Laboratory Test Engineer

About OPSS

Do you care about the safety of products and want to protect people and places? Can we use your skills, knowledge and experience to enable UK business to thrive? If the answer is yes, then we would like to hear from you!

We are the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business & Trade (Previously the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). We are here for the purpose of making regulation work to deliver real world impact. Regulation is a powerful Government tool to address market failures, influence behaviour and promote positive action. Crafted and delivered well, regulation can be an enabler of growth, innovation and efficiency.

Since early 2018 we have been building a positive and creative team that enjoys a position of influence and respect within an organisation that continues to grow, most recently with the addition of construction products regulation planned.

Our primary purpose is to protect people and places from product-related harm, ensuring consumers and businesses can buy and sell products with confidence

Further information can be found on our website here

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. We embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (DCS) for people with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We are Inclusive

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Our Team

We are a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers delivering testing capability across the broad portfolio of OPSS regulatory requirements. The team works across our testing laboratories which include mechanical, electrical, chemical, materials, flammability and legal metrology facilities. We seek to implement fit for purpose practices and procedures to deliver robust, scientific outputs. In collaboration with other internal stakeholders including those in science, engineering, enforcement and risk, our outputs inform incident investigation, the delivery and enforcement of product regulations as well as policy development.

The Role

We are looking for an engineer to manage the planning and delivery of compliance testing projects and oversee the day-to-day operation and maintenance of laboratory equipment. If you are currently working in a commercial test laboratory or working as a test engineer in a similar role, have excellent interpersonal and project management skills, and strive for excitement, challenge, and variety then this could be the role for you. You will focus on providing technical insights and evidence as well as hands-on technical support for equipment, and implementing routine checks, standard operating procedures, and training to maintain safe and efficient laboratories. Your technical and operational expertise will ensure the smooth delivery and continuous improvement of compliance testing. Familiarity with the UK regulatory framework and product safety test standards is desirable. Collaboration with laboratory staff and OPSS teams is crucial to maintaining a high-quality technical service.

The role will be based at our testing laboratories in Teddington and requires a minimum of 80% office attendance. Working arrangements will be agreed with the Senior Engineer and in line with the requirements of the role.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and deliver compliance testing projects across our laboratories.
• Maintain and apply knowledge of applicable UK regulations and relevant standards to support the delivery and development of compliance testing activities.
• Implement robust scientific procedures, checks and methodologies to deliver a reliable in-house testing offer.
• Manage and maintain laboratory equipment and assets across our laboratories.
• Provide regular project updates ensuring reporting outputs are clear and consistent.
• Prepare, review, and update SOPs for general laboratory use and work closely with Health & Safety Officers to manage and maintain laboratory risk assessments.
• Develop and maintain a scientific and technical profile by attendance and participation in relevant external networks, meetings and training events etc., and demonstrate a willingness and enthusiasm for continuous learning.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Disability Confident

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .