Job Description
Science Advice – Drugs Lead
Location: National*
Closing Date: 29th March 2026
Interviews: Week commencing 13th April 2026 (this may be subject to change)
Grade 7
(MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer)
Salary:
National £58,511 - £65,329
London £63,343 - £70,725
Working pattern: Full time, Part time, Flexible Working, Job share
Contract Type: Permanent
Vacancy number: 15697
*We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP
The Role
We’re recruiting for a Science Advice Drugs Lead 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 a core function of the Science Office. The Science Advice Drugs Lead plays a critical role in ensuring that ministers and senior leaders are supported by credible, authoritative and well-judged scientific advice on drugs and illicit substances.
Reporting to the Grade 6 Head of Science Advice, this role sits at the heart of departmental decision-making on drugs-related issues, supporting the department to act with confidence in an area that is high-risk, high-profile and often fast-moving. The postholder will lead the department’s drugs science advice desk, ensuring the quality, coherence and impact of science advice provided across MoJ and its agencies.
The role requires deep subject-matter expertise in the drugs space (for example through a PhD or equivalent experience), alongside strong judgement, leadership and the ability to translate complex scientific evidence into clear, actionable advice for senior decision-makers.
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 drugs science advice desk, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, timely and proportionate science advice on illicit substances, drug markets and emerging threats.
- Provide authoritative scientific advice to ministers, senior officials and operational leaders on drugs-related issues, often in complex, sensitive or high-profile contexts.
- Assess, interpret and synthesise complex scientific evidence (e.g. toxicology, epidemiology, public health and behavioural science) to inform policy and operational decision-making.
- Ensure drugs-related science advice appropriately reflects uncertainty, risk and limitations of the evidence, supporting effective and defensible decisions.
- Commission, coordinate and assure external scientific advice, drawing on academic experts, advisory groups and cross-government partners where required.
- Work closely with policy, operational and analytical colleagues across MoJ, HMPPS and partner organisations to ensure advice is relevant, joined-up and operationally grounded.
- Support the Grade 6 Head of Science Advice in maintaining coherence across the wider science advice function, contributing to horizon scanning, risk identification and prioritisation.
- Line manage and professionally support staff within the Science Office as required, setting clear expectations for scientific rigour, integrity and communication.
- Contribute to the leadership and continuous improvement of the Science Office, promoting high professional standards in the 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!
Benefits
- 37 hours per week and flexible working options including working from home, working part-time, job sharing, or working compressed hours.
- A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best in class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms
- Staff have 10% time to dedicate to develop & grow
- Generous civil service pension based on defined benefit scheme, with employer contributions of 28.97% from April 1st 2024 (Contribution Rates)
- 25 days leave (plus bank holidays) and 1 privilege day usually taken around the Kings’ birthday. 5 additional days of leave once you have reached 5 years of service.
- Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!
- Wellbeing support including access to the Calm app.
- Nurturing professional and interpersonal networks including those for Carers & Childcare, Gender Equality, PROUD and SPIRIT
- Bike loans up to £2500 and secure bike parking (subject to availability and location)
- Season ticket loans, childcare vouchers and eye-care vouchers.
- 5 days volunteering paid leave.
- Some offices may have a subsidised onsite Gym.
Person Specification
Essential
- Ability to assess, interpret and communicate complex science advice clearly to non-specialist audiences, balancing competing evidence and taking into account policy or operational needs. Drawing on demonstrable subject-matter expertise in drugs and illicit substances and excellent spoken and written communication skills.
- Strong science communicator who can ‘show their working’ to non-experts, increase understanding of the role of science advice in government, and build capability within the Science Office and across key stakeholder groups.
- Experience working collaboratively with other professions, including analysis, policy, operations and data, as well as building strong professional networks with external experts and wider partners to drive delivery of shared objectives.
Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for SC
We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.
Our values are Purpose, Humanity Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
How to Apply
Candidates must submit a CV and 750-word personal statement which describes how you meet the requirements set out in the Person Specification above.
Application Guidance
Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a Personal Statement
In MOJ, we recruit using a combination of the Success Profiles Frameworks. We will assess your Experience, Technical Skills and the following Behaviours during the assessment process:
- Making effective decisions
- Managing a quality service
A diverse panel will review your application against the Person Specification above.
Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a 1-hour panel interview to be held in 102 Petty France, London; or via Microsoft Teams if the candidate is not able to travel.
Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on ability to assess, interpret and communicate complex science advice clearly to non-specialist audiences, balancing competing evidence and taking into account policy or operational needs. Drawing on demonstrable subject-matter expertise in drugs and illicit substances and excellent spoken and written communication skills the below criteria will be conducted before the sift.
When sifting applications, we’ll be assessing candidates based on the following criteria:
- Ability to assess, interpret and communicate complex science advice clearly to non-specialist audiences, balancing competing evidence and taking into account policy or operational needs. Drawing on demonstrable subject-matter expertise in drugs and illicit substances and excellent spoken and written communication skills.
- Strong science communicator who can ‘show their working’ to non-experts, increase understanding of the role of science advice in government, and build capability within the Science Office and across key stakeholder groups.
- Experience working collaboratively with other professions, including analysis, policy, operations and data, as well as building strong professional networks with external experts and wider partners to drive delivery of shared objectives.
Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application.
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Terms & Conditions
Please review our Terms and Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact digitalanddatarecruitment@justice.gov.uk
