Guidance

DSIT Fellowship Cohort 3: current placements

Published 7 May 2025

© Crown copyright 2025

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dsit-fellowship/dsit-fellowship-cohort-3-current-placements

Current DSIT Fellowship placements

You can apply for more than 1 placement. To apply, download and complete the application form found on the main DSIT Fellowship page and send to expertexchange@dsit.gov.uk.

In the DSIT Fellowship Cohort 3 guidance you find out about how the selection process will work.

These are not role descriptions. Fellows are expected to be actively involved in co-designing a mutually beneficial placement with their host team.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) placements (8)

Fellowship in Sociotechnical Aspects of AI

(Reference #1001)

Details

GO-Science works at the heart of government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It’s an exciting time to join the organisation, providing you with an opportunity to inform and influence policymaking and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. The fellow will become part of the Engagement Team within the Technology Insights, Future & Foresight (TIFF) deputy directorate.

The Engagement team is responsible for ensuring TIFF picks up HMG’s strategic, S&T related analytical requirements, and actively networking to ensure central government is kept up to date on emerging technological and geopolitical developments. The Engagement team also provides a coordinating role for AI related evidence and implementation projects across GO Science, as they relate to social science, national security, climate and energy and internal delivery of AI capability. Recent and current projects have included a high impact briefing series on AI for Science, ongoing cross Government knowledge sharing events on AI in the civil service and developing an evidence pack that landed on the Prime Minister’s desk, helping inform the AI Opportunities Action Plan.

There is an opportunity for an AI expert to join the team. The demand for AI-related expertise is high and especially how the technology interacts and impacts other S&T fields, society and geopolitics. We require an in-house expert on sociotechnical aspects of AI to help design and drive forward GOS projects, deliver ad hoc expert advice to government departments and improve our connectivity to the external AI ecosystem for horizon scanning purposes.

AI and Information Threats Fellow

(Reference #1002)

Details

The Information Resilience team is responsible for developing policy, operational responses to address information threats that might impact on public safety or national security. Within this team is a specific AI function, that looks at the intersection between AI and the information environment – including risks from deepfakes, bots or other forms of AI-generated content. Collaborating with a fellow, either from an academic or industry background, would be hugely beneficial to strengthen our technical understanding of AI threats.

In particular, we would be looking for a fellow to:

  • Share expertise on how AI-enabled information threats manifest, as well as key actors, tools, techniques, and latest research.
  • Explore existing mitigations to address risks from AI and potential further mitigations in this space.
  • Support DSIT technical and operational teams, to research and evaluate AI detection tools.
  • Broker relationships with other key expert stakeholders in industry, civil society, or academia.

Data and AI Fellow

(Reference #1003)

Details

Join Us as a Data and AI Fellow!

Are you passionate about safe innovation in AI? The Data Protection Policy Unit (DPPU) is looking for a dynamic expert to join our team and drive forward our data and AI work programme. This is your chance to shape policies that balance cutting-edge innovation with high data protection standards.

About us

At DPPU, we are dedicated to developing and maintaining data protection policies and legislation that safeguard privacy, drive growth, enhance government performance, and empower citizens. As AI becomes integral to everyday life, we must ensure our data protection framework evolves to meet these new challenges.

Your role

As our Data and AI Fellow, you will play a key role in helping us navigate the complexities of AI and data protection and building networks with experts across the Civil Service and beyond. While familiarity with the data protection framework is a plus, technical expertise in AI systems is our priority.

Key areas you’ll impact:

  • Intersections of Data and AI: Our work programme to explore how data protection policies can support AI innovation and deployment while ensuring robust privacy standards. You’ll dive into critical questions like the effective exercise of individual rights in AI systems, technical challenges and solutions, and the impact of model opacity, data dependency, and continuous learning.
  • Automated Decision-Making (ADM): Our research programme to strengthen the evidence base on ADM use across government and private sectors.

Fun fact: Did you know that the concept of data protection dates back to the 1970s? The first data protection laws were introduced in response to the growing use of computers for storing personal information. Today, these laws are evolving to ensure that AI technologies can innovate responsibly while safeguarding our privacy. Join us and be part of this exciting journey!

AI for Science Expert Adviser

(Reference #1004)

Details

In January the Prime Minister announced the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which is a roadmap setting out how we will achieve our AI ambitions by laying the foundations for AI growth, driving adoption and building UK capability at the frontier. As identified in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, AI for Science is one of the most likely domains to have a ‘transformative impact across the economy, advance AI, and unlock further innovation.’

Recognising the importance of AI for Science in driving government’s missions, this is a very exciting moment to join the AI Opportunities Directorate. In this role you will advise on government’s role in advancing AI for Science opportunities. Bringing in your expertise, the role will involve working closely with stakeholders across academia, industry and civil society as well as inform policy ideation, development and design. You will be joining the AI R&D team – a friendly, collaborative and open-minded team which sits in the AI Opportunities Directorate.

The ideal candidate should have a:

  • Science background with experience in leveraging AI to accelerate scientific research
  • A broad view on what are the current challenges in using AI to accelerate scientific discovery across the UK R&D ecosystem
  • Practical experience in either industry and / or academia in this field

Fellowship in AI Implementation and Digital Transformation

(Reference #1005)

Details

GO-Science works at the heart of government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It’s an exciting time to join the organisation, providing you with an opportunity to inform and influence policymaking and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. The fellow will become part of the Engagement Team within the Technology Insights, Future & Foresight (TIFF) deputy directorate.

The Engagement team is responsible for ensuring TIFF picks up HMG’s strategic, S&T related analytical requirements, and actively networking to ensure central government is kept up to date on emerging technological and geopolitical developments. The Engagement team also provides a coordinating role for AI related evidence and digital implementation projects across GO Science, as they relate to social science, national security, climate and energy and internal delivery of AI capability. Recent and current projects have included a high impact briefing series on AI for Science, ongoing community building and knowledge sharing events on AI in the civil service and leading the development of an evidence pack that landed on the Prime Minister’s desk, helping inform the AI Opportunities Action Plan.

There is an opportunity for an AI implementation and digital transformation expert to join the team to assist GOS meet its ambition to become an AI-ready organisation and lead in government on use and applications of AI. We require a combination of project management support for tool testing and introduction, partnership and engagement skills to explore use cases and technical expertise to help us understand potential and identify, build or adapt tools that could be useful for us.

AI Adoption and Digital Innovation Adviser

(Reference #1006)

Details

DSIT’s Operating Model and Innovation Team are seeking an expert in organisational adoption of AI and the practical application for innovation and organisational learning. We are a small, dynamic, and multi-disciplinary team exploring the potential of digital solutions, particularly focusing on AI and Automation, to foster innovation, support our teams and help drive productivity.

As an expert in organisational adoption of AI, you will have the exciting opportunity to help shape our approach and practical implementation of AI tools and learning within DSIT. We are particularly interested in individuals with expertise in applying proven frameworks, methodologies, and practical understanding of optimising the use of AI within an organisation, drawing on experience from a diverse range of sectors and industries.

We are looking for someone who can support a test-and-learn-based approach, underpinned by organisational learning and fostering a culture of knowledge sharing. By working with us, you will be part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to making a significant impact through the strategic adoption of AI and digital technologies.

Large Language Model (LLM) AI Expert

(Reference #1007)

Details

The Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), established within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), serves as the government’s primary lever for achieving its transformative economic growth ambitions through proinnovation regulation.

The RIO supports industry by working with regulators to update regulation, speed up approvals, and ensure different regulatory bodies work together effectively. It works to continuously inform the government of regulatory barriers to innovation, set priorities for regulators which align with the government’s broader ambitions and support regulators to develop the capability they need to meet them and grow the economy.

We are seeking a Large Language Model / Generative AI expert to explore the potential for using AI and developing practical tools to support government policy makers and regulators in their work. Possible use cases include:

  • Automation of research (e.g. ‘horizon scanning’ for new technologies, rapid evidence assessments, measuring regulator performance). Challenge: much of the relevant data is qualitative and unstructured.
  • Developing ‘AI agents’ to advise regulators/policy makers on good regulatory design, based on established good practice.
  • Auditing/evaluating regulatory proposals against established criteria.

The role offers opportunities to work in a high profile / impact area of government and advance the use of technology to improve public sector productivity. Familiarity with the large range of existing generative AI tools/applications is likely to be helpful in this work. We welcome applications from candidates from a range of backgrounds (academia, industry) and varying levels of experience (mid-career or late-career). There is considerable scope for adapting the role based on the candidate’s expertise and goals.

Privacy Enhancing Technologies Fellow

(Reference #1008)

Details

The Government Digital Service (GDS) AI and Data Ethics Team are seeking the inclusion of a mathematics expert in the next phase of the Secure Federated Analytics pilot for rare paediatric cancer data collaboration between NDRS and NCI. As we transition from our successful dummy data testing phase towards real-world data analysis, rigorous evaluation of our implemented privacy constraints becomes critical.

Specifically, mathematical expertise is essential to comprehensively test and validate the differential privacy (DP) mechanisms developed and refined in collaboration with NIST. A theoretical mathematician could critically evaluate our ε- differential privacy guarantees, calibrating the Laplace noise mechanisms to balance privacy and utility optimally. Given the sensitivity of paediatric cancer data, ensuring our system maintains robust, mathematically rigorous privacy guarantees under real-world scenarios is imperative.

Additionally, incorporating mathematical insights into our trust modelling processes will be invaluable. Understanding probabilistic models of trust, security guarantees of Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), and potential vulnerabilities or edgecase risks within our federated analytics approach demands rigorous mathematical scrutiny. An academic mathematician, particularly one experienced in privacypreserving methodologies or probabilistic modelling, would significantly enhance our ability to ensure the system’s trustworthiness and compliance with stringent international data governance standards.

The complexities inherent in differential privacy, particularly when integrating diverse datasets and navigating cross-jurisdictional data protection frameworks, underscore the necessity of specialized mathematical expertise. This expert will not only fortify our privacy guarantees but also build broader stakeholder confidence in the system’s integrity, crucial for future deployment and international collaboration.

Technology placements (8)

Tech Sector Growth Adviser

(Reference #2001)

Details

The Tech Sector Team leads on policy and strategic engagement for the UK tech sector, from supporting startups and scale-ups to coordinating government’s engagement with big tech companies. Our goal is to make the UK the best place to start, scale, and stay as a tech business. We champion the digital and tech sector’s interests within and outside the government, leading exciting engagements like London Tech Week and regional tech festivals.

We have a deep understanding the barriers tech companies face and use government support – where appropriate – to create the best business environment for UK tech startups and scale-ups. This includes advocating for tech companies in cross-cutting policies (e.g. access to finance, talent, or skills), delivering programmes to build strong tech clusters across the UK, or promoting diversity in the tech workforce. We collaborate closely with other government departments and external partners.

Our direct engagement with the digital and tech sector on various policy issues would benefit from somebody from sector experience and an outsider’s perspective. Ideally, this would be someone with deep sector experience who wants to shape the future of the sector. A Fellow would join at a critical time as we refocus on making the UK the best place to scale a tech company while retaining broad sector knowledge.

While the precise role is flexible, we envisage a Fellow leading our engagement work, or policy development impacting the tech sector. This is a fast-moving area and an exciting time to join a fun, supportive team as we deliver on the government’s missions to ensure the UK remains a global tech leader.

Responsibilities may include:

  • identifying / prioritising policy solutions to support company growth, particularly at the scale-up stage;
  • refreshing our stakeholder engagement strategy to ensure targeted and effective sector engagement, with expert knowledge of sector issues.

Fellowship in Emerging Technologies and Tech Surprise

(Reference #2002)

Details

GO-Science works at the heart of government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It’s an exciting time to join the organisation, providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policymaking and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. The fellow will become part of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser’s Emerging Technologies Team within the Technology Insights, Future & Foresight (TIFF) directorate.

The team uses Tech Horizon Scanning and Technology Assessments to help government anticipate tech surprise. Our Horizon Scanning capability looks to detect and identify important technology developments and associated threats while our Technology Assessments look to understand and assess the opportunities, risks and threats from emerging technologies.

