BBSRC Research Committee E: industrialist member vacancies

• Closing date: 12 November 2024
• Number of positions: Four
• Length of term: Three years, commencing 1 January 2025
• Time commitment: Approximately 12 to 15 days per year, including two virtual Committee E assessment meetings, three days of face-to-face fellowship interviews and a potential two day annual face-to-face conference
• Remuneration: Attendance fee per meeting, for both face-to-face and virtual meetings and mentoring visits

  Travel and subsistence for face-to-face meetings and mentoring visits

• Outcomes communicated: December 2024

We are inviting applications to join the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Research Committee E as members, from the industrialist sector only.

There are currently no vacancies for academic members.

Who we’re looking for

We expect members to be well respected within their field and to have demonstrable interest in supporting career development.

We are seeking industrialists with a keen interest and passion for nurturing and supporting early career researchers applying for and holding BBSRC fellowship awards.

We welcome experience from across the industrial sector (non-academic applicants, including business, technology transfer office and policy professionals).

Example experience includes, but is not limited to:

• evidence of experience in research, development or innovation with technical knowledge deployed in a business, commercial or policy environment
• evidence to demonstrate an understanding of the academic innovation and business landscape (for example through interaction with universities or institutes, participation in innovation networks or commercialisation accelerators)

Experience within BBSRC’s remit is advantageous but not essential.

Prior experience of peer review committees is also advantageous.

However, the key requirement is your ability to have a keen interest in supporting and furthering the careers of early career researchers holding BBSRC fellowship awards.

What you’ll be doing

About the committee

The BBSRC Research Committee E is responsible for the award of fellowships and other personal awards and providing key mentoring support to BBSRC fellows.

Research Committee E will:

• undertake peer review of fellowships and other personal awards, and applications for other people movement schemes according to BBSRC processes and best practice, and to provide recommendations for awards to BBSRC Executive
• provide mentoring, support and regular feedback to fellows through face-to-face visits and meetings, through the annual progress update system and attendance at fellows’ induction events and the annual fellows’ conference organised by BBSRC
• provide input to BBSRC and its strategy advisory panels and sub-groups on the recommendations it makes on the award of fellowships and other personal awards

Research Committee E is also represented on:

• research advisory panel through the chair of the committee
• cross-council fellowships panels
• training grant assessment panels

Key responsibilities

Key responsibilities include:

• attending a virtual meeting each year to assess the annual progress updates of all currently funded BBSRC fellows
• assessing annual applications for the BBSRC Fellowship scheme, involving the use of electronic discussions boards with other members of the committee
• attending a virtual meeting each year to shortlist fellowship applicants for interview following the discussion board period
• attending three days of face-to-face interviews annually to assess and recommend for award the fellows shortlisted at the virtual shortlisting
• mentor one or two current BBSRC fellows to offer support and advice on an informal basis
• attend an annual two-day BBSRC Fellows’ Conference each summer attended by fellows and the committee

How to apply

If you have any queries about the role before applying, email Darren Pirt: darren.pirt@bbsrc.ukri.org

You will need to submit an application via the UK Research and Innovation Engagement Hub.

The application form contains the following sections:

• personal information (for example name, organisation and contact details)
• diversity information
• free text sections

The free text sections should include evidence of how you meet the role profile requirements:

• briefly describe why you are interested in being a member of Research Committee E. Describe how your motivation for a membership position relates to your presence in the industrial sector and referring to the selection criteria described in the role profile (maximum 300 words)
• demonstrate how you fit the criteria for this role referring to the selection criteria as described in the role profile requirements. Provide evidence-based examples of how you meet each of them (maximum 1,000 words)
• state any current or previous memberships of panels or committees (maximum 500 words). Provide details of how your previous experiences relate to the expected skills that are described in the role profile

If you have any queries or additional needs to enable you to complete the application form, email: research.committees@bbsrc.ukri.org

How we’ll assess your application

BBSRC staff will review and shortlist expressions of interest.

The BBSRC Appointments Panel will then be notified of the appointments to be confirmed.

In assessing applications, we will consider scientific expertise, diversity of people and institutional and industry balance as part of the decision-making process.

Role profile requirements

Role profile for candidates for industrial members of Committee E should meet the following requirements.

Essential criteria

You should:

• have a presence in the community
• have a demonstrable interest in career development, including supporting and mentoring early career researchers
• have knowledge of the UK fellowship and funding landscape
• be at an industrial company or location that is not already represented within the existing committee membership

Expected skills

You should have:

• impartiality
• objectivity
• facilitation skills
• good judgement
• confidence to propose actions or make decisions
• ability to see the bigger picture
• quick thinking
• time management skills
• ability to support evidence-based decisions

Communication skills, including:

• ability to handle difficult conversations
• ability to ask challenging questions
• listening skills
• able to provide constructive feedback
• interviewing skills

Desirable criteria

You may have:

• previous experience of being on an assessment panel
• knowledge of BBSRC or UK Research and Innovation

We expect you to commit the necessary time and attention to your appointment and to have the full support or the necessary permission of your employer.

Further information

Equality and diversity

We recognise that diverse ideas, experiences, backgrounds and perspectives are fundamental to successful science and innovation.

We are committed to ensuring that our committees, panels and boards are inclusive, diverse and representative of the research community, and are developing diversity targets to support this.

We are committed to the principle of providing equal opportunities for all.

Through this appointment activity, we aspire to increase the diversity of our advisory structures and welcome applications from all individuals and sections of the community.

An equality and impact assessment (PDF, 367KB) has been developed to support and inform applicants and ensure that we enable participation and attendance at meetings.

We will also contribute towards additional costs for caring responsibilities to enable you to attend.

Contact us if you wish to discuss this further.

To support us in assessing how effective our policies and procedures are in eliminating unlawful discrimination and promoting opportunities, we ask that you provide diversity information that will be used anonymously by BBSRC for monitoring purposes.

This information will be treated in confidence by BBSRC and will not be used in the assessment of applicants.

Safeguarding good scientific practice

As a public investor in research, BBSRC aims to facilitate the highest standards for research integrity.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is a signatory to the Concordat to Support Research Integrity.

BBSRC also implements the UKRI policy and guidelines on governance of good research, alongside our guidance on safeguarding good scientific practice.

Appointees to BBSRC committees and panels are expected to be aware of their obligations in regard to these policies.

Learn more about UKRI’s guidance and policies on research integrity and misconduct as part of UKRI’s good research resource hub.

You must declare if you are, or have been, subject to any current or past scientific misconduct investigations.

BBSRC reserves the right to reject any application where such issues are considered an impediment to the individual holding a public appointment.

This information will be treated in confidence.

Last updated: 25 October 2024