Horizon Scanning Specialist (Innovation Accelerator & Regulatory Science) - £60,778 – £68,422 p.a. + benefits

Job summary

We are currently looking for a Horizon Scanning Specialist to join our Innovation Accelerator Function within the Innovation and Compliance group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU.

The Innovation and Compliance Group delivers public health impact and world-leading research innovation. It comprises the Innovation Accelerator, Clinical Investigations and Trials, Innovative Devices, International Partnerships, and Standards and Compliance.

The Innovation Accelerator is a specialist MHRA function that supports and enables innovation in healthcare products while protecting patients and public health. It drives regulatory policy development for novel and potentially transformative products, working with MHRA technical experts, other government departments and external partners to optimise routes to market.

Job description

Role Purpose

The Horizon Scanning Specialist will lead major analytical and policy-focused work, including horizon scanning studies, deep dives and intelligence products that identify emerging healthcare innovations and translate complex signals into actionable scientific, policy and regulatory advice. The postholder will advise senior colleagues, support prioritisation and governance, and help develop and embed the agency-wide horizon scanning function. The role offers the opportunity to work across emerging science, technology and regulation with experts and partners across the health and innovation system.

Drawing on specialist scientific or technical expertise, the post holder will work across internal and external sources of evidence and business intelligence to assess emerging trends across healthcare products regulated by MHRA. They will advise senior colleagues, support prioritisation and governance, deputise for the Head of Horizon Scanning and Business Intelligence when needed, and lead defined work packages that support the development and embedding of the agency-wide horizon scanning function.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead horizon scanning and business intelligence activities to identify and assess emerging scientific, technological and regulatory developments, translating evidence into clear implications and recommended next steps for MHRA.
• Critically appraise and synthesise complex, incomplete or conflicting evidence from scientific literature, clinical trials, internal and market intelligence, stakeholder engagement and international regulatory developments.
• Produce and present high-quality outputs for senior and technical audiences, and provide robust advice to support prioritisation, governance and resource decisions.
• Develop proportionate methodologies and quality-assurance approaches, build effective stakeholder relationships, and deputise for the Head of Horizon Scanning and Business Intelligence when required.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Significant experience of horizon scanning, futures, intelligence or related analytical work, with a proven track record of using structured approaches to identify, prioritise and assess emerging trends, technologies or products.
• Experience of synthesising complex information from a range of sources to deliver timely, robust and useful outputs, using proportionate evidence-review methods and appropriate digital and analytical tools
• Experience of using AI-enabled tools, automation, text analytics or data visualisation to support horizon scanning, research or business intelligence (Desirable)

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Educated to a bachelor's degree level in a scientific, technical or analysis-related discipline, or equivalent professional experience
• Technical knowledge of medicines and/or medical devices, including innovation or academic research
• Skilled in data analysis and reporting.
• Postgraduate qualification or equivalent specialist experience in a relevant scientific, technical, healthcare innovation or regulatory discipline (Desirable)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £60,778, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes

£17,607 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave on entry, rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): One month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of six months full pay and six months half pay after five years’ service.
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP's Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join Motoring , Boundless by CSMA
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

• An anonymised CV outlining your job history and previous skills/experience that demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria.
• Personal statement: Write a 600 word personal statement where you demonstrate how you meet the skills required for this role, providing examples to evidence your level of skill. In your personal statement we are looking for evidence of how you meet the role criteria and person specification. Your personal statement should aim to make use of the full wordcount and show how you meet the above criteria. Please give clear and specific examples of what you have done personally and the impact it has had
• Online application form , including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank.
• Presentation, to be prepared as part of your interview, with further information being supplied when you reach this stage.
• Interview , which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.

In the instance that we receive a high number of applications, we will hold an initial sift based on the lead criteria of: Seeing The Big Picture

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible.

• Closing date: 14 October 2026
• Shortlisting date: From 15 October 2026
• Interview date: From 04 November 2026
• If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here .

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks .

Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:

• Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
• Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
• Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
• Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Any move to the MHRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here .

Individuals appointed on level transfer will retain their existing salary and are responsible for ensuring they fully understand the financial implications of any potential move and the impact (if any) on their terms. If an individual is in any doubt, they should seek clarification before accepting a job offer.

Staff joining on promotion will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary, or the pay band minimum, whichever is the greater.

The individual will not retain any allowances paid by the former department/Agency, unless there are special circumstances, such as a reserved right to those allowances on transfer.

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk .

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish