Skip to main content

This job has expired

Human Factor Specialist – CBR Safety

Employer
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Location
Salisbury, UK
Salary
Unspecified
Posting live until
18 Feb 2023

Job Details

Job summary

As a key member of the Chemical, Biological and Radiological Division (CBR) and the wider Dstl Health Safety and Environmental Protection community, the Human Factor Specialist – CBR Safety is responsible for generating and promoting a positive vision for the safe and effective environment within both CBR Division and across Dstl by ensuring that human factors influences are correctly included in procedures and guidance documents. This will be delivered through the use of workshops and safety critical task analysis on activities.

Working across the CBR Division, and with an appreciation of the hazards associated with human errors, the Human Factors specialist will play a pivotal role in helping to identify, rank and respond to safety risks in mixed lab environments. They will support us to ensure an exemplary human factors and health and safety culture.

You will support the organisation by applying in-depth human factors analysis and health and safety knowledge to offer solutions and advice to staff.

This role suits someone who appreciates the risk assessment process and methodology and is an advocate of human factors and human error solutions.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

We particularly welcome female and ethnic minority applicants and those from the LGBTQI community, as they are under-represented within Dstl at these levels.

Job description

In this role you will:

  • Identify sources for human errors (safety critical task analysis) and facilitate mitigations to remove them from operational practice;
  • Look for change-induced potential for human error in mitigations;
  • Support understanding of human factors in relation to health and safety compliance through participation in workshops, safety critical task analysis, audits, process/equipment review, management of change program and proactive risk reduction projects.;
  • Plan and conduct safety critical task analysis workshops with key stakeholders involved in activities with a focus on human factors;
  • Advise Head of Safety, Division Heads and Chairs of relevant human factors findings that affect Dstl activities and to propose an effective course of action where necessary;
  • When required, liaise with internal, external or regulatory bodies to ensure the business helps drive good practice nationally / internationally, as well as being compliant with mandatory regulations.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who has:

  • Experience as a Human Factors / Ergonomics practitioner with experience of safety critical task analysis;
  • Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of hazards and risks involving human factors;
  • A desire to motivate Dstl to be as safe as it can be in relation to human factors influences on activities;
  • The ability to proactively take the lead, inspire and effect positive change, communicate messages to multiple audiences with credibility;
  • The ability to quickly develop good working relationships with a variety of people, and keeping a knowledge flow between technical teams and the wider Dstl Health Safety and Environmental Protection community;
  • Good networking skills;
  • Tact and diplomacy in dealing with a wide range of issues/challenges;
  • Persistence to see things through to a conclusion;
  • Ability to handle conflicting priorities successfully delivering to changing requirements;
  • Ability to successfully manage multiple tasks simultaneously;
  • Ability to adapt;
  • Presentation and workshop skills with a dedication to sharing knowledge and experience.

Qualifications

Essential

A relevant Bachelor’s degree in a subject related to Human Factors/Ergonomics, Psychology, Systems Engineering, or similar.

Skills

Essential

Ability to develop materials, facilitate presentations and deliver effective workshops and meeting around safety critical task analysis, is required.

Ability to advise and guide managers and supervisors on accident-prevention and loss-control enhancements and provide interpretation of related policies and procedures.

Experience

Essential

Experience of carrying out safety critical task analysis.

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years.

Qualifications

A relevant Bachelor’s degree in a subject related to Human Factors/Ergonomics, Psychology, Systems Engineering, or similar.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Working Together;
  • Delivering at Pace;
  • Seeing the Big Picture;
  • Managing a Quality Service.

Technical skills

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

  • Experience of carrying out safety critical task analysis.

Benefits

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.

Flexible working: Full flexibility working options include alternative working patterns, compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours. Remote working may be available dependent on role.

Flexible working hours: Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.

Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.

Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid

Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.

Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.

The information pack can be found attached to the job specification on Civil Service Jobs.

Our Diversity Networks

We have a number of support networks to ensure all employees feel supported at work. These include the following:

  • Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Network;
  • Race, Faith and Culture Network;
  • Parents and Carer Support Network;
  • Alternative Working Network;
  • Gender Equality Network;
  • New Starters Network.

Enabled Network, for people with visible and non-visible disabilities

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Sift will take place by 13/01/2023

Interviews will take place w/c 30/01/2023

We want you to have your best chance of success in our recruitment process, so If at any stage of the application process you would like help or assistance please contact the Dstl Recruitment Team dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk and we will do all we can to support you.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

See our vetting charter.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.

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.

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.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact:

Name: Dstl Recruitment Team

Email: Dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk

Recruitment team:

Email: dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk

Further information

Should you wish to raise a formal complaint about the Dstl recruitment process you should email dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk stating the nature of the issue. We will respond within 5 working days.

Company

DSTL image

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is the science and technology arm of the Ministry of Defence. As part of the UK Government we do sensitive and specialist work that cannot be done anywhere else. We’re dedicated to keeping the UK safe and secure by using world-leading science and technology. Our work has one aim – protecting lives. Our experts make innovative scientific advancements, sometimes with international impact.

Why work for us
At Dstl, we bring together the best people with the best ideas and apply science and technology in unexpected ways. Our position in defence brings strong links to the armed forces, giving us access and insight to our military personnel and their operational challenges. The solutions we deliver cover everything from long-term research and analysis, through to rapid development in support of current operations with the potential to save lives. Working with other government departments, universities and businesses, we develop battle-winning technologies that support UK military operations – now and into the future.

At Dstl, you’ll find a workforce of respected scientists and professionals who specialize in many different disciplines. We value and champion collaboration, impact and innovation, and we work with some of the most talented professionals and academics in the world. To achieve our goals, we promote and support the use of flexible working patterns to enable staff to enjoy a healthy work/life balance.

We’re always looking for the best technical and scientific minds who are looking for a career with a difference. You’ll need a relevant qualification, a flair for solving problems and a passion for new technologies. Above all, you must want to make a difference now and in the future.

Training and development
We offer an extensive range of technical and professional training that’s relevant for your career and your future ambitions, delivered both in-house and externally. We’ll support you with Chartership and accreditation, and fund up to two professional memberships for you each year.

What we are looking for
Launch your career at Dstl as a:

  • Graduate: if you join Dstl as a graduate you will put theory into practise, applying what you’ve learnt to the real-world problems that we’re solving right now. You will be contributing to important projects and supported by mentors and leading scientists.
  • Student: we have 12- or three-month internships available to experience what a career in science means.
  • Apprentice: we offer apprenticeships, up to degree level, giving you the chance to earn while you learn.

We have a variety of roles advertised on our website all year round as well as graduate and apprenticeship opportunities.


Locations
UK; Porton Down (Salisbury, Wiltshire), Portsdown West (Fareham, Hampshire)

Number of employees
4800

Positions recently recruited for
Graduate engineer, graduate scientist, graduate statistician, graduate operational researcher and analyst, graduate project manager, analysts, scientist, engineer, cyber, software

Desired degree disciplines/class
A STEM degree

Pre-requisites
UK national and eligibility to work in the UK (for security clearance purposes)

How to apply
Apply online at www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk and search for Dstl

Closing date
All year round. Graduate and apprenticeships recruitment every autumn/winter

Contact
Tel +44 (0)1980 950000
E-mail dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-science-and-technology-laboratory

Company info
Website
Telephone
+44 (0)1980 618484
Location
Room G01 Building
5 Porton Down
Salisbury
SP4 0JQ
United Kingdom

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalised job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert