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Apprentice Laboratory Technician - Plankton

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas)

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Lowestoft, UK

Posted 6+ months ago

Location

Lowestoft

About the job

Job summary

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) is a world leader in marine science and technology, providing innovative solutions for the aquatic environment, biodiversity, and food security. This post provides an opportunity to join a dynamic team delivering marine plankton research, monitoring, and advice. The plankton science team undertakes taxonomic identification and enumeration of marine plankton species using traditional microscopy methodology as well as utilising novel digital monitoring techniques for a wide range of contracts.

We are seeking an enthusiastic person, with an interest in the marine environment, to train in phytoplankton and zooplankton taxonomy.

This Level 3 Laboratory Technician Standard (Lab Tech) apprenticeship (course provided by CSR Scientific Training) will provide the opportunity to develop skills and techniques required to work safely in a laboratory environment and to follow quality procedures. You will learn how to produce, analyse and interpret data, including the application of statistical techniques, to communicate scientific information effectively and use appropriate scientific methods to identify the causes of problems and produce solutions. In addition, the majority of your learning will be completed online once a week with some face-to-face practical sessions/exams undertaken in Sutton Coldfield.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

See us here: Welcome to Cefas (youtube.com).

Job description

As part of a laboratory-based team, you will contribute to a variety of monitoring programmes requiring plankton data. Primarily, the role involves identification of phytoplankton species to determine full community analysis and presence of specific harmful algal species. Additionally, you will assist with the identification of zooplankton (macro and micro zooplankton) to meet contact specific needs, in the laboratory using traditional techniques and novel imaging processes. There will also be a chance to undertake fieldwork at sea.

Providing laboratory support, e.g. general housekeeping duties, bottle washing, sample chamber maintenance, sample preparation, and equipment maintenance for fieldwork sampling.
Assisting with data inputting by populating results to Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and carrying out quality checks with colleagueS.
Maintaining accurate records in line with UKAS 17025 accredited procedures.
Participation in the International Phytoplankton Intercalibration (IPI) exercise to achieve accreditation in identification of harmful algae.
Participation in the National Marine Biological Analytical Quality Control (NMBAQC) scheme.

All work will comply with Cefas Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Risk Assessments (RAs), with training and competency records maintained to meet accreditation and customer standards. Additional taxonomic training will be provided by external partners in order to improve your subject knowledge and skill.

In addition, Cefas reserves the right to ask staff to take on additional duties and responsibilities which are commensurate with their grade. Team Leaders and management will have a discussion with staff to explain the changes that are to be made. A new job description will be issued if required.

To be eligible for the apprenticeship.

A key eligibility requirement is that the apprenticeship must provide you with substantive new skills and learning and must be materially different to any previous learning you have undertaken, or to any other qualification you hold.

For us to be able to consider your application you must meet the above requirements but must also:

Hold a valid passport/birth certificate or residence permit;
Have the right to live and work in the UK;
Must have been a resident in the UK/EA/EEA continuously for 3-years prior to apprenticeship start date;
Not be in full-time education or be undertaking another apprenticeship by the apprenticeship start date;
Demonstrate having basic IT skills in both Microsoft Excel and Word;
You must not hold an existing qualification at the same or higher level in a similar subject (we reserve the right to withdraw applications who are deemed ineligible due to existing qualifications); and
You must hold a minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent qualification) at grade 4-9 including Maths and English at Grade C/ 4 or above (evidence of the above qualifications will be required as part of your pre-employment checks before a formal offer can be made).

‘Part time’ hours are available for these roles but must be no less than 30 hours per week in order to satisfy apprenticeship funding requirements.

Person specification

You must be able to demonstrate meeting the following criteria which is essential for this apprenticeship position:

An interest in the marine environment and in species identification;
Appetite for continuous learning and development;
Excellent attention to detail with a methodical and patient approach in order to carry out extensive working at a microscope;
Ability to demonstrate initiative, self-awareness and be adaptable to different situations;
You must hold a minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent qualification) at grade C/4 or above including Maths and English (evidence of the above qualifications will be required as part of your pre-employment checks before a formal offer can be made); and
You must also be able to demonstrate effective decision making and evidence team working.

Qualifications

You must hold a minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent qualification) at grade 4-9 including Maths and English at Grade C/ 4 or above (evidence of the above qualifications will be required as part of your pre-employment checks before a formal offer can be made).

Behaviours

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

Delivering at Pace
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £23,811, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science contributes £6,429 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Generous annual leave entitlement – Cefas offers 25 days' annual leave on entry (rising to 30 days over first 5yrs) for full-time new entrants to the Civil Service. Employees receive 8 public holidays a year, plus an additional day to mark the King's birthday
Access to learning and development tailored to your role
A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options
A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
Eligible to join the Civil Service Pension scheme – more information can be found on the CSP website http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/
Staff recognition vouchers
In-year award scheme

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process you are asked to provide a CV (job history, qualifications, past skills and experience), a 750-word (maximum) personal statement on how you meet the essential criteria as stated in the person specification section, and a 250-word statement on how you meet the advertised lead behaviour – Delivering at Pace.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

For guidance on Civil Service Success Profiles, this video tells you what you’ll need to provide throughout the assessment process with supporting guidance on each step. Link – Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
For guidance on how to construct your CV, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link - CV
For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link – Statement
For guidance on how to construct your lead behaviour statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link – Behaviours

Sift

The sift panel will use the information in your CV and personal statement to assess your experience and how you meet the essential criteria as stated in the person specification section. The sift panel will also assess the lead behaviour statement – Delivering at Pace.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour – Delivering at Pace. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Interview schedule and details will be confirmed on release of the sift results.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your previous experience and behaviours.

You may also be required to give a presentation or to complete an exercise as part of the interview process. You will receive further information with your invitation.

If scores are equal following interview, an assessment of the lead behaviour – Delivering at Pace, will be used by the panel.

The interview will be undertake in person at our site in Lowestoft.

A date has not yet been confirmed for the interviews to take place.

To be eligible for the apprenticeship.

For us to be able to consider your application you must meet the above requirements but must also:

Hold a valid passport/birth certificate or residence permit;
Have the right to live and work in the UK;
Must have been a resident in the UK/EA/EEA continuously for 3-years prior to apprenticeship start date;
Not be in full-time education or be undertaking another apprenticeship by the apprenticeship start date;
Demonstrate having basic IT skills in both Microsoft Excel and Word;
You must not hold an existing qualification at the same or higher level in a similar subject (we reserve the right to withdraw applications who are deemed ineligible due to existing qualifications); and
You must hold a minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent qualification) at grade 4-9 including Maths and English at Grade C/ 4 or above (evidence of the above qualifications will be required as part of your pre-employment checks before a formal offer can be made).

‘Part time’ hours are available for these roles but must be no less than 30 hours per week in order to satisfy apprenticeship funding requirements.

Loan and Fixed Term Appointments

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This is a 24-month Fixed Term Appointment as an Apprentice Laboratory Technician – Plankton working in the Plankton Science team.

The post is not permanent. It is time limited due to a fixed funding period or as part of a specific project. The fixed term will end when the funding or project expires.

This post will therefore begin from the candidate’s start date and end 24 months after that date.

Location

Please be aware that this role is based at our main location in Lowestoft.

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Salary

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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 : Clare Avieson or Alec Wilson
Email : resourcing@cefas.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact:
Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/ to visit Civil Service Commission.

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