HR Officer in Harwell

Salary: £30,512 per annum

Band: MRC-5a

Contract type: Fixed term for 12 months

Hours: Full time (36 hours)

Location: Harwell, Oxfordshire, on-site

Closing date: Sunday 22 March 2026

Overall Purpose

To assist in providing a professional and proactive Human Resources service to the Medical Research Council (MRC) units based at Harwell. To provide a full lifecycle of HR activities for the following units with the HR team’s support; the Mary Lyon Centre (MLC), and the Centre for Macaques (CFM).

Main Duties / Key Responsibilities

• Undertake all administrative duties related to the employee lifecycle, and liaise with UK Shared Business Services (UKSBS), our shared services provider
• Manage the full recruitment process in collaboration with hiring managers, including adverts, shortlisting, interview coordination and pre-employment checks
• Oversee onboarding, induction of new starters, and leaver processes
• Deliver monthly HR & Finance inductions to new starters
• Prepare contracts of employment
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and organisational policies
• Maintain accurate employee records and update HR systems
• Monitor and manage shared HR email inboxes
• Undertake monthly payroll administration, ensuring that all changes are notified to Payroll in a timely manner
• Advise employees and managers on HR policies, procedures, and employment matters
• Coordinate medical screening appointments, including the coordination of regular health surveillance activities
• Provide HR data relating to sickness absence as required
• Continually review and improve HR processes

Working Relationships

The post-holder will:

• report to the Deputy Head of HR and work as part of a team of three HR Officers
• work with all teams at the MLC and CFM
• be the first point of contact for UKSBS
• work with colleagues at UKRI

Person Requirements

Education / Qualifications / Training Required

Essential: Generalist HR and recruitment experience

Desirable: CIPD level 3/5, or working towards

Previous Work Experience Required

Essential: Experience of working within an HR team. Minimum of three years’ proven experience in a generalist HR role (HR Officer / HR Advisor)

Desirable: Experience of working in an academic or research environment. Organised, proactive and able to manage a varied workload

Knowledge and Experience

Essential: Excellent written, verbal communication, organisational and time-management skills. Confident in advising managers and handling multiple priorities. Be able to work under pressure and to meet tight deadlines. Proficient in HR systems and Microsoft Office applications. Knowledgeable about UK employment law. Have the ability to work within a small team and between teams within the MRC and wider UKRI. Be able to understand the sensitive nature of the work and always maintain confidentiality. Knowledge of immigration/right-to-work requirements.

Desirable: Experience of working with Oracle HRIS systems

Personal skills / Behaviours / Qualities

Essential: Strong decision and problem-solving skills. Excellent attention to detail. Proactive, collaborative and confident approach. Professional attitude. Be both adaptable and approachable, with the ability to work independently.

Equality & Diversity

The MRC values the diverse skills and experience of its employees and is committed to achieving equality of treatment for all. Our objectives are that all individuals shall have equal opportunities for employment and advancement on the basis of their skills, aptitudes and abilities. The MRC is committed to the engagement and retention of the best possible talent and to creating an environment that encourages excellence in scientific research through good equality and diversity leadership and management.

Corporate / Local Responsibilities & Requirements

The post-holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the MRC’s:

• Code of Conduct
• Equality and Diversity policy
• Health and Safety policy
• Data Protection and Security policy

The above lists are not exhaustive, and the post-holder is required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post. All employees are required to act professionally, cooperatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the MRC.