STFC Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) Chair and Deputy Chair

• Closing date: 1 May 2023
• Number of positions: Two
• Length of term: Up to four years, beginning summer 2023
• Time commitment: 30 days per year
• Remuneration: Employers reimbursed in recognition of time spent on STFC business
• Interview date: June and July 2023
• Outcomes communicated: Summer 2023

Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) will provide advice and guidance to the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) on STFC-supported national and international multidisciplinary facilities, the STFC National Laboratories, and related technologies, including accelerators and computing.

This new board is being created following our governance review (see ‘further information’ section) and is seeking a chair and deputy chair.

We encourage applications from individuals who bring a broad strategic view, providing advice and insight into STFC strategy development at a cross-cutting level.

Who we’re looking for

We encourage applications from individuals who bring a broad strategic view, providing advice and insight into STFC strategy development at a cross-cutting level.

Chairs are expected to commit the necessary time and attention to the role and have the full support of their employer and organisation in doing so. The chair should expect to commit up to 30 days per year. Employers will be reimbursed in recognition of the time spent on STFC business.

To be eligible to apply for the role of chair, you must be at a UK-based institution or organisation. In the interests of ensuring impartiality, full-time employees of STFC and UK Research and Innovation are not eligible to apply for either the chair or deputy chair roles.

We welcome applicants with experience or interest in one or some of the following areas:

• users, members or managers of national and international research facilities and laboratories or an understanding of facility science contexts
• relevant scientific or technical expertise in either academia or industry within at least one of STFC’s underpinning technologies (detectors and instrumentation, accelerators, specialist engineering, optics and e-infrastructure) or cross-cutting technologies (quantum technologies, artificial intelligence and machine learning, sample environment, sustainability, digital twins, data intensive science and data management)
• an understanding of the needs of the multidisciplinary facility user community
• awareness of the role STFC National Laboratories play in underpinning and supporting the UK research community
• experience or interest in developing or implementing strategy or policy in an academic, business, government or other research-intensive environment

A dynamic, diverse and inclusive board is critical to ensuring STFC get the best strategic advice. Therefore, we particularly encourage applications from:

• women
• people who identify as an ethnic minority
• people with a disability
• other groups who are currently under-represented on STFCs boards and panels

What you’ll be doing

Chair

The chair of Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) will work in partnership with the STFC office to deliver the terms of reference by:

• chairing the Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) meetings, providing leadership to board members and guiding group discussions to agreed outcomes
• facilitating the provision of fair and strategic advice from the board to STFC regarding STFC-supported national and international multidisciplinary facilities, the STFC National Laboratories and related technologies, including accelerators and computing
• feeding into Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) meeting agendas
• developing effective and professional working relationships with STFC staff across the organisation
• representing Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) at STFC Council and Science Board (PPAN) as well as at community, facility or town meetings

Deputy chair

The deputy chair is expected to:

• assist and support the chair in all matters
• chair meetings of Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) in the chair’s absence or during a conflict of interest, and to deputise for the chair in any other ways as appropriate

About the STFC Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories)

Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) will provide advice and guidance to STFC related to STFC-supported national and international multidisciplinary facilities, the STFC National Laboratories, and related technologies, including accelerators and computing.

The board:

• reviews and considers long-term National Laboratories and large-scale facilities science, technology and accelerator strategies for STFC – this includes identifying and prioritising scientific opportunities and understanding the underpinning technological development
• consults with the appropriate communities to ensure the science, technology and accelerator strategies for the facilities and STFC National Laboratory departments represents the needs of the UK multidisciplinary user community
• advises on the strategic importance of possible new areas of activity, new collaborations and partnerships
• advises on strategic priorities across the National Laboratory departments
• advises on the overall scientific investment portfolio across the National Laboratories, including large-scale capital investments, to support UK Research and Innovation’s users of multidisciplinary facilities
• advises on the balance of capability and capacity across international and national large-scale multidisciplinary facilities
• provides strategic advice on the STFC 10-year plan for international and national large-scale multidisciplinary facilities in the context of the broader STFC strategy
• provides coordinated advice, alongside Science Board (PPAN), in cross-cutting areas such as technology, computing and accelerators through mechanisms including joint meetings and task and finish groups

Find out more about the terms of your appointment in the handbook for members of STFC advisory bodies.

Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) will comprise of approximately 16 members, in addition to a chair, representing a broad cross section of STFC’s facility user and technology-focused stakeholder communities including:

• members of the UK academic and business or industrial communities
• members from national and international facilities and laboratories

Term and meetings

Appointments would begin in summer 2023, with terms for up to four years.

Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories) will normally meet between two and four times a year, either in person at different STFC sites or by videoconference. In person meetings will always include a videoconferencing option in order to ensure the majority of board members are able to participate.

How to apply

Before applying you can see a preview of the application form (PDF, 5.6MB).

Apply to become a member of Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories).

The deadline to apply is 1 May 2023 at 11:45pm UK time.

Please indicate a preference for the role of chair or deputy chair in your application.

How we’ll assess your application

You will be shortlisted for interview based solely on the evidence and information provided in your application in line with the assessment criteria.

Candidates selected for interview will be notified in May or June with interviews held over June and July. Interviews will be held via videoconference with a panel usually made up of representatives from STFC Council and Executive Board.

Assessment criteria

These are:

• ability to demonstrate a commitment to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and STFC’s mission and priorities as well as an understanding of the STFC governance and advisory structures
• strategic knowledge and understanding of UKRI and STFC stakeholder’s needs
• ability to chair a complex, strategic meeting and bring discussions to a successful conclusion
• evidence of previous membership of laboratory, facility or industrial research and development strategic advisory bodies
• ability to act impartially and ensure the actions of the board are objective and fair across the entire STFC facilities and national laboratories remit
• ability to demonstrate an understanding of the breadth of STFC-supported science, technology and facilities

Further information

Changes to boards following governance review

To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our advisory structures we have been reviewing STFC’s governance.

STFC Council and Executive Board reviewed the scope of Science Board and the Technology and Accelerator Advisory Board (TAAB) and agreed to reshape these boards to better deliver high-quality, strategic advice to STFC.

The changes also provide an opportunity to respond to several recommendations from the independent strategic review of particle physics.

Two new science boards

The existing Science Board will evolve into ‘Science Board (PPAN)’. This board will provide advice on the Particle Physics, Astronomy, and Nuclear Physics (PPAN) funded science programme, also including particle astrophysics, space science and related areas of accelerator science.

TAAB will evolve into ‘Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories)’. This board will provide overarching advice on the National Laboratories and multidisciplinary facilities, national and international.

Both boards will feed into STFC Council, which will provide strategic advice across all of STFC’s research and innovation activities.

Once finalised, more information, including the updated terms of reference, will be available on our advisory boards page.

Ask a question about STFC Science Board (Facilities and Laboratories)

Becky Lee, Strategy Manager

Email: rebecca.lee@stfc.ukri.org

Ask a question about the application form and application process

Email: psg@ukri.stfc.org

Last updated: 28 April 2023