15255 - Head of Science Advice
| Posting date: | 26 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £71,381 to £85,257 per year |
| Additional salary information: | The national salary is £71,381 - £80,419. London salary is £75,674 - £85,257. Your salary will be dependent on your base location |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 16 March 2026 |
| Location: | UK |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | Ministry of Justice |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 15255 |
Summary
The Role
We’re recruiting for a head of Science Advice here at Ministry of Justice, to be part of our warm and collaborative Science Office.
Providing policy and operational colleagues with high-quality science advice is the core function of the Science Office. The Head of Science Advice plays a critical role in ensuring that ministers and senior leaders are supported by credible, authoritative and well-judged scientific advice, particularly in areas of high public, political and national security sensitivity.
This role sits at the heart of departmental decision-making, enabling the department to act with confidence across a wide range of STEM-related issues, including those that are complex, fast-moving or contested. The postholder will lead the department’s health, drugs and security science advice desks, ensuring the quality, coherence and impact of science advice provided across the organisation.
The MoJ Science Office sits within the Data Directorate, and is led by MoJ Chief Scientific Advisor, Hugh Stickland. We are the MoJ's centre of expertise for science, R&D strategy, foresight and emerging technology, ensuring that decision making across the justice system is informed by robust evidence, scientific thinking, and forward-looking insight. Our work brings together futures and horizon scanning, deep-subject specialism in natural and behavioural sciences, and the responsible application of new and emerging technologies to address current challenges and support long term, strategic decision making.
As a team we are collaborative, outward facing, and impact driven. We operate as an open innovation unit working closely with other government departments, the Government Office for Science, regulators, academics and industry partners to bring fresh thinking and robust insight into the heart of MoJ.
Key Responsibilities:
• Lead the department’s health, drugs and security science advice desks, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, timely and proportionate science advice.
• Provide direct line management and professional leadership to 3–4 Grade 7 science leads, setting clear expectations for scientific rigour, integrity and communication.
• Provide senior oversight and advice across a broad range of STEM subjects, drawing on specialist expertise where required.
• Advise ministers, senior officials and operational leaders on complex scientific issues, often in high-profile or sensitive contexts.
• Ensure science advice appropriately reflects uncertainty, risk and limitations of evidence, supporting effective decision-making.
• Provide senior leadership and expert oversight of science advice relating to health, drugs and national security, with deep expertise in at least one of these domains.
• Play a key role in the leadership of the Science Office, contributing to strategic direction, priorities and ways of working.
• Promote high professional standards and build capability across the department in the effective use of science advice.
If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!
We’re recruiting for a head of Science Advice here at Ministry of Justice, to be part of our warm and collaborative Science Office.
Providing policy and operational colleagues with high-quality science advice is the core function of the Science Office. The Head of Science Advice plays a critical role in ensuring that ministers and senior leaders are supported by credible, authoritative and well-judged scientific advice, particularly in areas of high public, political and national security sensitivity.
This role sits at the heart of departmental decision-making, enabling the department to act with confidence across a wide range of STEM-related issues, including those that are complex, fast-moving or contested. The postholder will lead the department’s health, drugs and security science advice desks, ensuring the quality, coherence and impact of science advice provided across the organisation.
The MoJ Science Office sits within the Data Directorate, and is led by MoJ Chief Scientific Advisor, Hugh Stickland. We are the MoJ's centre of expertise for science, R&D strategy, foresight and emerging technology, ensuring that decision making across the justice system is informed by robust evidence, scientific thinking, and forward-looking insight. Our work brings together futures and horizon scanning, deep-subject specialism in natural and behavioural sciences, and the responsible application of new and emerging technologies to address current challenges and support long term, strategic decision making.
As a team we are collaborative, outward facing, and impact driven. We operate as an open innovation unit working closely with other government departments, the Government Office for Science, regulators, academics and industry partners to bring fresh thinking and robust insight into the heart of MoJ.
Key Responsibilities:
• Lead the department’s health, drugs and security science advice desks, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, timely and proportionate science advice.
• Provide direct line management and professional leadership to 3–4 Grade 7 science leads, setting clear expectations for scientific rigour, integrity and communication.
• Provide senior oversight and advice across a broad range of STEM subjects, drawing on specialist expertise where required.
• Advise ministers, senior officials and operational leaders on complex scientific issues, often in high-profile or sensitive contexts.
• Ensure science advice appropriately reflects uncertainty, risk and limitations of evidence, supporting effective decision-making.
• Provide senior leadership and expert oversight of science advice relating to health, drugs and national security, with deep expertise in at least one of these domains.
• Play a key role in the leadership of the Science Office, contributing to strategic direction, priorities and ways of working.
• Promote high professional standards and build capability across the department in the effective use of science advice.
If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!