Explosive Atmospheres Scientist/Engineer – 2 Year Fixed Term Appointment (SD Band 4 / HEO)

Diverse Perspectives and experiences are critical to our success, and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

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 successful candidate will be joining HSE’s Explosive Atmospheres team, working from our Buxton laboratory and test facilities. The team is largely focused on the safe development of new technologies and achieving safe net zero, primarily for heat & transport.  Work includes large (outdoor) and lab scale experimental programmes, consultancy and the delivery of specialised training, giving opportunity for both practical and desk based work.  Several of the team’s larger ongoing projects are high profile collaborations with other scientific organisations/government departments, which offers opportunity to publish work and present at conferences.

The work of the team is not just limited to energy.  You will be contributing to a diverse range of projects within the health and safety sector both directly for HSE and or commercial clients.  

As part of the Explosive Atmospheres team, you will join a number of specialists with a range of technical backgrounds, who work together to create innovative solutions to technical challenges. As part of the wider Major Hazards group within Science Division, you will also have opportunity to collaborate with technical experts across many other disciplines, including material scientists, risk experts, modellers and human factors specialists.

On occasion you will have opportunity to work with HSE regulatory colleagues, providing scientific support to investigate causes of industrial accidents occurring across the UK.  In recent years these have included dust explosions, electrostatic ignition sources and vapour cloud explosions.  Investigations can include attending site, taking and testing evidence samples and contributing to an accurate report written in clear language – suitable for use in legal proceedings. 

To view a short video of some of our test work, please follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE2mnZRMHB4

We are looking for someone with experience of working in a scientific or engineering environment to join our team. You will be contributing to the design, build and delivery of in/outdoor scientific experiments. The scale of these experiments ranges from lab based, to 1:1 scale outdoor test facilities. Your immediate team is comprised of approx. 12 scientists and engineers of varying experience. 

This role will suit someone with a mix of practical skills and theoretical knowledge, with the opportunity to develop competence in the following areas specific to team, such as DSEAR, Fluid Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Process Design (P&IDs), Process Instrumentation, Data Logging, or Combustion Physics. The role will involve a significant amount of problem solving and allow you diversify your range of expertise.

We are aware the combination of practical research and theoretical knowledge in this area is relatively niche, so we are looking for team members who have an appropriate background and aptitude for this type of work, to develop their skills, whilst working alongside existing team members.

As a member of the team, you will be expected to contribute to its effective running, which may include contributing to the maintenance of team facilities, quality systems, or health safety matters. 

We sponsor our team members professional memberships and will support Chartership applications where relevant.  For the right candidates, we may also support further study.

Occasional travel and overnight stays may be required.

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours per week. 

You will be able to:

• Work on a range of projects that can be hazardous and complex, in a safe, scientifically robust way, that meets the required scope
• Provide technical leadership and management for projects of an appropriate size and complexity
• Work to high professional standards in science and engineering, including constructively challenging approaches and techniques
• Write or contribute to, high quality, accurate scientific reports or papers that are suitable to be submitted to customers, journals or as evidence in legal proceedings.
• Support the presentation of technical work to expert and non-expert audiences, which may include travel (on occasion international).
• Be proactive in pursuing own continuing professional development in line with business need.

Desirable – Post graduate level qualification in a relevant subject

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

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Understanding of fundamental aspects of flammability and/or gas explosions including safety implications
• Knowledge and experience of practical measurement techniques/data capture and considerations relating to industrial or experimental studies of explosive atmospheres
• Mechanical understanding of pressurised gas systems

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Competitive rates of pay
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 27.1%, far more than in the private sector
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
• Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
• 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave
• Parental leave benefits

Job contact :

• Name : Edwina de Lewandowicz
• Email : edwina.lewandowicz@hse.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk