Senior Scientific Officer - Pigs

A bit about us

Do you want to help create a better world for animals?

At the RSPCA, we believe animal welfare is everyone's welfare. Join us in creating a better world for every animal. We can do it if we work together — everyone for every animal. Choose a career with us and make a difference.

Are you an expert in pig welfare and agricultural science with a passion for driving real world change? The RSPCA is looking for a dedicated Senior Scientific Officer – Pigs to lead our evidence based policy, shape welfare standards and to advocate for higher farm animal welfare across the UK and internationally.

Whether you are an established specialist ready to lead policy or an experienced pig specialist looking to step up into a more senior role, this position offers a unique platform to turn science into impact.

• Contract: 12 month fixed term contract to cover maternity leave.
• Hours: 35 hours per week; Monday - Friday - we are very happy to discuss reduced hours and or flexible working options,
• Location: Hybrid - You will work from home and will be required to attend a team meeting in the Horsham or London hub once a month.

What a day might look like for you

As the Society's lead authority on pig welfare, you will hold direct responsibility for developing, revising and promoting the RSPCA welfare standards for pigs.

You will act as the core technical expert within the Society, balancing cutting edge science with on farm practicalities and economic considerations.

As our Senior Scientific Officer, you will be responsible for:

• Shaping, communicating and implementing the RSPCA's farm animal welfare policy and strategic goals for pig species both internally and externally.
• Leading the revision and expansion of species specific RSPCA welfare standards using scientific evidence, welfare outcome assessments and input from Technical Advisory Groups.
• Providing authoritative advice, briefings and scientific reports to the RSPCA Inspectorate, RSPCA Assured, Council committees and government bodies (e.g., Defra, Animal Welfare Committee).
• Representing the RSPCA in high level governmental working groups, industry panels, scientific conferences and broadcast media interviews (TV/Radio), presenting robust arguments to diverse—and sometimes challenging—audiences.

What will help you succeed in this role:

We are keen to receive applications from self motivated, highly organised scientists, with deep expertise in livestock farming systems and pig specific welfare issues.

If you have the diplomacy to negotiate with diverse stakeholders across the farming industry, government and media, we would love to hear from you.

To succeed within this role, you must also have:

• A Master's degree in a relevant scientific field (Animal/Agricultural/Welfare Science) OR a Bachelor's degree with at least two years of equivalent relevant experience.
• Hands-on experience and deep technical knowledge of pig production, farming systems and practical on farm welfare assessment experience.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with proven experience of tailoring scientific concepts for diverse audiences, media outlets, or parliamentary committees.
• Proven diplomatic skills, with a track record of engaging constructively with stakeholders at all levels..
• Experience in developing welfare standards, participating in technical committees, and managing research or advocacy projects.

This is a very rewarding role and is a great fixed term contract opportunity for those currently working at this level or for those who would benefit from working with and learning from our team of experts as they take the next step in their career.

Successful candidates for certain RSPCA roles will need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK as we are unable to sponsor visas.

Final note from us & good luck with your application!

The first stage interviews will be held in person on Monday the 21st of September in our Horsham office.

We want to ensure we do all we can to give you a positive candidate experience through our recruitment. Whilst we do try to give feedback where we can, sometimes due to receiving high levels of applications, this may not always be possible

Our vision is a world where all animals are respected and treated with kindness and compassion. Our purpose is to inspire everyone to create a better world for animals. We are building the future of a diverse Society, and our priority is to support animal welfare by finding people from all backgrounds who are committed to our purpose. For this reason we actively encourage a wide diversity of applications - in particular from members of minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities - as these candidates are currently under-represented at the RSPCA. Your transferable skills & lived experiences could make you a valuable addition to our RSPCA Family!

We're here to support you and encourage you to let us know if you need any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or 0300 123 0685 so we can ensure the process works for you.