View Vacancy - Science and Innovation Policy Advisor

Main Purpose

The role of the Science and Innovation Policy Adviser is to represent the UK’s interests in science and innovation with Washington DC policy-makers and influencers, including federal government departments and agencies, Capitol Hill, universities, policy institutes, thinktanks and foundations. The role holder will work across a range of sectors and topics – e.g. health and life sciences, robotics and AI, agri-tech, clean energy, digital economy – to track policy and research developments and identify and develop the areas of most potential for the UK. The Policy Adviser will contribute to relationship building with universities and other research facilities in DC and the Mid-Atlantic region and shape opportunities for US-UK collaboration. 

Roles and Responsibilities

• Promote UK science and innovation interests in the US policy and research arena. Provide intelligence to the UK government on US plans, personnel, and priorities. Enable and support direct UK-US government engagement. Contribute to influencing policy to support the UK’s interests.
• Lead the SIN DC team on the health and life sciences sector to track policy and research developments. In support of this, develop a network in DC, including in government departments and agencies, Capitol Hill, universities, policy institutes, think tanks, and foundations. Identify and develop health and life sciences areas of most potential to the UK.
• Perform outreach to universities and other research facilities in Washington, DC and the Mid-Atlantic region to identify and shape opportunities for UK-US collaboration.
• Provide high quality support to UK visitors (government ministers, senior departmental officials, representatives from science and innovation funding agencies, and universities) to the US and US delegations visiting the UK.
• Contribute to broader Embassy initiatives and programmes aiming to deliver benefits for the UK.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of the business plan for the SIN team in the US. Shape and participate in projects to catalyse UK-US collaboration and actively contribute to development of the team's pipeline of future projects.

• Provide oversight of the SIN DC team's travel budget.

 The SIN Policy Advisor will report directly to the Head of the SIN DC team.

• Excellent organisational skills and a proven ability to work independently to deliver results in an environment of multiple pressures and demands
• Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills and an evidenced ability to establish effective working relationships with senior figures from industry, government, academia, and the science and innovation community
• Strong written and oral communication skills and an ability to convey complex scientific concepts to non-expert audiences
• A track record of working in multi-site, multi-disciplinary teams and delivering results through team work and collaboration

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree. Master’s or other advanced degree in scientific or technical fields a plus
• At least 4-6 years of experience in a science, innovation, or related field from an academic, government, or corporate background. Fewer years of experience would be considered for candidates with advanced degrees or exceptional, relevant experience
• A demonstrable enthusiasm for science, science policy, and the internationalisation of science, and an awareness and understanding of US science and innovation policy, including the government and congressional landscape.

Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work.

*A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defense Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.