Specialist Inspector – Explosives (Band 3... in Birmingham

Our Explosives Safety specialists ensure employers across Great Britain – a whole range of essential industries with thousands of workers – to work safely. In this role, you can utilise your considerable technical knowledge and practical experience to influence not only individual employers but whole industry sectors. The explosives sector is a strategically important one, providing military munitions, safety devices and products critical to the operations of other sectors e.g. onshore and offshore extractive industries and is a key contributor to the entertainment and leisure sectors.

A career with HSE, at an exciting time for the sector, gives you a rare opportunity to visit and interact with different and diverse employers and work activities. You’ll work alongside other HSE technical and regulatory specialists to ensure work activities are operating within the legislative framework by various regulatory interventions including inspecting, investigating and providing advice. Your work will make the most of your experience – whether that’s inspecting an explosive processing plant, helping an employer understand the right controls to have in place, or contributing to the development of industry standards and guidelines.

The balance of an individual’s key responsibilities will depend on their role within the Unit. Together with the widest range of health and safety specialists in Britain, you’ll be helping to protect thousands of people, whilst working in an inclusive environment where all our people can thrive and be themselves. Due to the training component, this role is offered on a full‑time basis only.

Key responsibilities:

• Inspecting a variety of workplaces, either on your own or with a specialist team, to make sure that risks are managed appropriately, deciding whether conditions meet minimum legal requirements and relevant good practice, driving improvements and gaining commitment to align with the law.
• Forensically analysing explosives safety related concerns, accidents and reportable incidents to identify the root cause and where necessary, calling in other specialist support and taking legal action to prevent a recurrence.
• Undertaking permissioning activities on the licensing of explosives storage and manufacturing sites and on the classification of explosives for transport.
• Contributing as a member of the Explosives Safety Unit to promote Health and Safety improvements to national and international standards at various fora, and at relevant conferences.

Travel: This role will require frequent travel (approximately 2–3 times per fortnight) to sites across Great Britain and other HSE offices for inspections, training and team activities. This will occasionally be at short notice and require overnight stays.

Essential Skills and Criteria – Explosives Specialist – Regional Team:

• Broad knowledge and practical experience of the facilities used for the manufacture, storage and/or handling of explosives and associated energetic materials, including experience of controlling explosives risks.
• Practical understanding of explosives properties and behaviours.
• Practical understanding of explosives safety, chemistry or engineering, including knowledge of explosive initiation mechanisms.
• Good analytical and planning skills.

Essential Skills and Criteria – Explosives Specialist – Portfolio Holder:

• In depth knowledge and practical experience of the facilities used for the manufacture, storage and/or handling of either pyrotechnics or civil explosives and associated energetic materials, including experience of controlling explosives risks.
• Practical understanding of explosives properties and behaviours.
• Practical understanding of explosives safety, chemistry or engineering, including knowledge of explosive initiation mechanisms.
• Good analytical and planning skills.

Licences: Due to the nature of the role, you must have a full UK driving licence at the point you begin your application.

Qualifications: A degree or equivalent in a Science / Engineering related discipline.

Benefits:

• Competitive rates of pay.
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97%, far more than in the private sector.
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career.
• Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture.
• 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays and 1‑day Civil Service privilege leave.
• Parental leave benefits.
• As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E‑Gift Cards and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.

Closing date for applications – 01/06/2026