Science Adviser

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance.

Providing policy and operational colleagues with high-quality science advice is a core function of the Science Office.

A Senior Science Adviser plays a critical role in ensuring that ministers and senior leaders are supported by credible, authoritative and well-judged scientific advice on physical health.

Reporting to the Grade 7 Science Advice Health Lead, this role sits at the heart of departmental decision‑making on physical health‑related issues, supporting the department to act with confidence in an area that is high‑profile and high‑impact.

The desk supports the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officers report on health in prison and probation and is actively pursuing recommendations alongside responding to emerging issues and stakeholder enquiries.

The postholder will support the department's health science advice desk, ensuring the quality, coherence and impact of science advice provided across Mo J and its agencies.

The role requires subject‑matter expertise in the physical health or health research space (for example through a Ph D or equivalent experience), alongside strong judgement, leadership and the ability to translate complex scientific evidence into clear, actionable advice for senior decision-makers.

The Mo J Science Office sits within the Service Transformation Directorate, and is led by Mo J Chief Scientific Advisor, Hugh Stickland.

We are the Mo J's centre of expertise for science, R&D strategy, foresight and emerging technology, ensuring that decision making across the justice system is informed by robust evidence, scientific thinking, and forward‑looking insight.

Our work brings together futures and horizon scanning, deep‑subject specialism in natural and behavioural sciences, and the responsible application of new and emerging technologies to address current challenges and support long term, strategic decision making.

As a team we are collaborative, outward facing, and impact driven.

We operate as an open innovation unit working closely with other government departments, the Government Office for Science, regulators, academics and industry partners to bring fresh thinking and robust insight into the heart of Mo J.

• Support the department's health science advice desk by providing high-quality, timely and proportionate science advice on physical health topics and emerging technologies, using proportionate scientific methods.
• Coordinate and author scientific advice to senior officials and operational leaders on physical health‑related issues, often in complex, sensitive or high‑profile contexts.
• Assess, interpret and synthesise complex scientific evidence (e. g. epidemiology, public health and behavioural science) to support health desks' partners in policy and operations.
• Ensure health‑related science advice appropriately reflects uncertainty, risk and limitations of the evidence.
• Collaborate with external scientific experts, drawing on academics, advisory groups and cross‑government partners where required.
• Work closely with policy, operational and analytical colleagues across Mo J, HMPPS and partner organisations to ensure advice is relevant, joined‑up and operationally grounded.
• Collaborate effectively with government partners in Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, UK Health Security Agency and beyond, working to further the desk's work and cross‑government goals.
• Collaborate with academic, government and operational partners to facilitate health research and evidence generation in justice settings.
• Support the Grade 7 Science Advice Health Lead in the delivery of science advice through problem identification, prioritisation and stakeholder management.
• You'll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:
• A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
• 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King's birthday.
• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work-life balance.
• Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.
• A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
• Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave.

And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!

You can find more details of the Benefits we offer here. To help picture your life at Mo J Justice Digital, Data and Science please take a look at our blog.

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