Transport Security Research Lead (Behavioural Science) – Part time
| Posting date: | 08 July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £42,848 per year |
| Additional salary information: | National - £42,848 London - £47,052 Please note these salaries are for full time positions. The salary for this role will be Pro-Rata to the full time salary. |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 27 July 2025 |
| Location: | London |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 414127/3 |
Summary
Have you got an understanding of behavioural science and human factors for security?
If so, we’d love to hear from you!
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who would like to make an impact by using behavioural science theories, evidence and research to influence policy and legislation.
The Transport Security Directorate (TSD) works across the Department for Transport, HMG, and with partners to mitigate the threats the transport sector faces domestically and internationally.
We lead on high profile work to implement and improve the transport sector’s cyber security, maritime and aviation security regimes as well as working with international partners to raise global standards and build capability. As the national security threats transport faces evolve, we are working across DfT to ensure that these issues are reflected in the Department’s work to ensure that we balance prosperity with security objectives.
We are looking for someone with a behavioural science, psychology or human factors background to join the National Security Science and Research (NSSR) Division of TSD. We provide evidence led scientific and technical advice across a wide range of disciplines, from physics and chemistry to engineering, human factors and ergonomics and support responses to security incidents on the transport network.
Your role will be to lead transport security research and development projects and be a focal point between NSSR and our transport security policy teams. You will establish and run a range of technical projects with a behavioural focus to them, that provide advice on understanding threats to transport and suggest and evaluate options for mitigating the threats or reducing their impact.
The role will involve working closely with senior policy leads, departmental behavioural science community, scientific and technical experts across the UK Government National Security community, the transport industry and overseas counterparts. You will work particularly closely with the Home Office Homeland Security Group (HSG) and National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) in aligning counter-terrorism research, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and other industry suppliers in commissioning and delivering research projects.
Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:
- Be the subject matter expert for Behavioural Science research, providing support and advice to both the NSSR division, departmental behavioural science community and policy Examples of skills include application of human factors in improving security systems, behavioural science insights into crowd behaviours and identifying and deterring malicious behaviours and applied psychology research.
- Commission and lead delivery and exploitation of transport security research and development projects, ensuring focus on the challenge area and quality and robustness of approach and deliverables.
- Lead the development of spending bid proposals related to transport security.
- Technically review and interpret data to make evidence -based recommendations to security policy leads.
- Build strong relationships with key sector Examples include Transport for London, British Transport Police, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Civil Aviation Authority and transport operators.
- Develop effective partnerships with your expert counterparts across Whitehall Departments and intelligence agencies.
- Influence and leverage related research and development taking place internationally, including representing the UK at meetings with partner.
For further information on the role, please read the attached role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.
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