What's on this page:
Everyone who works with us plays their part in our shared aims: safe food and healthy eating. We employ food safety, food standards and nutrition experts including veterinarians, scientists, front line inspectors, enforcement and policy delivery teams, and administrators.
Current vacancies
Are you passionate about animal welfare, food safety, and healthy eating? Kick-start an amazing career at FSS and join us in making Scotland better.
| Vacancy | Closing date | |
| Official Vet | Ongoing | Apply now |
| Trainee Meat Hygiene Inspector | 06/05/2024 | Apply now |
Working at Food Standards Scotland
Everyone who works with us plays their part in our shared aims: safe food and healthy eating. We employ food safety, food standards and nutrition experts including veterinarians, scientists, front line inspectors, enforcement and policy delivery teams, and administrators.
We are an Equal Opportunities employer and operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for people with disabilities who meet the minimum published criteria. We are a Disability Confident Employer and aim to treat everyone fairly and with respect.
We believe our workforce should reflect the people of Scotland. We treat all staff equally, irrespective of sex, marital status, age, race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, working pattern, gender identity or caring responsibility. We employ people on the basis of their merit – their skills, aptitudes and attitude.
More information about the Disability Confident employer scheme.
A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: employment action plan.
The benefits of working for us
From a competitive pension scheme and generous holiday allowance, to childcare vouchers, season-ticket loans for your travel to work and our Employee Assistance programme offering advice on a vast variety of issues, we'll ensure that you're well looked after.
- Competitive pension scheme
- Generous holiday allowance
- Hybrid and flexible working policy
- Equal pay policy
- Training and development
Of course, working with us gives you the chance to make the sort of impact that's rare with any other organisation in Scotland – you can contribute to decisions vital to Scotland, and play a part in developing and influencing the policies that touch all our lives.
Our positive behaviour culture
We are proud to have a ‘Team FSS’ behaviour culture that compliments the Civil Service code and is uniquely ours. Being respectful, supportive, collaborative, proactive, and trusting and empowering our colleagues is very important in how we go about things.
Your application
As part of the Civil Service, Food Standards Scotland recruits staff using a competency-based application and interview process.
You will be asked to demonstrate your competency for the specific role using short statements defining the behaviour and actions needed to perform well in a particular job. Different job grades require different competency levels. You are strongly advised to review the Scottish Government Skills for Success Competency Framework.
As part of the application and interview process, you will be asked how your previous experience demonstrates that you can meet the competency levels and essential criteria in the job description.
To apply for a role at FSS you must complete and submit an online application before the closing date. In your application, you need to use evidence-based examples to demonstrate how your knowledge and skills meet the essential criteria of the role. Your answers should be clear, concise and reflect what actions you undertook. You may want to use the STAR(R) approach to respond to each criterion.
For a better understanding of competencies we suggest you review the Scottish Government Skills for Success Competency Framework.
Top tip
In your answers in the application and interview, remember to specifically describe your role and what you did.
What is the STARR approach?
You must choose examples that to describe specific things you did, not what your team did or what your work area did. A useful way to approach writing competency examples is the STARR approach:
- Situation – briefly describe the context and your role.
- Task – the specific challenge, task or job that you faced.
- Action – what you did, how and why you did it.
- Result – what you achieved through your actions.
- Reflection - What did you learn?
