Test and Evaluation Technical Lead (Physicist)

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

The Innovation directorates sit at the heart of the Home Office, ensuring the best evidence and analysis are used to address the strategic issues facing the department. We also provide the science, technology, data, and international insights and collaboration capabilities to drive delivery.

The Test and Evaluation Technical Lead will apply scientific and technical expertise to police equipment assurance processes. You will be responsible for Home Office-owned technical standards and for working with partners to assure equipment against these standards, providing high quality, robust evidenced advice to policy decision-makers on authorisation for police use.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing team and apply your scientific and technical knowledge and experience to a high profile and essential service to policing contributing to the safe and effective deployment of technologies ensuing police officer and public safety. You will be part of the multi-disciplinary Test and Evaluation Team responsible for supporting police equipment assurance of personal protective equipment (PPE), road traffic law enforcement equipment, drink and drug drive test instruments, and assessments of less lethal weapons (LLW) and armed policing equipment.

Job description

We are specifically seeking an individual with either an engineering or physics background to apply their expertise to support advice focussed on armed policing and less lethal weapons capabilities. The role requires strong analytical capability, attention to detail, and the ability to interpret complex data and translate findings into clear advice. This is a delivery-focused role suited to someone who enjoys applying science in practical, real-world contexts and contributing to high-impact, safety-critical outcomes.

As a Technical Lead, you will work closely with other technical experts in the team, policy leads and external science and technology delivery partners including test facilities to manage assurance activities, processes and information to support delivery of robust and timely test and evaluation assurance services. You will ensure that approaches are scientifically robust, proportionate, and aligned to relevant guidance and safety requirements, ensuring it is cost-effective, responsive, resilient, and trusted by all. You will also be responsible for contributing to standards management to ensure operational safety, consistency, legal defensibility and interoperability across policing and related functions. Consideration of current and emerging innovations in the market-place are essential to ensure standards reflect the latest technological developments.

Responsibilities

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Applying engineering or physics scientific and analytical skills to manage armed policing and less lethal weapons assurance work strands incorporating technical advice and scrutinising of technical outputs, ensuring alignment with codes of practice, guidance, and safety requirements.

• Analysing and interpreting scientific and technical data to deliver expert advice in relation to assurance activities and equipment, producing clear outputs to inform decisions and assurance processes.

• Working with external suppliers and laboratories to support delivery of testing, ensuring outputs meet agreed time, quality, and cost requirements.

• Supporting the review and revision of guidelines ensuring they are scientifically robust and meet operational requirements judging when incremental updates are appropriate versus fundamental redesign.

• Understanding market maturity including assessing the impact of the standard on innovation.

• Building and maintaining engagement with stakeholders internally (e.g. policy, commercial, operational policing) and external suppliers to support delivery of assurance services.

• Identifying and escalating risks or issues arising from testing and evaluation activities (e.g. non-compliance).

• Contributing to continuous improvement of Test and Evaluation approaches, processes, and documentation.

• Supporting investigations if there are any issues or failures of equipment.

The above responsibilities are not exhaustive, and the you may be required to undertake any of the above tasks or additional tasks not listed above, within the remit of your grade, to support the team.

This role sits within the Government Science & Engineering (GSE) profession and draws on key capability areas including: Applying scientific knowledge to real-world problems; Communicating science for government purposes; Supporting technical delivery and oversight; Developing practical and proportionate scientific approaches.

Working patterns

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis. However, compressed hours are available.

Travel

Please note regular UK travel is required (including some with overnight stays) along with occasional overseas travel. Holding a full valid UK driving license is therefore preferable.

Person specification

Essential criteria

You must be able to demonstrate:

• Experience in weapons / defence engineering.

• Experience in the delivery, oversight and management of technical services, scientific or research and development projects which apply scientific knowledge to real world problems.

• The ability to manage, plan, schedule workload and maintain technical delivery in fast-paced complex environments communicating clear outcomes of evidence-based decisions.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to communicate technical information clearly to a range of audiences, including non-specialists.

• Strong engagement skills to quickly build good working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders and draw on others’ skills, knowledge and expertise.

• The ability to design and support experimental or test activities and interpret results.

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of operational policing, experience in working with police stakeholders or in a public safety focussed environment.

• Experience of working with external suppliers of scientific capabilities.

Qualifications

An engineering or physics degree or higher, or relevant experience in an associated scientific or technical field.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

• Overseeing Technical work (Leader)
• Developing / Maintaining Expertise (Experienced)

Benefits

• 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 employer contributio