There is an opportunity for an expert to join the team to carry out horizon scanning and technology assessments. The government mission-led approach covers a range of technology areas and there is growing evidence that technologies are increasingly cross-cutting and have ‘multi-mission’ impacts. A key focus of an embedded technology expert would be developing technology profiles for critical technologies that will help draw out timelines, pathways, indicators and milestones.

We are looking for a mid-career expert from academia or industry with an interest in emerging technologies. We are interested in a range of sectors and fields and will explore and will explore and co-design the exact workstream with the fellow at the start of the fellowship.

Advanced Connectivity Technologies Fellow

(Reference #2003)

Details

The Advanced Connectivity Technologies team has an exciting and broad policy remit. We have invested over £300 million over the past four years as we look to transform the security and resilience of our networks and rebuild UK capability and expertise. This means our team strives to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of developing the next generation of telecoms technologies which will become part of our critical national infrastructure. Examples of our work include ensuring the equipment in our 5G networks is diverse, resilient and secure and planning for how new technologies - such as quantum and AI - can be integrated into telecoms to enable future connectivity.

Advanced connectivity is one of the technologies identified by the UK government as critical for the future and will be one of the growth markets in the forthcoming Industrial Strategy. This is an exciting time to join our team, as we work to shape and develop what the future of telecommunications looks like.

The team invests in Telecoms R&D, sponsors a number of laboratories and infrastructure and works with industry and global allies to achieve our objectives. Given the breadth and technical nature of our team’s work, there is significant scope for a Fellow to add their expertise and influence the future of advanced connectivity technologies in the UK. We would welcome the opportunity to work with the Fellow to design this role to complement their expertise and personal goals.

The desirable background would include experience of network building and/or management, R&D - and commercialisation thereof, including IP - involvement in standards development, knowledge of emerging technologies and trends in telecoms, and senior-level strategy.

Technology Adoption Review Fellow

(Reference #2004)

Details

The Technology Adoption Review led by Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA), Professor Dame Angela McLean and National Technology Adviser (NTA) Dr Dave Smith, is intended to identify and accelerate the adoption of high-value technologies across various sectors to enhance productivity, growth, scalability, and resilience in industry, public services, and national infrastructure. The Review focuses on adoption of emerging technologies (such as smart machines, robotics, AI, and synthetic environments) in the eight growth-driving sectors identified in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper.

Its objectives include:

  • Increasing productivity: By leveraging advanced technologies, the review seeks to boost productivity across different sectors.
  • Sector-specific support: Providing tailored support to businesses to guide them through the technology adoption process, similar to the successful Made Smarter programme.
  • AI-focused programmes: Developing targeted support for high-growth potential businesses to fully capture the benefits of AI use-cases.
  • Aligning with Industrial Strategy: Ensuring the review’s recommendations align with the timelines and goals of the UK’s modern industrial strategy.

The NTA office is seeking a fellow to support the implementation of the Review’s recommendations. This will include working with National Technology Adviser, policy teams in DSIT and across government as well as relevant stakeholders from academia and industry. The individual should possess subject matter expertise in a relevant sector and relevant industry experience.

Fellowship in Critical Technologies and National Security

(Reference #2005)

Details

GO-Science works at the heart of government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It’s an exciting time to join the organisation, providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policymaking and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. The fellow will become part of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser’s (GCSA) Intelligence Assessments Technologies Team within the Technology Insights, Future & Foresight (TIFF) directorate.

The team provide the in-house intelligence assessment capability to the government Chief Science Advisor. We work closely with other assessment bodies, academics and researchers, fusing all-source, quantitative and qualitative reporting to make auditable judgements on science and technology issues, for the benefit of our customers.

There is an opportunity for an expert to join the team to provide expertise on science and technology developments around the world, provide insight into how the fields of science and technology can impact geopolitics and provide advice on UK capabilities. We are looking for a mid-career expert from academia or industry with an interest in the interface between national security and science & technology. We are interested in expertise in one of Semiconductors, Future Comms, Quantum Computing, AI, Eng Bio and will explore and co-design the exact workstream with the fellow at the start of the fellowship.

