General Support Technician (Band 6/AO)

This breadth of expertise underpins our strength in creating multidisciplinary teams to support HSE’s work on major incident investigations and policy and regulatory development, as well as undertaking high quality research.

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours per week., We are looking for a General Support Technician to join the Technical Support Team. This exciting opportunity will be based at the HSE Science and Research Centre, our research laboratory and unique outdoor testing facilities, in Buxton, Derbyshire.

The Technical Support Team is part of the Major Hazards Group (MHG) in the Science Division of HSE. The MHG has several teams of scientists and engineers in areas including fire and explosions, hazardous materials, mechanical engineering, and materials science. These teams work on research relating to the safety of new technologies such as green energy and batteries, as well as investigating incidents. The team supports the group and the wider HSE in a range of ways including building test equipment for research projects and incident investigations, and collecting and managing evidence from incident sites. This makes the job varied and interesting.

You will work within the Technical Support Team supporting the work of the team and the wider MHG to enable them to deliver their research and incident investigations. You will work with a wide range of people inside and outside of HSE including scientists, engineers, HSE Inspectors and project managers. Consequently, you will have good interpersonal skills so that you can build effective relationships quickly. This is an entry-level role, and full training will be provided.

As a General Support Technician, you will provide a range of support including:

• Practical tasks such as moving, constructing, and decommissioning large-scale test equipment.
• Operation of plant machinery including the use of lifting equipment such as overhead cranes, forklift trucks, telehandlers, and mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs).
• Attending incident sites across Great Britain primarily to collect and escort evidence but this can involve other support on site. This will involve driving cars/vans to locations across Great Britain to collect and/or deliver evidence that may be used as part of a criminal investigation. This will require travel and overnight stays (approximately 2-3 times per month) and taking responsibility for maintaining the chain of custody of evidence including keeping accurate records.
• General maintenance and upkeep of our facilities and equipment.
• Acting as a safety lookout during experimental testing., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together, HSE reserve the right to conduct additional checks, including Google and social media checks, when recruiting candidates into a role within HSE. These checks will be carried out in line with the Civil Service Commission Principles and, if used all candidates will be subject to these additional checks.

From 23rd June 2025, if you are successful at interview, as part of your pre-employment checks, HSE’s Recruitment Team are required to check your details against the Internal Fraud Hub (IFH), using your personal details – name, NINO, and date of birth. If you are included on the database, you will be refused employment. If you believe that there has been an error in the inclusion of your data and wish to make an appeal, please contact the CO email box internal.fraud@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Details of the types of internal fraud/dishonesty covered by this process are defined by the Cabinet Office and can be found here Internal Fraud Register privacy notice - GOV.UK

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached HSE Terms and Conditions document.

Progression through pay ranges is subject to annual pay awards as permitted within annual Civil Service pay remit guidance and negotiations with Trade Unions.

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.

If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example, if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: HR.Resourcing-Team@hse.gov.uk

If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.

Any move to HSE from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here.

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment., * UK nationals

• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Do you have a valid Driving Licence license?, Do you have experience in Presentation skills?, * An aptitude for practical work, such as the use of tools and machinery, and the ability to learn to undertake this work safely.

• Good interpersonal and communication skills that allow you to interact professionally and constructively with your team and their customers using both written and verbal communication.
• The ability to plan, organise, and prioritise your work effectively.
• The ability to use IT at a basic level, including some experience of Microsoft Office/Microsoft365 and the ability to learn to use bespoke databases.
• The ability to work well independently and within a team.
• The ability to work constructively towards your own personal and professional development.
• A willingness to work in a range of environments including outdoors, warehouse, workshops, and within an office environment., Essential – Level 2 Qualifications e.g., GCSEs, including Maths and English at grades A-C or 9-4., Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Alongside your salary of £28,499, Health and Safety Executive contributes £8,256 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

We invest in our people with;

• Competitive rates of pay
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97% far more than in the private sector
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
• Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
• 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave
• Parental leave benefits
• As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E-Gift Cards, and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.

At HSE, our mission is protecting people and places and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives. Our work touches virtually every sector of Great Britain’s industries. We don’t just inspect workplaces and investigate incidents, we campaign for better H&S practice, we craft and review policy, guidance, and regulations, we provide specialist products and services both here and overseas, and we produce crucial research and statistics – all towards our goal of protecting people and places. Combining specialists from numerous fields, we strive to keep people and their working and home environments safe. HSE’s Science Division is a world-leading provider of health and safety solutions to industry and government. The scope of our work requires a diversity of talented individuals, and our capabilities encompass a wide range of topics including fire, explosion, process safety and engineering; occupational and environmental health; risk assessment; work environment; and specialist photographic and analytical services.