join us as we take a lead in delivering this once-in-a-generation change, and see what you do having a real impact.

Working in partnership  with the Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA), you will lead a team of around 50 academic and non-academic staff in shaping the strategic scientific direction of the Defra group and developing the resulting strategy. As such, you will:


•    Lead and support a wide array of challenges  affecting anything from EU Exit issues to plants and animal health. 
•    Develop scientific capability and professional knowledge within the Defra group, including Arm’s Lengths Bodies such as Natural England, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA). 
•    Support Defra’s response to emergencies and critical incidents, ensuring timely, evidence-led decisions are being made. Providing advice directly to Ministers , you will have the confidence to challenge the validity and quality of advice. 
•    Ensure the most cutting-edge evidence is influencing policy-making decisions and operations within the group. Driving research programmes and leading on the Earth Observation policy, you will advise on potential strategic risks and see to it that emerging science is being utilised.
•    Share knowledge on funding issues and the use of human and financial resources, including building relationships with contacts at every level across government, industry and academia worldwide. 
•    Co-leading the operation of the team, including oversight of budgets and personnel

This is a highly varied role with the scope to get involved in a wide array of career-defining projects.  You will therefore excel in this role if you are an Engineer or a Scientist, with experience of delivering science and technology within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment. You will need to have a good awareness of government and policy-making processes (and how science impacts on this) , and you will have a broad understanding of the intricacies of science research funding within the public sector.  As you will be representing the work we are doing within Defra, you will have exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the capacity to translate complex scientific concepts for a non-scientific audience. With experience of setting a strategic direction and making effective decisions within a period of change, you will know how to manage a substantial budget, team, and programme. 

We aim to support the professional and personal wellbeing of everyone in Defra. Our benefits include generous annual leave, a contributory pension, staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme. We also offer flexible working and a variety of learning and development opportunities.
 

Closing date: 17th Nov

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