Location

Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire

About the job

Summary

Are you seeking an exciting work environment to apply your practical and theoretical synthesis experience in a UK Defence and Security context?

Are you passionate about Synthetic Chemistry with a desire to work in multi-disciplinary teams to deliver outputs to meet customer requirements?

Do you have experience in handling and synthesising highly toxic chemicals or are willing to learn?

Are you good at building positive working relationships and collaborating with colleagues in a laboratory environment?

Are you interested in supporting chemical defence research, working on and leading projects from routine chemical synthesis to fundamental and novel research?

We are recruiting for a Synthetic Chemist to join our Synthetic Chemistry team (CBR Division)! We ensure that UK MOD and other Government departments have access to timely and impartial advice on all matters relating to the synthesis of CWAs and Emerging Threat Chemicals.

Dstl is an inclusive organisation and recognises the importance of diversity of thought from a diverse group of backgrounds, bringing 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:

Prepare and purify a range of compounds, some of which will be pharmacologically-active and acutely toxic.
Work to the highest safety standards and meet appropriate quality standards.
Produce high quality written reports and manage your time effectively across multiple projects to work to agreed delivery dates.
Provide scientific expertise to a range of projects across Dstl, both in and out of the laboratory.
Provide clear and precise presentations and written and verbal updates on project outcomes to collaborators and customers.
Network with specialists internal and external to Dstl to seek developments in technical areas relevant to chemical defence and security and use these networks to encourage and cultivate innovation and

exciting chemical discoveries.

Develop an understanding of, and ensure strict compliance to, the relevant policies and treaties associated with the work you will conduct (i.e. Chemicals Weapon Convention and the Organisation for the

Prohibition of Chemical Weapons).

Work effectively as a member of a team, meeting set objectives.

Responsibilities

We are looking for someone who has:

An interest in applying practical based experience (e.g. organic and asymmetric synthesis of pure compounds, working safely with acutely toxic and/or pharmacologically-active chemicals, use of various

separation techniques) into a defence and security context.

Familiarity with widely used characterisation techniques such as GC-MS, LC-MS and NMR.
Creativity within the research and development area, who works effectively and at pace.
A desire to understand new emerging technologies (convergence of the sciences) and how these might serve to improve internal capability and shape research to counter any threat these may impose.
An ambitious, hard-working demeanour and enjoys working with others across different fields.
An eagerness to expand science and technology networks, working with external partners where possible, and developing collaboration across international communities.

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. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Qualifications

2:1 Honours (or higher) Chemistry degree qualification with evidence of practical experience.

Behaviours

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

Working Together
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

Give an example of where you’ve worked with hazardous chemicals and how you’ve approached the task.
Give me an example of when you have worked in a team.
Give me an example of when you have encountered a challenging situation such as giving or receiving negative feedback, how you approached it and what you learned from it.

Benefits

We'll provide a great range of benefits including;

Fully flexible working, including alternative working patterns, annualised hours, compressed hours and job share, to name a few.
Flexible Working hours, a 12 month reference period and the ability to bank hours. Up to 37 hours can be taken in any calendar month
Excellent learning and development to ensure everyone fulfils their potential.
Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, and paternity leave of 2 weeks full pay.
Chartership and accreditation support.
Pension.
Generous annual leave, with the ability to buy and sell up to 5 days holiday per year.
A competitive salary.
Onsite gyms and restaurants.
Staff discounts for high street and online shopping, restaurants and days out.

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.

For further information about Dstl please check out our LinkedIn page

Things you need to know

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.

Selection process details

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

The application will ask you to complete 2 behavioural and 1 technical skills questions, a statement of suitability and copy parts of your CV.

On receipt of applications a sifting process will take place by 18th February. This will assess the responses to the requested information.

Successful candidates at the sift stage will be called forward for interview in March (w/c 14th). Interview will be held in person where possible (exact location dependent on Covid restrictions at the time; a virtual format may be used if required). At this interview we will explore behaviours, competencies and technical skills against the attached job profile. You will also be asked to deliver a 10 minute technical presentation on a topic to be confirmed, where PowerPoint slides may be used.

In addition, post-interview, you may be called forward for a facility tour and further discussion.

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.

We offer a guaranteed interview for all disabled applicants who provide evidence in their application of meeting the minimum essential requirements of the post, set out in the job description. You will be asked to indicate if you are applying under this scheme when you submit your application.

Dstl is participating the Great Place to Work for Veterans Scheme. If you are a Veteran and meet the essential criteria for this position you will be offered guaranteed progression to the next stage of the assessment. You will be asked to indicate if you are applying under this scheme when you submit your application.

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

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.

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 TeamEmail : 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.