Technical Authority - Controls & Instrumentation
Job summary
Reporting directly to the Head of Site, the Controls and Instrumentation role serves as the technical authority for the site's Control and Instrumentation (C&I) systems and assets. The role is responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable and efficient operation of critical national infrastructure within a large and complex scientific research facility in Colindale. Due to the nature of the position, the role is site-based.
The postholder will translate complex technical information into clear, concise and accessible information for a wide range of stakeholders, providing assurance that C&I assets are being effectively maintained and managed throughout their lifecycle. Building and maintaining strong relationships across the organisation will be essential, particularly with scientific and operational stakeholders, to ensure confidence in the performance, reliability and resilience of critical systems and services.
The role requires excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage, influence and collaborate with individuals at all levels of the organisation, often balancing differing priorities and perspectives.The successful candidate will be a member of a recognised professional engineering institution, such as the IET or IMechE, and will either hold Chartered Engineer status or be actively working towards professional registration.
Main duties of the job
- Ensure compliance with UKHSA engineering policies, statutory requirements, and industry best practice, maintaining the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of C&I assets.
- Provide technical oversight of maintenance activities, including installation, commissioning, calibration, fault diagnosis, repair, and lifecycle replacement of C&I systems.
- Manage and provide technical assurance for Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS) assets, ensuring alignment with ISA/IEC 62443 principles and HSE guidance.
- Provide specialist engineering input to strategic planning, capital projects, and infrastructure developments to support current and future operational needs.
- Develop and continuously improve engineering standards, procedures, and maintenance strategies, ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational requirements.
- Analyse asset performance and maintenance data to drive continuous improvement, optimise reliability, and improve asset resilience and value.
- Act as the subject matter expert for Control and Instrumentation systems, providing technical advice and assurance to engineering, scientific, and project teams.
- Build effective relationships with stakeholders, communicating complex technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Please note the above list is not exhaustive.
About us
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Job description
Job responsibilities
-Support the safe and reliable operation of critical national infrastructure by ensuring essential C&I assets are maintained, monitored, and improved in line with business and operational requirements.
-Act as the technical authority for Control and Instrumentation (C&I) systems, providing expert advice and assurance on the operation, maintenance, performance, and lifecycle management of critical assets.
-Translate complex technical information into clear, practical guidance for engineering, operational, scientific, and senior management stakeholders, enabling informed decision-making at all levels.
-Develop, implement, and maintain asset lifecycle strategies for C&I systems, including condition assessment, maintenance optimisation, obsolescence management, asset renewal planning, and business case development.
-Proactively identify, assess, and manage engineering risks, ensuring appropriate mitigation measures are implemented and that emerging risks are effectively recorded, communicated, escalated, and monitored.
-Develop, review, and improve engineering standards, procedures, specifications, and maintenance strategies, ensuring compliance with UKHSA policies, statutory requirements, and industry best practice.
-Provide technical leadership and support for maintenance activities, including installation, commissioning, inspection, calibration, fault diagnosis, repair, and modification of C&I systems.
-Support capital projects and infrastructure improvement programmes, providing specialist engineering input throughout project development, design review, installation, testing, commissioning, and handover
-Prepare and review technical documentation, including engineering specifications, reports, risk assessments, method statements, operating procedures, and performance analyses
-Maintain the highest standards of health, safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance, ensuring engineering activities are planned and executed in accordance with relevant legislation, site procedures, and industry standards.
-Undertake and review risk assessments and safe systems of work, ensuring hazards are identified, controlled, and communicated effectively to all parties involved.
-Monitor contractor performance and oversee engineering works on site, ensuring activities are delivered safely, compliantly, and to the required quality standards whilst meeting operational requirements.
-Provide assurance to scientific and operational stakeholders that critical C&I assets and services are being maintained effectively and remain fit for purpose.
-Build and maintain strong working relationships across the organisation, collaborating with engineering teams, scientists, project managers, contractors, and senior leaders to achieve shared objectives.
-Support the Head of Site in the management of engineering services, contributing technical expertise, asset performance insights, and strategic recommendations to support operational and business priorities.
-Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, industry developments, and best practice, identifying opportunities to improve asset performance, resilience, cybersecurity, and operational effectiveness.
-Support engineering governance activities, including audits, inspections, performance reviews, compliance reporting, and technical assurance processes.
Promote a culture of safety, professionalism, continuous improvement, and engineering excellence across the organisation.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA
-Degree, HNC/HND, or equivalent qualification in Control & Instrumentation, Electrical, Electronic, Automation, or a related engineering discipline.
-Membership of a recognised professional engineering institution (e.g. IET, IChemE, IMechE) with Chartered Engineer status, or demonstrable progress towards chartership.
-Knowledge of Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS), including awareness of operational technology cyber security principles and associated risks.
-Significant experience managing and maintaining complex engineering assets within a regulated, industrial, scientific, or critical infrastructure environment.
-Strong technical knowledge of Control and Instrumentation systems, including maintenance, fault finding, commissioning, and asset performance improvement.
-Experience of developing and managing engineering risk assessments, method statements, technical procedures, maintenance documentation, and engineering reports.
-Sound knowledge of relevant health, safety, and statutory compliance requirements, with experience of maintaining safe systems of work and ensuring engineering activities are delivered in accordance with legislative and organisational standards.
SELECTION PROCESS DETAILS
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
STAGE 1: APPLICATION & SIFT
COMPETENCY BASED
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
-Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
-1500 word supporting statement.
This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.
LONGLISTING
In the event of a large number of applications, we will longlist into 3 piles of:
-Meets all essential criteria
-Meets some essential criteria
-Meets no essential criteria
If used, the pile(s) Meets all essential criteria will proceed to shortlisting.SHORTLISTING
In the event of a large number of applications we will conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:
-Degree, HNC/HND, or equivalent qualification in Control & Instrumentation, Electrical, Electronic, Automation, or a related engineering discipline.
-Knowledge of Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS), including awareness of operational technology cyber security principles and associated risks.
-Strong technical knowledge of Control and Instrumentation systems, including maintenance, fault finding, commissioning, and asset performance improvement.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.STAGE 2: INTERVIEW
Competency Based
You will be invited to a single face to face interview at UKHSA Colindale61 Colindale Avenue,London,NW9 5EQ
When face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview. There will be a Presentation of no more than 15 minutes.
What would you consider when developing and delivering a BMS upgrade strategy within a live healthcare environment, where maintaining operational continuity and resilience is critical? Please consider IACS, system dependencies, risks, mitigations and the transition from the existing to the future system.
Interview dates are yet to be confirmed.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
LOCATION
This role is being offered as office based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale.
When based at our scientific campus, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Please note, hybrid working is not available for this role.
SECURITY CLEARANCE LEVEL REQUIREMENT
Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed isCounter-Terrorist Check.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
This vacancy is open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service as well as internal applicants.
SALARY INFORMATION
If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
Person Specification
Application form and supporting statement
- Application form and supporting statement
Essential Criteria
- Questions on experience, knowledge and skills
Presentation
- Presentation
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
Employer details
Employer name
UK Health Security Agency
Address
Scientific Campus
Colindale
NW9 5EQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency