Senior Safety Assessor

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

This role will be contractually based at the VMD, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3LS. This is a fixed location; the VMD does not use hubs located elsewhere in the UK. Due to the nature of the role, you will be expected to be in the VMD office for at least 60% of your working week, or less if you are required to attend a non-contractual workplace for a meeting, training course, or other event. This role is not suited to a homeworking contract. 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 will be required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location unless they have permission to do so.

About the job

Job summary

This post is for a Safety Assessor working in the regulation of veterinary pharmaceutical medicines, specifically on the assessment of user safety. The post sits within the Pharmaceuticals Section, which is in the Authorisations Division at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, an arms-length body of Defra. The post holder will assess pharmacological, toxicological, and microbiological data provided by pharmaceutical companies that wish to market their Veterinary Medicinal Products in the UK.

Job description

The post holder will be responsible for the assessment of new Marketing Authorisations (MAs), Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), and extensions and variations to MAs/MRLs.

This will include the writing of comprehensive assessment reports on the pharmacology and toxicology of new active substances, as well as user risk, in line with published timelines and guidance documents.

There would be an expectation that the post holder would be able to learn to assess other data types that the safety team evaluates, in particular, consumer safety (residues depletion and MRL setting), with a view to becoming an expert assessor in all relevant areas.

Additionally, the post-holder would need to be able to produce and present relevant training materials in order to pass on their knowledge to other members of the VMD, as well as external clients.

You will also be expected :

• to travel overseas occasionally.
• to comply with ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 27001 (information security) standards, and the general data protection regulations (GDPR) and record management requirements. Training on these will be given as needed.
• act corporately – meeting, role-modelling, embedding, and championing the corporate objectives set by the VMD.

Person specification

Candidates must have the experience and qualifications set out below:

• Experience evaluating scientific data, producing comprehensive assessment reports in accordance with local style guides, working to strict timelines, and presenting scientific data and conclusions on their assessments to colleagues, committees, and/or stakeholders.
• Will have experience of using Microsoft office suite.

Qualifications

The applicant must have at least an undergraduate degree in pharmacology, toxicology, or a very similar discipline. Could have, e.g., chemistry/biology, with relevant experience.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Data requirements and conduct of a user risk assessment for Veterinary Medicinal Products

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,577, Veterinary Medicines Directorate contributes £11,495 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Free onsite parking
• Free eyesight test
• Onsite gym
• Access to a prayer room

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 : Miguel Escribano
• Email : m.escribano@vmd.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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