Job summary
The Government Office for Science works at the heart of Government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It's an exciting time to join the organisation; we have outstanding and high-profile positions providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policy-making and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. If you are highly motivated and looking for your next career challenge we want to hear from you.�
Our mission is:�
Science advice mechanisms that are efficient, effective, speak truth to power and are embedded irreversibly in Government systems.� Visible impact through both pro-active and demand-led science advice that is relevant, excellent, and delivered fit for purpose.�
Further information can be found here:�
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We strongly believe diversity of experience, thought, perspectives, skills, and background makes us a more innovative, welcoming Department, thus making better decisions and better delivering our objectives.� We are actively seeking applications from every part of the community and particularly welcome applications from candidates of any age, background, disability, or from an ethnic minority background and any other protected characteristics. This will help us move to a workforce that reflects the people we serve to deliver better policies. �
We are a friendly, inclusive team and emphasise personal development. We will ensure individuals with disabilities are provided adjustments to participate in the job application and interview process. We support your wellbeing by putting flexible working at the heart of our offer; if successful, you will be able to discuss working arrangements with your new manager.�
We maintain an internal surge capability of staff who may be called at short notice to support an activation of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). Training and support will be provided. This is an excellent opportunity to develop crisis management skills.�
Job description
This data analyst role sits within our Technology Insights Futures and Foresight (TIFF) unit. TIFF provides high quality, independent evidence to inform strategic decisions on science and technology and long- term issues. Our team is diverse, inclusive and focused on individual wellbeing. We are proud to support lots of different working patterns, locations and learning and development activity. We are a multidisciplinary team of analysts, data scientists, scientists, economists, and policy professionals.�
Our Foresight programme brings scientific evidence and long-term thinking to policy and strategy development. We identify important, long-term, cross-cutting issues for government where we can offer a unique, futures-orientated perspective, and deliver science advice that is evidence-based and impactful. We work collaboratively with other government departments, academia and industry, bringing wide-ranging and expert views to bear on important strategic issues.�
Our Technology Science Insights team analyses science and technology, to understand the UK's relative areas of strength and weakness in science and technology. �The team uses all source evidence, data and expert engagement to produce advice to senior customers across government. �
The post holder will work collaboratively to produce insights and reports for policy makers on long term strategic issues, science and technology. �We work with a wide range of data and information sources including academic publication records, patents, business, financial and national security information. We work flexibly across projects and there will be opportunities to work with teams across GO Science, advising the Government Chief Scientific Adviser.
Person specification
Key responsibilities:
Working in a multidisciplinary team under a G6 Analyst, the HEO Data Analyst Responsibilities will include:�
Research and mixed-methods analysis of long-term issues as part of our Foresight project team. Current project examples include literature reviews, analysis and modelling of Global Supply Chains and metrics for AI scenarios.�
Assembling and co-ordinating contributions from external experts, including academia and industry, to inform Government�s future thinking.�
Developing methodologies and conducting analysis to understand opportunities and risks of strategic issues, science and technology as part of our analyst pool.�
Writing up analytical findings for TIFF reports, ensuring accurate use of statistics and concise communication of complex findings to have impact on senior leaders. �
Identifying suitable data sources and implementing new data flows that support users within TIFF. Maintain data repositories to ensure information remains accurate, up to date, and accessed appropriately.
Linking TIFF team to the wider community of government S&T analysts, sharing knowledge and developing best practice in using common data sources.��
GO Science maintains an internal surge capability of staff who may be called on at short notice to support urgent areas of work. There may be opportunities to volunteer to support this activity.
Essential Criteria:
Undergraduate degree or qualification of an equivalent level in a quantitative/analytical science, engineering, technology, finance or economics subject or social sciences.�
You can design and conduct analysis to provide evidence to support decision making using a range of statistical and analytical techniques.�
You can present your findings in a way that supports the policy development process, selecting between different approaches for communicating insight and being able justify those choices.
You are able to translate technical concepts into non-technical language and can communicate complex analysis clearly in a variety of styles.�
Ability to understand customer needs and propose suitable methodologies for analysis, sourcing data and suggesting innovative methods.�
Desirable for this role:
Experience in futures, foresight, horizon scanning, analysis or long-term strategy development.
Data science skills - ability at programming languages such as Python, R, SQL or similar, or a desire to develop this skillset. You know how to use agreed standards and tools to design, code, test, correct and document moderate-to-complex programs and scripts from agreed specifications and subsequent iterations, maintaining and updated relevant data models for specific business needs.
You can collaborate with others efficiently using tools such as Git, reviewing specifications where appropriate.
You are not required to currently be a member of one of the cross-Government analytical professions but professional standards for those roles give an indication of the professional skills we require, and membership of one of these professions is required in order to receive the analytical allowance. This post requires skills aligned to aspects of the following professions: Government Operational Research Service, Government Statistical Service, Government Social Research Service. As part of the application process, you will be asked to state which one you associate with most closely, and badging for this profession will then be tested at interview stage.
If applying on promotion from within the Civil Service, the selection process will be configured to allow you to retain your professional badge. For a successful external candidate, after appointment, we will provide the opportunity for further accreditation processes to formally join one of the cross-Government professions where necessary and desired, but completion of this process is not a condition of employment for the role.�
As part of the application process, candidates will be required to go through badging for one of the Government Analytical Professions if they are not already a member. The professions are Government Economic Service (GES), Government Operational Research Service (GORS), Government Statistician Group (GSG), Government Social Research (GSR). Please note that as this is an HEO role to apply as an economist you must already be a GES member.�
The eligibility requirements for each of the other professions can be found below:�
You must either be a member of GES, GORS, GSG or GSR, or you must be able to demonstrate that (a) you satisfy the eligibility criteria and (b) you have the competence at HEO grade for GORS, GSG or GSR . For the avoidance of doubt, to apply for this role under the GES profession you must already be a badged GES at HEO or above.�
We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups. �
Qualifications
Undergraduate degree or qualification of an equivalent level in a quantitative/analytical science, engineering, technology, finance or economics subject or social sciences
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Making Effective Decisions Seeing the Big Picture
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
Competency: �Data Analysis� for GSG, �Knowledge and application of OR skills and techniques� for GORS; �Technical Skills� for GSR; �Analysis of Data� for GES
Benefits
Alongside your salary of �31,745, Government Office for Science contributes �9,196 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours. Automatic enrolment into the , with an employer contribution of A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30. An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue. Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
