Principal Toxicologist

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 250683**Salary**:

- £51,494 - £60,528**Job grade**:

- Grade 7**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Type of role**:

- Science
- Other**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- RCE Chilton, OX11 0RQAbout the job

**Job summary**:
The post holder will take responsibility for a programme of experimental research to develop and validate in vitro chemical toxicity testing assays and other NAM approaches for regulatory and wider purposes.

This newly created role will allow the expansion of UKHSA capability in this important area and will involve managing a small team of scientific staff. It will require significant interaction and collaboration with relevant academics, Government departments and international organisations (e.g. OECD) involved in the development of regulatory testing approaches for chemicals.

**Job description**:
This will involve managing staff and developing and maintaining appropriate laboratory facilities and specialist equipment.

The post holder will act as a specialist point of reference in a specific area of expertise providing advice within and beyond UKHSA and will also be expected to seek funding for relevant projects.

**Person specification**:
The main responsibilities of the post holder are to:

- Manage and lead a small team of junior researchers and students to develop and standardise regulatory relevant in vitro toxicity assay.
- Successfully manage their time and the priorities of the team, working to progress multiple tasks and managing research contracts.
- Develop working relationships with colleagues within the Toxicology Department and the wider Chemical functions of UKHSA and beyond with relevant academics and Government Departments.
- Communicate and clearly present key outputs within the academic and policy arenas, including producing impactful publications for peer reviewed journals.
- Applications are sought from individuals with a strong background in in vitro toxicology, preferably with experience of assay development and validation and an understanding of chemical regulation.
- Applications are sought in particular from those with a background in carcinogenicity (including non genotoxic carcinogenicity) testing approaches in vitro to complement existing staff expertise.

**Benefits**:

- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

**Selection process details**:
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and achievements, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to Essential Criteria.

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

STAGE 2 - INTERVIEW

**Pay**

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet
- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.

**Security Clearance Level Requirement**:
**Hybrid Working**

UKHSA offers hybrid working for its employees - this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our UKHSA offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. The balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business need and in line with departmental policy.

Some business travel will be required to other UKHSA offices. Business travel between base location and any other UKHSA offices will be covered under the UKHSA Travel and Expenses policy.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.**Security**:
- People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.**Nationality requirements**:
This job is broadly open to the following groups:

- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements**Working for the Civil Service**:

- The Civil Service Code 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.- Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be