Guidance

Vacancies

Published 31 August 2026

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is recruiting members to join its Scientific Advisory Committees (SACs) and Science Council. Recruitment is focused on specific areas of expertise identified by each committee. Before applying, candidates should review the expertise sought for each role and committee, and consider how their knowledge, skills and experience match the selection criteria.

1. Expertise

1.1 Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes

1 chair position requiring experience of chairing multidisciplinary groups and facilitating consensus on innovative food products.

5 full and/or associate member positions in the following areas of expertise:

• industry representative with knowledge of industrial and production processes
• allergenicity risk assessment specialist and food allergy (non-clinical)
• expert in proteomic and metabolomic analysis
• plant genetics and use of associated genetic technologies
• 90-day study toxicology specialist

1.2 Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs

1 chair position requiring experience of chairing multidisciplinary groups and facilitating consensus on animal feed safety, including the assessment of novel feed materials and emerging risks.

2 full and/or associate member positions in the following areas of expertise:

• veterinary, feed, aquaculture, monogastrics and animal trials
• wider agricultural and farming systems knowledge

1.3 Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

4 full and/or associate member positions in the following areas of expertise:

• pathology or all-round toxicology including pathology
• modelling, particularly benchmark dose modelling and statistics
• exposure assessment
• neurotoxicity

1.4 Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

2 full and/or associate member positions in the following areas of expertise:

• risk modeller with expertise in quantitative/complex risk modelling and uncertainty analysis
• general food microbiologist

1 lay member position.

1.5 Science Council

1 full and/or associate member position in the following areas of expertise:

• chemical contaminants in food

1 lay member position with an understanding of food distribution and production.

1.6 Advisory Committee for Social Science

5 full and/or associate member positions in the following areas of expertise:

• applied public health economist, with expertise in microeconomic, macroeconomic, behavioural, and political economy approaches
• applied statistician with expertise in statistical methodology, policy design and decision-making
• social scientist with expertise in qualitative and participatory methods
• social scientist with expertise in survey methodology and digital methods
• social scientist with expertise in behavioural science

Knowledge of one or more of the following topics for all of the above areas of expertise will also be sought:

• food innovation, data and AI
• risk management and communication
• consumer attitudes and behaviours relevant to food safety

2. Roles

2.1 Chairs 

The chair is the main point of contact between the SAC and the FSA and plays a key role in SAC operations and outputs. The chair has a number of responsibilities including working with the FSA to ensure that there is sufficient diversity of skills, expertise and experience within the SAC’s membership to offer suitable challenge; ensuring that every member of the SAC has the opportunity to be heard and that no view is ignored or overlooked; reporting the SAC’s advice to the FSA including alerting them to new evidence likely to have an impact on current policy; and acting as an active advocate for diversity and inclusion. Chairs are given a standard first term appointment of three years.  

2.2 Full members 

A full member has the specific technical expertise or experience required by their SAC and is expected to be a recognised expert in their subject. Full members should regard it as part of their role to examine and, if necessary, challenge the assumptions on which scientific advice is formulated. They should also consider whether the questions on which the SAC offers advice are of interest to the public and other interested parties outside the scientific community. Full members are given a standard first term appointment of three years. 

2.3 Associate members 

Associate members are typically individuals who have developed expertise relevant to the committee’s remit and can contribute meaningfully to discussions, but who may be at an earlier stage of their career and not yet have the breadth of experience and leadership responsibilities that would normally be expected of a full member. They will usually have begun to establish a track record in their field and as such the role is intended for individuals who have the potential to become future full members and who are looking to gain experience of contributing to scientific advisory committee work. Associate members are appointed for an initial term of two years. Following successful completion of their term, associate members may apply for full membership through open competition.

2.4 Lay members 

A lay member is a full member who is not a technical expert on the SAC, but who is there to represent the interests of consumers. Their precise role may vary depending on the remit of the committee to which they have been appointed. They may act as a critical friend, contribute experience from outside the professional membership, or provide an external non-expert perspective to the decision-making process. They may also help to quality assure the committee’s outputs or to support clear communication of the committee’s work. Lay members are given a standard first term appointment of three years.

3. Committees

3.1 Science Council

• provides high-level, expert strategic insight, challenge, and advice to the FSA’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Board, and executive on the FSA’s use of science to deliver FSA objectives
• ensures the FSA identifies, sources, integrates, and utilises the best scientific evidence and expertise from all relevant disciplines to inform and evaluate its work 

3.2 ACSS

• provides expert strategic advice to the FSA on its use of the social sciences including new and emerging methods, processes and systems to interrogate data, to deliver the FSA’s objectives
• its purpose is to help the FSA utilise these sciences and approaches to shape and deliver its strategic objectives and understand its impact

3.3 COT, ACMSF, ACNFP, ACAF

• gather scientific information and assess its relevance to provide independent advice and support, focusing on specific scientific areas relevant to the FSA’s work 
• ensure the FSA’s advice is based on the most recent and robust scientific evidence 
• members include specialist academics, experienced practitioners, and consumer representatives