Senior Livestock Scientist

Government Recruitment Service; Bristol; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK government agency is seeking a Livestock Science Lead to provide scientific evidence for livestock sustainability and productivity. The role involves managing a small team of scientists and overseeing R&D contracts. Candidates should possess experience in science-driven policy-making and the ability to communicate complex information effectively. This is an exciting opportunity to shape agricultural policy and drive collaboration across sectors.

Qualifications

• Experience in providing scientific evidence for policy making.
• Ability to manage a team and engage with stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills to translate technical issues for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead scientific evidence provision on livestock sustainability.
• Manage a team of scientists and oversee R&D contracts.
• Drive a national evidence programme for lower greenhouse gas-emitting livestock.

Job description

Overview

Livestock is important to the UK for a number of reasons including food security, the economy and cultural heritage. However, livestock is also responsible for 64% of the total agricultural emissions in the UK and other environmental impacts.

As the Livestock Science Lead, you will provide scientific evidence to policy colleagues on livestock sustainability, productivity, and sector resilience, as well as line manage a small team of scientists. Key themes of work relate to livestock feed, breeding and genetics, and management. High-profile areas include scoping a national evidence programme for breeding lower greenhouse gas-emitting livestock, informing policy actions around methane suppressing feed products, and overseeing management of international R&D relationships on livestock.

Responsibilities

• Lead scientific evidence provision to policy colleagues on livestock sustainability, productivity, and sector resilience; line manage a small team of scientists.
• Work on themes related to livestock feed, breeding and genetics, and management.
• Scope and drive a national evidence programme for breeding lower greenhouse gas-emitting livestock.
• Inform policy actions around methane suppressing feed products.
• Oversee management of international R&D relationships on livestock.
• Manage a portfolio of R&D contracts; build relationships with policy teams, academics, industry and cross-government including the Devolved Administrations.
• Shape the evidence portfolio, review deliverables and communicate evidence findings to policy.
• Collaborate with cross-cutting policy leads to structure policy problems and develop evidence to inform policy making.
• Maximise the value of existing evidence and data and communicate knowledge in an accessible way.
• Translate complex technical issues for the required audience and provide written and verbal briefings to senior officials and/or ministers.
• Set the longer-term strategic direction on prioritising evidence needs; lead interactions with policy teams and develop external networks with business and academia.
• Develop skills in evidence portfolio management, team management, risk evaluation, decision making, and impactful stakeholder engagement.

Team and Work Environment

This demanding and interesting specialist role sits within the Agri-Food Science evidence team, part of the Agri-Food Chain (AFC) Directorate. The team works flexibly, sharing skills and expertise to develop science-driven policy and research in agriculture. You will be an integral part of a multi-disciplinary friendly and supportive science team embedded within the directorate.

Engagement and Communication

You will typically work closely with cross-cutting policy leads to structure policy problems and develop evidence to shape and inform policy making. You will seek to maximise the value of existing evidence and data, clearly communicating knowledge in an accessible way.

As a scientist, you will be expected to get to grips with policy issues, and provide leadership in setting the direction of livestock R&D, and in your relationships which includes R&D contractors, to ensure delivery of robust, value for money, and policy relevant R&D. You will also engage closely with other evidence colleagues.

You will provide written and verbal briefing to senior officials and/or ministers. You must be able to translate often complex technical issues to suit the required audience explaining their impact with clarity.

Strategic Direction and Networking

You will be responsible for setting the longer-term strategic direction on prioritising evidence needs in your area. You will proactively look ahead, scan, and pre-empt evidence needs, by leading interactions with policy teams, developing external networks with business and academia, and using other means to achieve a big picture view.

This role will allow you to further develop your experience in an exciting science area whilst refining skills in evidence portfolio management, team management, risk evaluation, decision making, and impactful stakeholder engagement.