Semiconductors Fellows

(Reference #2006)

Details

The Semiconductors Unit is an exciting place to work with a critical role to grow the UK sector, and to promote and protect UK interests in this vital technology. Our portfolio ranges from working with the sector on supporting start-ups and access to finance to improving resilience and ensuring the UK’s national and economic security is protected. The unit has three roles available for either mid or late career fellows. For each role, academic or commercial expertise is welcome.

Innovation: This fellowship is an opportunity to contribute to semiconductor research and innovation policy. This includes providing expert technical advice to support development and delivery of initiatives to boost UK semiconductor innovation and the enabling ecosystem, analysing the UK’s semiconductor technology strengths, institutional landscape and infrastructure capabilities and supporting programmes on research commercialisation, growth and sector coordination. The candidate will work closely with industry, academia and across government, including in adjacent technology areas such as quantum, AI, future telecoms and clean energy. Candidates are sought with a strong understanding of semiconductor technology and commercialisation challenges.

Access to Finance and Strategy: This fellowship role offers an opportunity for the candidate to contribute to shaping the UK’s strategic and financial landscape in the semiconductor sector. You will help address strategic and financial challenges facing semiconductor companies. The candidate will collaborate closely with industry, government and public finance institutions. Responsibilities will include providing strategic insights into emerging financing opportunities and supporting an active pipeline of significant investment cases. Additionally, you will help ensure alignment with broader governmental objectives and the UK’s strategic priorities, including positioning the semiconductor sector within wider industrial and economic strategies.

National and Economic Security: This role offers a candidate possibilities the opportunity to provide technical insights and analysis to inform our approach to protect and develop UK interests. Subjects range from supply chain resilience assessment to considering impacts of export controls and could be tailored to suit the candidate’s interest and background.

Digital Technical Standards Fellow

(Reference #2007)

Details

In our digital technical standards work we sit at the crossroads of research and industrial development. Digital standards underpin how many technologies work such as the internet, mobile phones and AI. Our team in DSIT goes to the heart of the standards organisations that bring the ideas and specifications together - seeking the best outcome for the UK - blending our policy issues and needs with technical expertise.

We are looking for a technical specialist to be part of our DSIT team. You will assess impacts of standards on policy initiatives and how best to achieve relevant objectives. The role will also contribute to a project aimed at developing and maintaining UK expertise on technical standards. This could involve understanding and implementing talent pipeline routes. The role would expose you to stakeholders across UK government, industry, and international organisations. There will be a number of projects across the year and there is flexibility to discuss what best meets our needs and matches your experience.

You will have technical experience in one or more digital areas with the ability to quickly familiarise yourself with new concepts. Experience in or around standards work is desirable but we are looking principally for you to bring your technical expertise, link it with our policy needs and help us to understand how we can best engage in relevant standards work.

Data Centres – Policy and Regulation Expert

(Reference #2008)

Details

This role is in the DSIT’s policy team responsible for security, resilience, and growth, of the data infrastructure sector, particularly data centres. This team sits within the digital infrastructure directorate of the department and works closely with teams that support wider artificial intelligence and data policy.

The government has been supporting the data centre sector, including announcing over £40 billion worth of investment and making changes to planning policy, and is continuing to develop policy options to enable a thriving digital economy. Likewise, the government has designated data centres as critical national infrastructure and announced the intention to regulate data centres for security and resilience.

The team is looking for an individual from industry or academia who is interested in supporting the ongoing development of the government’s policy on data centres. An operations, or investment background would be particularly beneficial, although any individual with a strong understanding of the data centre or related technology sectors (e.g. from consulting) will be considered.

Depending on expertise, this role could include providing expert advice to policymakers on security and resilience standards, helping to determine options for policy interventions to enable growth of the market or providing foresight and analysis of the sector and the changing nature of technology and its implications for the UK. There will be scope for the individual to shape their input in line with their expertise, business needs and their own personal development.

