Research Scientist

Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare? 
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. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions. This is an opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge while providing vital support to the study of food-borne and veterinary pathogens. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is a powerful tool that can be applied to a wide range of public health and food safety applications, including diagnostics and pathogen typing. The post is based within the Salmonella Genomics team, and the main purpose of the job is to contribute towards the maintenance and development of a WGS-based analytical pipeline for in-silico typing of veterinary Salmonella isolates. Other duties will involve working with high throughput WGS data of veterinary Salmonella isolates to conduct phylogenetic analysis and other in-silico methods for accurate clustering of the studied samples, perform detection of antimicrobial resistance genes and mobile genetic elements, and contribute towards the ongoing development of machine learning models for source attribution of Salmonella . The post holder will be expected apply a bioinformatics skillset to facilitate the WGS-based identification of emerging strains with enhanced epidemic potential, and to aid in outbreak detection and epidemiological investigations of veterinary Salmonella .
Provide support to the study of food-borne and veterinary pathogens, with a focus mainly on Salmonella, by assisting senior scientists with WGS data analysis, synthesis of analyses outputs, and report writing.
Support bioinformatics analyses with an expectation of performing some independent analysis.
Contribute towards the further development and improvement of the currently utilised bioinformatics pipelines and tools for identification and molecular typing of Salmonella
Contribute to the investigation of outputs from Salmonella genomic workflows in line with project objectives.
Capable of working with large volumes of WGS data and contributing towards multidisciplinary work with opportunities to train and enhance skills in code development, cluster detection, and machine learning and other methods of source attribution.
The role will also support the Health & Safety and Quality activities in line with the Departmental needs.
Provide support to the study of food-borne and veterinary pathogens, with a focus mainly on Salmonella, by assisting senior scientists with WGS data analysis, synthesis of analyses outputs, and report writing.
Support bioinformatics analyses with an expectation of performing some independent analysis.
Contribute towards the further development and improvement of the currently utilised bioinformatics pipelines and tools for identification and molecular typing of Salmonella
Contribute to the investigation of outputs from Salmonella genomic workflows in line with project objectives.
Capable of working with large volumes of WGS data and contributing towards multidisciplinary work with opportunities to train and enhance skills in code development, cluster detection, and machine learning and other methods of source attribution.
The role will also support the Health & Safety and Quality activities in line with the Departmental needs.
A good scientific background with exemplary organisational skills and demonstrable experience in both laboratory science and data analysis.
Good working knowledge of the Linux command line. Familiarity with at least one of the Python and R programming languages.
Experience of report writing.
Give an example of when you have had to interpret scientific data and apply analytical thinking.

Alongside your salary of £33,350, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £9,661 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. 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. 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 (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. The test can’t be taken on mobile phones or tablets.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 11th December 2025. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
It is highly recommended that you complete the online tests on a desktop computer, not a mobile phone or tablet.
Please note that online tests associated with this vacancy are not subject to time limits; for further information visit the Reasonable adjustments for online tests - a candidate guide
For more guidance about the online Civil Service tests, please see the GOV.UK website: Civil Service online tests - GOV.Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between 4:00pm and 7:00pm on Saturday 29th November 2025 There will be up to 1 hour during this time where candidates will not be able to access tests.
All online tests will be affected.
Candidates reporting issues should be advised to return to take the test after 7:00pm on Saturday 29th November 2025 .
A CV-style application submitted through an online tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobs website
We encourage you to use the full word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed it
A 250-word Technical Statement, giving an example of when you have had to interpret scientific data and apply analytical thinking
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. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)
Please be aware that this role will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. 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.
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. 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.
This post is laboratory-based and requires you to be working at the Weybridge site five days per week or less if part-time.
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.
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 may be 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. 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.
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 you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
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. 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.
This role is full time only. We may consider two part-time staff on a job share basis if continuity can be arranged. Part-time hours will only be considered as part of a job share.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page 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. 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 staff based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance. 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. Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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.
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
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.
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) .
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.