Criminal Investigation Officer

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is a small government department with a big remit: to keep food safe, ensure it is what it says it is, and that it is increasingly healthy and more sustainable.

Although a significant amount of our work is carried out in collaboration with food business operators across the country, there will be occasions when enforcement is necessary.

We are looking for a Criminal Investigation Officer who can support our work in ensuring food businesses meet their legal responsibilities. You will undertake regulatory investigations into the alleged offences of those primary production businesses that have not complied with the law, building robust cases that will allow us to prosecute offenders and continue to ensure safe food for consumers everywhere and that the welfare of animals is protected during food production.

Planning and undertaking these detailed investigations, you will operate under your own steam, interviewing suspects and witnesses and making the most of your frontline experience as an investigator.

You will work to ensure the cases we present will stand up to intense scrutiny, and will offer invaluable support to the FSA’s prosecution and legal teams and to our colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service as we seek to bring those endangering food safety or the welfare of animals to justice.

You’ll be able to build effective working relationships with a network of colleagues and relevant organisations, enabling you to deliver the best results possible as we work together to keep food safe.

If you have an eye for the little details that can have the most impact on the bigger picture, and are excited by an opportunity to make a real difference in a progressive organisation, apply to join the FSA as our Criminal Investigation Officer in the Wales and West of England region today.

Please read before applying

As this is an investigatory / intelligence role we need to be aware if any of our employees have any of the following: any misconduct or gross misconduct findings or where proceedings are not complete. You will be asked to complete a declaration form covering the above if offered a role with the FSA.

You must declare to the best of your knowledge:

• Any disciplinary finding of guilt / failure to meet the appropriate standard of conduct relating to your employment you have ever had
• Any charge of a disciplinary offence / notification of a failure to meet the appropriate standards you have ever had where the case has not yet been concluded

The disclosure of this information will not automatically disbar you from this role but we need to be aware of any event or issue which could impinge on your credibility if questioned in court.

• Professionalising Investigations Programme (PIP) Level 2 accreditation or equivalent

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 nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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

Full details of the selection process can be found in the attached candidate pack.

Application and shortlisting

You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.

Technical: You will be asked a question to confirm that you meet the Technical requirements of the role.

• Full Driving Licence (Manual or Automatic) for category B vehicles – with use of own car (hire cars will be available for extensive travel)
• Professionalising Investigations Programme (PIP) Level 2 accreditation or equivalent

If you cannot answer yes to these questions – you will not be able to proceed further with your application.

You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential and desirable criteria. (Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie between candidates).

Essential criteria

Experience

• Lead criteria: Extensive frontline experience, conducting investigations in criminal or regulatory environments with Professionalising Investigations Programme (PIP) Level 2 accreditation or equivalent
• Proven experience of managing complex investigations and prioritising workloads
• Strong written and verbal communication skills that effectively communicate complex legislation and the outcome of investigations for the benefit of the courts
• Demonstration of ability to maintain motivation whilst undertaking independent caseload and operating under own supervision

Technical

• Experience and knowledge of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, The Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 and The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 / Investigatory Powers Act 2016

Desirable criteria (Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie between candidates).

Experience

• Experience of multi-agency engagement and relationship building across law enforcement, local or national government, industry or non-governmental bodies

Lead Criteria An initial sift will take place on the Lead Criteria.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.

Interview

If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Experience and Technical requirements of the role.

Experience

• Lead criteria: Extensive frontline experience, conducting investigations in criminal or regulatory environments with Professionalising Investigations Programme (PIP) Level 2 accreditation or equivalent
• Proven experience of managing complex investigations and prioritising workloads
• Strong written and verbal communication skills that effectively communicate complex legislation and the outcome of investigations for the benefit of the courts
• Demonstration of ability to maintain motivation whilst undertaking independent caseload and operating under own supervision

Technical

• Experience and knowledge of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, The Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 and The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 / Investigatory Powers Act 2016

Location: As the successful role holder is required, for business reasons, to live in the West of England or Wales, you will be asked to provide your postcode in your application.

Expected Timeline

Advert closes: 18/10/26

Sift: Expected to take place from 19/10/26

Final panel interview: Expected to take place from 02/11/26

Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application).

Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reserve List

A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that the FSA does not offer visa sponsorship and cannot provide advice on visa applications

Making a complaint

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated fairly in accordance with the principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should email the FSA’s Director of People at jo.bushnell@food.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

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