Future Thinking placements (5)

Fellowship in Climate Change/Energy Security and National Security

(Reference #3001)

Details

GO-Science works at the heart of government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It’s an exciting time to join the organisation, providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policymaking and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. The fellow will become part of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser’s (GCSA) Intelligence Assessments Technologies Team within the Technology Insights, Future & Foresight (TIFF) directorate.

The team provide the in-house intelligence assessment capability to the Government Chief Science Adviser (GCSA). We work closely with other assessment bodies, academics and researchers, fusing all-source, quantitative and qualitative reporting to make auditable judgements on science and technology issues, for the benefit of our customers.

There is an opportunity for an expert in climate change/energy security to join the team to provide expertise on science and technology developments around the world, provide insight into how the fields of science and technology can impact geopolitics and advice on UK capabilities.

We are looking for a mid-career expert from academia or industry with an interest in the interface between national security and science & technology. We are interested in expertise in climate change and energy security and will explore and co-design the exact workstream with the fellow at the start of the fellowship.

Quantum Supply Chains Fellow

(Reference #3002)

Details

Are you passionate about quantum technologies and eager to contribute to the UK’s National Quantum Strategy?

The Office for Quantum is the team responsible for driving the implementation of the strategy, growing our capabilities in quantum to transform the UK into a quantum-enabled economy. We are looking for a dynamic and experienced individual to join us as a Supply Chains Fellow.

In this role, you will collaborate with industry and academia to identify key supply chain components and build a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and challenges for the UK. As we move to the second phase of the National Quantum Technologies Programme, your insights will inform our future priorities in investment, infrastructure, and international engagement.

What we’re looking for:

  • Previous experience in industry or academia
  • A strong understanding of the UK quantum ecosystem
  • Technical expertise in at least one area of quantum technologies

Why join us?

  • Be part of a team that is shaping the future of quantum technologies in the UK
  • Work on cutting-edge projects that have a real impact on the economy and society
  • Collaborate with leading experts in the field to inform policy priorities

Earth Observation Fellow

(Reference #3003)

Details

The Earth Observation Team is designing a strategic vision of the UK’s EO sector and in particular our participation in Copernicus now and in the longer term. Copernicus is a world-leading earth observation programme, a key component of the European Union’s Space Programme. The UK rejoined Copernicus in January 2024 and provides over £120 million per year of funding. We must therefore maximise the environmental, data-related and economic benefits of participation to grow the UK EO sector and improve public services. And develop a strategy to influence future design of the Copernicus programme. The team work alongside UKSA and wider government colleagues to ensure the UK is optimising its participation in the programme now and for the longer term.

You will have opportunities to collaborate extensively across government and with the UK EO sector, in areas such as future EO sector priorities, dual use of EO, and Data Architecture.

We are looking for someone who has

  • A good understanding of collaborating with international partners and how to navigate the sensitivities of the political and stakeholder landscape in relation to large programmes/missions – and the challenges of coordinating UK priorities and influencing future international plans.
  • Strategic and analytical skills - To provide thought-leadership for a strategic vision of what the UK EO sector should look like in the future and how to maximise benefits from the UK’s Copernicus participation - a robust understanding of the analytical data and technical aspects of how the programme currently works and benefits UK participants will be important to develop.
  • A clear understanding of or specialism in the earth observation and/or the UK space sector.
  • A good network of industry and scientific contacts and the ability to communicate with a diverse group of stakeholders, bringing together and balancing disparate views.

The Earth Observation Team is a friendly, high-performing team playing a pivotal role in the DSIT Space Directorate. Earth observation is a complex and rewarding policy area which delivers on key government priorities-mitigating the impact of climate change, boosting economic growth and strengthening national security. The Earth Observation Team adopts a hybrid working pattern. Whilst most of the team is London-based, we actively encourage applicants from across the UK.

Fellowship in Future of Childhood and Adolescence

(Reference #3004)

Details

GO-Science works at the heart of government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It’s an exciting time to join the organisation, providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policymaking and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. The fellow will become part of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser’s (GCSA) Foresight Team within the Technology Insights, Future & Foresight (TIFF) deputy directorate.

