North West Cluster Graduate Development Officer

Job Description

Science and Technology Facilities Council Salary: £29,922 Hours: Full time Contract Type: Open Ended Location: Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington Closing Date: Sunday 20th October 2024 Assessment Centre: December 2024/January 2025 (Virtual) Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 2 applications per candidate. Working as part of the Business and Innovation Directorate, this position will play a key role in delivering UKRI-STFC's Research and Innovation Cluster strategy, focussed on the North West of England. As a Graduate Cluster Development Officer, you will join a well-established team that is, both developing innovation clusters in high-growth economic sectors such as Health & Life Sciences, Digital and Space, and supporting wider regional cluster developments (including in Materials, Industrial Biotech and Security). The role is based at the Daresbury Laboratory at Sci-Tech Daresbury, home to national R&D facilities (such as the Hartree Centre and Daresbury Laboratory), public sector bodies (like the Health Innovation Network for the NHS in the region) and a broad range of business (from blue-chips like Croda and IBM Research) to start ups in incubation programs STFC runs onsite. While your role is headquartered at the campus, the clusters operate across the whole of the North West of England, offering an exciting opportunity to work with stakeholders, researchers, investors, businesses and more across the region and nationally aligned to the clusters. You will report to the Head of North West Clusters and work closely with the North West Cluster team and the STFC Campus and Incubation team at Daresbury to support the delivery of dynamic projects, knowledge exchange and horizon scanning activities. These will be designed to encourage regional collaboration and engagement, involving both campus and cluster organisations, strengthening connections, the exchange of ideas and stimulation of new technologies & products in businesses. There are also opportunities within this role to work with a diverse group people across the Business and Innovation Directorate, including with teams that support innovation and impact, business development and early-stage business incubation, depending on your strengths and interests. These wider opportunities will help to develop your knowledge and experience, grow into your role, and take your career in your chosen direction. The North West Clusters build on the establishment of the clusters at Daresbury's twin campus at Harwell, with the launch of the Harwell Space Cluster in 2010, Health in 2015 and Energy in 2018. Since then the North West Clusters have developed and launched with the North West Health Cluster in 2019, Digital in 2021 and Space in 2022. Areas of additional focus for the cluster team include Advanced Materials, Industrial BioTech, Defence & Security, Quantum and more as well as supporting wider pan regional collaboration, particularly across the North of England and UK. The driving objective is to harness the cluster model to drive greater R&D activity, enable collaborations, facilitate increased investment (national and international) and support economic growth. Brief overview of the scheme The STFC Graduate scheme will give you the opportunity to really pursue your interests and passion early in your journey with us, supported by technical training and a broader programme of career support and training and development. Our dedicated Early Careers Development Team will provide the right combination of challenge and support throughout, helping you achieve your ambitions. We know that professional recognition is also important to you too, so we will provide mentoring and expertise to help you achieve valued qualifications or chartered status in your chosen field. STFC offers a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days' annual leave, an outstanding index linked pension scheme, 10.5 public and privilege days, Christmas closure and flexible working hours Our full list of benefits can be found here. About the role and a summary of key duties & responsibilities Working with the Head of North West Clusters to help plan and deliver cluster-focussed activities, including knowledge exchange events, conferences, stakeholder meetings and networking - both virtual and face-to-face. This will initially involve supporting activities then as confidence grows leading and even proposing the organisation (where agreed and pertinent) supporting the organisation, delivery and associated logistics, as appropriate. Supporting the delivery of key Cluster development activities, including engagement with stakeholders, researchers and businesses. This will involve communication of cluster activities (such as events), promotion of programs (like the STFC Cross Cluster Proof of Concept fund) and understanding needs Gathering, understanding and maintaining an awareness of the diverse Cluster community developments alongside the activities of other STFC developments, including the Business Development and Innovation and Impact teams, to enable closer working and the spotting of strategic opportunities. Contribute to the collecting and analysing data on Campus and Cluster activities to help evidence their impact. Contributing to the development of case studies and articles to raise the profile of the clusters Building and maintaining good working relationships with organisations on the Sci-Tech Daresbury Campus and key stakeholders across the research and innovation system. Including attending key Campus and Cluster-focused events to help facilitate interactions between attendees e.g. Sci-Tech Daresbury Business Breakfast, Cluster Stakeholders meetings, anniversary conferences etc. Propose activities that would support the development of the clusters. To apply for this graduate opportunity, we are looking for the following: Key: Shortlisting (S), Interview (I), both Shortlisting and Interview (S&I) Essential: Achieved, or be on course to achieve, a minimum 2:1 degree (S) Have the right to live and work in the UK at time of starting employment (S) Experience and ability to integrate into a team (S&I) Strong communication and personal skills, including presenting ideas to peers and the writing of reports (S&I) Project management experience, including experience with using analytical approaches to track progress (I) Communication (S&I) Teamwork (S&I) Motivation (S&I) Self-Management (S&I) Organisation (S&I) Desirable: Awareness of UKRI and/or Research and Innovation organisations, aligned to their background (I) Demonstrable commitment to continuous improvement (projects and personally) (I) Marketing experience including the use of social media tools and crafting of briefs and newsletters (I) Leadership experience (I) Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert. Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received. About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) As one of Europe's largest research organisations, we ask the biggest questions in the universe to find answers that change the world around us. We seek understanding. We're proud of the impact we make. And we're committed to helping build a globally competitive, knowledge-based UK economy. Being part of all this means contributing to work that pushes boundaries and creates possibilities. You'll work with, and learn from, true experts. Whatever your role, you'll be free to question, and encouraged to share ideas. And, in a positive and supportive culture, you'll discover just what a difference you can make when you're equipped and inspired to excel. We're a place where curious minds thrive. Not bound by profit, we explore ideas that others don't, ask questions that others won't, and discover answers that others are not equipped to find. And, alongside Mars landings and black holes, we also explore diverse, international projects in everything from science and engineering to computing and technology. Whether it's at the cutting edge or behind the scenes, our work is intellectually challenging. It's very often ground-breaking. And it's endlessly, irresistibly fascinating. For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/ You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/ About UK Research Innovation (UKRI) UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. Supporting some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation. More information can be found at www.ukri.org . Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI . The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment. How we support EDI in the workforce At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit 'How we support EDI in the workforce' . Disability Confident Employer As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. How to apply Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'experience' section of the application. UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us. Additional Information Organisation: Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) - Business and Innovation Contract Type: Open Ended External Closing Date: Oct 20, 2024 Minimum Salary: Pound Sterling (GBP) 29,922 Hours: Full-time