Chief Scientific Adviser for Food Standards Scotland

Are you the scientific leader who can help shape Scotland’s food safety future? Applications are invited from suitably qualified, accomplished scientists for this 2‑5 year secondment opportunity as Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) for Food Standards Scotland (FSS). The CSA will advise FSS’s CEO and Board on all scientific matters relating to the organisation’s statutory responsibilities and the delivery of its strategic objectives, provide strategic science leadership, ensure the evidence base underpinning policy on food safety and public health nutrition is robust, and promote the work of FSS’s scientists to stakeholders, the media and the public.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the development and delivery of FSS’s Food and Health Research Programme and Digital and Data Strategy; ensure a strategic and co‑ordinated approach to the identification and prioritisation of evidence needs, and promote the responsible sharing and linkage of FSS data to maximise its value across the wider food and public health landscape.
• Provide strategic scientific leadership across FSS by offering expert advice and constructive challenge to staff, the Corporate Leadership Team and the FSS Board on the generation, analysis and use of data and evidence to inform risk assessment, incident response and the development of policies related to food safety and public health nutrition.
• Contribute to corporate leadership by ensuring robust science governance, support FSS scientists to provide the CEO and Board with assurance on the quality and cost‑effectiveness of research and the processes used to commission and publish it, and collaborate with science and communications teams to translate scientific outputs into advice for policymakers, stakeholders and consumers.
• Build impactful networks with the CSA for Scotland, Scottish Government’s portfolio CSAs (ENRA, Health and Marine), Public Health Scotland and other experts on public health and food, ensuring science priorities on food safety and dietary health are understood across Government and support a systems‑thinking approach to the use of science in policy development.
• Engage with the Food Standards Agency’s CSA to maintain awareness of joint priorities, science activities and resourcing, and ensure the Memorandum of Understanding between FSS and the FSA is kept under review.
• Maintain an up‑to‑date awareness of research activities relating to food and diet in Scotland and across the UK and work with the CSA (ENRA) to target FSS funded projects and Strategic Research Programme work to key public health and food policy objectives.
• Advise the CEO on workforce and resourcing strategy for science in FSS, ensuring delivery of science advice is underpinned by appropriately qualified staff with the right mix of skills, knowledge and expertise, and support career pathways and professional development schemes for scientists in FSS.
• Act as a spokesperson for FSS on high‑profile scientific issues, communicating the scientific basis for policy decisions to expert and lay audiences through the media and other channels.
• Establish an impactful profile across UK and international scientific communities and represent FSS and Scottish Government at delegations and conferences to promote and champion research and science capabilities on the global stage.
• Serve as nominal Head of Profession (Science and Engineering) for the organisation, supported in this role by the Head of Science and Chief Nutritionist.

Success Profile

It is essential that you can provide evidence in your application of the professional experience and skills required for this role. Candidates will be assessed in line with the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, demonstrating the required behaviours at Level 5.

Qualifications

• Hold a postgraduate Masters or Doctoral qualification.
• Have relevant academic, research or industry experience in one of the following fields: Microbiological/chemical food safety, Public health nutrition, Food technology.

Professional Experience

• Strong background and scientific reputation in food safety and/or diet and nutrition, with a clear understanding of how science, evidence and data inform policy, deliver outcomes and shape strategic direction.
• Commitment to ensuring high quality and ethical research is conducted in own area and that of others, applying objective quality assurance processes and balancing technical quality with cost, safety and timely delivery.
• Ability to provide advice to senior stakeholders and peers, maintain a positive, influential scientific reputation, build strong relationships with internal and external specialists, deliver scientific assessments, publications and presentations, and represent discipline on relevant professional or academic bodies.
• Significant experience as a senior scientific leader in your area/discipline, with a passion for applying scientific knowledge to real‑world challenges and the ability to work across disciplines to support effective policy making.

Behaviours

• Leadership
• Developing Self & Others
• Working Together
• Communicating and influencing

Working pattern

Position offered on a 0.6 FTE (three days a week) secondment basis, for a minimum of 2 years with the possibility of extension to a maximum of 5 years. Highest pay is based on current employer terms in accordance with Scottish Government guidelines.

Location

Hybrid basis: combination of office-based and remote work. In‑person board, management and science team meetings (up to eight board meetings and four each of management and science team meetings annually) are held in Aberdeen or at Scottish Government offices in Edinburgh or Glasgow; additional travel to conferences and events may be required.

Security checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). The vacancy requires National Security Vetting (NSV) at Security Check (SC) clearance level, normally requiring a minimum of five years of UK residency.

Equality statement

Food Standards Scotland is committed to equality and inclusion and seeks to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.