The Foresight Team run projects that take a big, cross-cutting issue, summarise the evidence, and explore future possibilities, aiming to inform better policy that is resilient in the long-term. The team have started a new project on the Future of Childhood and Adolescence, which will engage with children, policymakers, academics and practitioners to understand how childhood is changing and explore what’s driving this change. We will use this evidence to create positive visions for the future and improve the quality of decision making, in order to increase opportunity for future generations.

There is an opportunity for an expert to join the team to feed in evidence and multidisciplinary perspectives on a range of topics, such as social and cultural trends, education, health and technology. We do not expect an expert to feed in on all topics, but a breadth of expertise would be useful.

Life Science Specialist

(Reference #3005)

Details

The Office for Life Sciences works as the interface of policy and science; bringing together government and the different parts of the Life Science Sector (pharma; med tech; tech bio; big companies and small).

Life Sciences is at the heart of both the government’s Industrial Strategy and 10 Year NHS Plan. We are looking for a secondee (ideally one who can work 4 days a week) to serve as sector specialist - alongside 5-6 other such permanent staff. Sector specialists play a key, flexible role - working on a wide variety of projects - from leading the development of the Life Science Sector Plan; providing bespoke analysis and support on the sectoral implications of major geopolitical trends; and providing deep expertise in specialist areas such as AI.

We are particularly interested in individuals who are early or mid career; able to integrate at speed into a high performing team; and with a willingness to get stuck into a wide variety of tasks/areas. We are flexible in terms of background, and previous secondees have come from the Life Science sector; academia; consulting or financial services.

Public Sector Innovation placements (5)

Science Capability Fellow

(Reference #4001)

Details

The Science Network, Systems and Capability team supports the government Chief Scientific Advisor (GCSA) in her vision for a more scientific civil service and a unified approach to science systems across government.

A fellowship in the team will offer researchers an excellent opportunity to understand how science systems across government work and use their knowledge of academia to help shape and improve academic engagement across government. We’re looking for someone, from any academic field, who has an interest in the structures and systems needed to support science advice in government. The fellowship will also offer regular exposure to Chief Scientific Advisers (CSAs) through the CSA network team and the GCSA. They would have the opportunity to present findings at a senior level programme board and producing briefings for the GCSA.

The Fellow will work with us and shape key pieces of work and projects within the team to improve science capability in the civil service, working collaboratively with colleagues across government. This may include:

  • Working across departments to understand the current challenges faced by policy makers when engaging with academic expertise, particularly around Areas of Research Interest (ARI’s) and develop recommendations and resources to address these challenges.
  • Leading on a project to understand the current challenges faced by academics when engaging with government through mechanisms such as Science Advisory Councils, Colleges of Experts and ARIs and working across government to devise solutions.
  • Looking across the range of our regular, high level, cross departmental meetings (e.g. Chairs of Science Advisory Councils, weekly CSA meetings and other CSA network meetings) to identify news ways to improve how science is embedded across government.

Commercial Innovation Fellow

(Reference #4002)

Details

The Commercial Innovation Hub (“CIH”) is a collaboration between DSIT and the Cabinet Office with the goal to bring innovation into public sector delivery through our commercial arrangements across HMG. Innovating the State is a priority of this government and following the announcement of the National Procurement Policy Statement the CIH is a critical enabler of this transformation.

The activities of the Commercial Innovation Hub (CIH) are broken down into four pillars:

  • The Supply Pillars, Scan and Procure focus on identifying and managing suppliers who can provide innovative solutions. This includes working with accelerators, hosting trade fairs to showcase innovative supply chains, and supporting procurement programs.
  • The Demand Pillars, Connect and Adopt are responsible for identifying and managing the demand for innovative solutions within the public sector. Engaging with public sector to understand their needs creating a network that connects innovators across the public sector.

Together, these pillars ensure that government interventions into innovation are fully realised, breaking down barriers to opportunity and supporting the mission to kickstart economic growth. We are looking for someone with a background in the innovation ecosystem who has experience and connections in emerging technologies; the Connect Pillar is a crucial component of the Commercial Innovation Hub framework. Your primary objective is to identify suppliers funded through innovation and match them to demand; you will play a vital role in fostering collaboration and ensuring that innovative solutions are effectively integrated into government operations.

