Human Safety Scientist – Exposure

Job Title: Human Safety Scientist – Exposure

Location: Colworth R&D, Sharnbrook UK – Hybrid

JOB PURPOSE

At Unilever, we are committed to developing safe & sustainable products for our consumers. As an experienced scientist in exposure science within the Safety, Environmental & Regulatory Sciences (SERS) team, you will provide strong technical expertise in the application of exposure science, with a particular focus on applied dose, across the SERS work programme – especially within Regulatory Sciences and Ingredient Stewardship.

You will be part of a supportive team of safety scientists, where you will continue to develop your own expertise while contributing to the development of others through informal mentoring, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving. You will work within multidisciplinary teams, including biologists, bioinformaticians, computational chemists, and mathematical modellers, to apply novel and mechanistic approaches to exposure and safety assessment.

In this role, you will lead defined technical workstreams or projects, applying established and emerging exposure assessment methodologies to address complex safety and regulatory questions. You will contribute to the evolution of SERS practices by helping to introduce robust new science into safety assessments, supporting the development of internal guidance, and ensuring approaches remain scientifically sound and fit for purpose.

You will work alongside highly respected scientists, with opportunities to learn new risk assessment approaches, contribute to scientific publications or presentations where appropriate, and build your professional profile. Through your expertise, collaboration, and scientific judgement, you will help ensure SERS continues to meet current regulatory requirements while preparing for future scientific and business needs.

The role is based in the dynamic environment of the SERS team at Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, near Bedford, offering strong development and career opportunities within a successful global company.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contribute scientific knowledge & expertise to deliver transparent, well documented exposure-led assessments to enable robust decision-making.
• Ensure new science and tools are confidently and effectively deployed.  Maintain technical documentation and identify opportunities to increase scope of existing tier 1 tools and internal systems.
• Understand and apply tiered approaches to aggregate exposure assessment, for both ingredients and unavoidable contaminants and to actively understand developments / suggest capability build aligned to the external direction of travel.
• Keep own technical knowledge relevant and play an active role in developing others by sharing knowledge via teamwork, coaching and mentoring.
• Ensure a collaborative approach across SERS and Business Groups.
• Participate in external scientific forums and trade association activities, providing technical expertise and representing Unilever in line with agreed positions.

ALL ABOUT YOU

You will be able to work effectively and with impact in cross-disciplinary teams and in multicultural environments, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability within a fast-changing business environment.

Essential Experience and Skills

The successful candidate will have:

• A degree (BSc, MSc, or equivalent) in Toxicology or a related scientific discipline relevant to human chemical exposure.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex scientific concepts clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Evidence of a creative, analytical, and problem-solving mindset, with the ability to address complex scientific questions.
• A high level of self-motivation, with a proven track record of collaborating effectively within interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams.
• The ability to work constructively with scientists from a range of disciplines, contributing technical leadership within projects while also being an effective team member.
•  A strong collaborative approach, with a willingness to share knowledge and support the development of others though teamwork, coaching, and informal mentoring.
  
  

Desirable Experience and Skills

It would be desirable for candidates to have:

• Post graduate experience or a higher degree or qualification (e.g. PhD) in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Knowledge of and/or practical application of human exposure assessment models.
• Experience in toxicology and/or consumer safety risk assessment, and its practical application in an industrial setting (e.g. FMCG or healthcare). 
• Knowledge of, or experience with, product safety regulations relevant to consumer products.
• Experience leading scientific projects or defined technical workstreams.
• Knowledge of statistics, modelling, and/or data handling to support exposure or safety assessments.
• Awareness of novel, non-animal approaches to safety assessment, and an understanding of their potential application in regulatory and business decision-making.
  

LOCATION

Colworth Science Park is a vibrant scientific community with a strong academic and technical population of PhDs, professors, and early-career scientists.  The site offers a range of facilities, including a restaurant, gym, and a nursery, and supports an active social and wellbeing culture. Employees can take part in a variety of social and recreational activities, such as lunchtime walking or running groups, set within the surrounding countryside. Colworth is well connected, with London and its many attractions reachable in approximately 40 minutes by train from Bedford.