Higher Scientific Officer (SACN secretariat and research)

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose - to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you'd like to work in, we'd love to hear from you.

The Health Improvement Directorate, part of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) within DHSC, leads on evidence based public health policy and programmes to prevent and reduce the health and social impact caused by drugs, tobacco, alcohol, gambling, unhealthy diets, obesity and physical inactivity.

We have a hugely challenging work programme, which if successful will drive real change:

- If everyone ate in line with our dietary advice, we would increase population life expectancy by eight years

- We are creating the first smokefree generation - the biggest public health intervention in a generation.

- We are reducing alcohol and gambling harms .

- We are expanding drug and alcohol treatment and recovery support .

Obesity and poor diet account for around half of years lost and years lived with disability from all modifiable factors in England. The Health Improvement Directorate has two divisions working to improve nutrition and address excess weight. The Nutrition Evidence, Surveys and Translation (NEST) Division is responsible for nutrition, food environment and childhood obesity surveillance, providing scientific advice on diet, nutrition and obesity, and supporting translation of this advice into policy for DHSC, other government departments and across the public health system. NEST works closely with the Healthy Weight and Nutrition Division who lead on diet, obesity and physical activity policy.

The Nutrition Science team provides support to the Department's independent scientific advisory committees - the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and the UK Nutrition and Health Claims Committee (UKNHCC) - and has responsibility for dietary surveys such as the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) and Infant Feeding Survey (IFS).

This advert relates to 2 roles in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) team. 3 further roles across the surveys and reformulation teams in NEST have been advertised separately please see campaign 370249

This post is in the Nutrition Science team that provides the secretariat for SACN and its Subgroup on Maternal and Child Nutrition (SMCN).

The post holder will provide scientific support to the work of the committee. This will involve using technical knowledge of nutrition science, critical analysis and writing skills to produce committee papers and related documents. The post holder will need to co-ordinate with other members of SACN's secretariat to ensure that the work is done to the agreed standard and timetable. The post holder will need to work closely with the external scientific experts, particularly those who are members of SACN and its sub and working groups. The post holder will also provide advice, based on sound scientific evidence, to colleagues in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.

OHID and other Government Departments and to other external stakeholders.