Senior Livestock Scientist

Government Recruitment Service; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in the UK seeks a Livestock Science Lead to provide scientific evidence on livestock sustainability and productivity. The role requires leading a small team of scientists, managing R&D contracts, and informing policy actions. Candidates should have experience in leading scientific teams and effectively communicating evidence to policy audiences.

Qualifications

• Strong background in livestock sustainability and productivity.
• Experience managing cross-functional scientific teams.
• Proven ability to communicate complex scientific evidence to policy makers.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific evidence on livestock sustainability and productivity.
• Manage R&D contracts and engage with stakeholders.
• Inform policy actions on livestock management and breeding.

Skills

Experience in leading scientific teams

Managing R&D portfolios

Communicating evidence to policy audiences

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.

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.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific evidence to policy colleagues on livestock sustainability, productivity, and sector resilience, and line manage a small team of scientists.
• Manage a portfolio of R&D contracts; build relationships with policy teams, academics, industry and cross-government including the Devolved Administrations; shape your evidence portfolio, review deliverables, and communicate evidence findings to policy.
• Scope 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.
• Typically work closely with cross-cutting policy leads to structure policy problems and develop evidence to shape and inform policy making; maximise the value of existing evidence and data and clearly communicate knowledge in an accessible way.
• Provide leadership in setting the direction of livestock R&D and in relationships with R&D contractors to ensure delivery of robust, value-for-money, and policy-relevant R&D; engage closely with other evidence colleagues.
• Provide written and verbal briefing to senior officials and/or ministers; translate complex technical issues to suit the required audience and explain impacts clearly.
• Set the longer-term strategic direction on prioritising evidence needs; proactively look ahead, scan, and pre-empt evidence needs by leading interactions with policy teams and developing external networks with business and academia.
• Develop an ability to further develop experience in evidence portfolio management, team management, risk evaluation, decision making, and impactful stakeholder engagement.

Qualifications

Note: The original description emphasizes responsibilities and expectations; explicit qualifications are not listed in the source text. Candidates should have experience in leading scientific teams, managing R&D portfolios, and communicating evidence to policy audiences.