Chief Scientific Adviser

Employer: Home Office

Role: Chief Scientific Adviser
Salary: SCS Pay Band 2: £125,000 – £145,000 plus 27% Pension contribution
Location: London

The Home Office is one of the original great Departments of State and its role is fundamentally important: to keep Britain’s streets safe and its borders secure. With a budget of £14.7bn, the Home Office leads on immigration and passports, drugs and crime policy, counter-extremism and counterterrorism and works to ensure visible, responsive, and accountable policing in the UK.

The Home Office is seeking an exceptional scientific leader to serve as its next Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA). This is a nationally significant role at the heart of government, offering a unique opportunity to shape science and technology strategy across one of the UK’s most vital departments. As CSA, you will ensure that science, research, data and innovation underpin policy and operational decisions across areas including public safety, immigration, borders, and national security. You will provide expert advice to Ministers and senior officials, lead the department’s scientific advisory ecosystem, and represent the UK’s science policy internationally.

You will play a critical role in emergency preparedness, contribute to the work of SAGE and other advisory bodies, and champion scientific excellence across government. You will also mentor the next generation of scientific leaders and foster collaboration across academia, industry, and international partners. We are looking for a strategic thinker with a distinguished scientific reputation, a proven track record of applying science to policy, and the ability to influence at the highest levels. You will bring experience of leading research programmes, managing R&D investment, and communicating complex evidence with clarity and impact.

This is a permanent appointment, with flexible working arrangements available. Secondments and job share applications are welcomed. 

Closing date: 12pm BST on Monday 28^th July 2025

For more information and to apply, please click the Apply button above.
For a confidential discussion, contact: HOrecruitment@gatenbysanderson.com