Scientific Officer

Role Responsibility

Kent Scientific Services is recruiting an analytical chemist to work in its Public Analyst laboratory at Kings Hill, West Malling in Kent. This is a rare opportunity to work for an Official Feed and Food Control Laboratory. Official control laboratories are a vital aspect of the food and consumer goods supply chain in the U.K., helping to ensure that food and consumer goods are safe and are what they say they are.

The post involves analysing a wide variety of foods, agriculture products and other consumer goods on behalf of enforcement agencies such as Trading Standards departments and Port Health authorities based across England.

The successful candidate will be a chemistry graduate or qualified to level 5 (HND) in chemistry and be familiar with a range of classical and instrumental techniques including Gas Chromatography and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with mass selective detectors. Alternative degree subjects may be considered if they demonstrably contain a substantial element of chemistry.

This role is on a career grade. Starting salary will be either £20,997 or £23,033 depending on qualifications and experience.

Encouragement and support is given to staff who wish to further their career and study for the Mastership in Chemical Analysis (MChemA), the statutory qualification for a Public Analyst, or those who may wish to become Chartered Chemists.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Contact Details

Mark Rolfe
Telephone - 03000 415100
Email - kss@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.