Your Connect Objectives:

  • Develop an Innovation Network which is accessible across the public sector
  • Identify methods of identifying and recording best practise across public sector innovation and ensure these can be shared across the network
  • Understand the range of innovation investment happening within the public sector and create a methodology to connect this supply to demand.

Policy/Programme Evaluation Expert

(Reference #4003)

Details

The Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), established within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), serves as the government’s primary lever for achieving its transformative economic growth ambitions through proinnovation regulation.

The RIO supports industry by working with regulators to update regulation, speed up approvals, and ensure different regulatory bodies work together effectively. It works to continuously inform the government of regulatory barriers to innovation, set priorities for regulators which align with the government’s broader ambitions and support regulators to develop the capability they need to meet them and grow the economy.

The RIO is seeking a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) expert to help demonstrate its impact, to

  • ensure that lessons are learned to enable more effective delivery in the future,
  • to demonstrate the effectiveness of policies, and
  • to show value for money.

The role will include evaluating individual policy programmes as well as the overall strategy of the RIO.

The role offers opportunities to work in a high profile, impactful area of government and to tackle challenging problems. Familiarity with a broad range of monitoring, evaluation and organisational performance measurement approaches would be beneficial.

We welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, including academia, industry), and from varying levels of experience (mid-career or latecareer). There is considerable scope to adapt the role based on the candidate’s expertise and goals.

Research Talent Fellow

(Reference #4004)

Details

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our team in developing policy related to research talent. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a fast-moving area where you will contribute to shaping the future of research talent in the UK.

The ideal candidate will have:

  • Strong analytical skills: The ability to quickly understand and analyse complex policy areas, particularly relating to the visa system and migration barriers. Working across analytical teams and wider DSIT to develop a strong evidence base.
  • Understanding of policy context: Knowledge or interest in the UK’s broader immigration and visa system, particularly as it relates to research talent. You will need to understand how wider visa system changes align with the “Plan for Change” and pro-growth agenda.
  • Collaborative mindset: A team player who can work across departments, building relationships and facilitating joint initiatives to achieve shared goals, including with Home Office, Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
  • Policy development: Experience or interest in policy development, particularly within fast-paced or evolving environments.
  • Adaptability: The ability to thrive in a dynamic environment, staying up-to-date with policy changes and contributing to innovative solutions.
  • Commitment to learning: An eagerness to deepen your understanding of the UK visa system, migration issues, and barriers to research talent. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence policy in a fast-moving area while working within a supportive, collaborative team. If you are passionate about research, migration policy across the innovation landscape, and making a difference in the development of talent in the UK, we would love to hear from you.

Digital Inclusion Fellow

(Reference #4005)

Details

This is a very exciting and formative time to join the Digital Inclusion and Skills Unit as a Digital Inclusion Fellow. We are a relatively new team composed of policy, analysis, strategy, and engagement strands working in an area of high priority for the UK government - delivering digital inclusion for everyone across the UK, regardless of their circumstances. Our focus for the next 12 months is on implementing our first actions as set out in the Digital Inclusion Action Plan and developing the next steps. We want to tackle the digital divide through dedicated new funding, local initiatives, research and extensive collaboration with local authorities, industry, and the third sector.

Welcoming expertise from those who know best, and ensuring policy is evidencebased, are key principles for the team. We are therefore seeking a digital inclusion expert with significant hands-on and strategic experience of embedding digital inclusion programmes/services in local or regional settings. We strongly welcome candidates with an understanding of the context and workings of local or combined authorities, and a background in partnership building. Applicants with programme/project management and delivery experience are particularly encouraged.

We would imagine that your role could support and strengthen our team’s progress in any of the below:

  • enabling industry and local authority partnerships
  • developing strategic frameworks
  • shaping policy for innovative pilots and programs

The successful Fellow will be taking on a brief with a good amount of challenge and opportunity to inform central government policy in a way that promotes collaboration and partnership, ultimately bringing benefits and improving lives across the whole of the UK. The post will provide ample opportunity for personal development, professional growth, and the chance to improve your understanding of the workings of government.

Back to top