Lead Analyst - Low Carbon Fuels

Lead Analyst - Low Carbon Fuels

Department for Transport

Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 4th August 2025

📍 Location: Birmingham, Leeds (Hybrid)

💷 Salary: £54,857 - A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

🕒 Contract Type: Permanent – Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Climate change is one of the most urgent challenges facing governments (and a classic Operational Research problem!) - transport plays a key role in the UK’s journey to Net Zero. We’re looking for a Grade 7 Operational Researcher to lead on analysis and modelling related to low carbon fuels (LCFs), from road biofuels to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other innovative technologies.

You will be responsible for modelling their supply, demand, cost and future development to inform government policies. This is a high-profile and fast-paced area, where your work will directly influence policy decisions to help decarbonise transport. You’ll join a collaborative and growing team of analysts within the Department’s Environment Strategy Directorate, working closely with colleagues across government on one of the UK’s most important environmental priorities.

This role is open to those that are already members of the Government Operational Research (GORS) profession or those who are eligible to become part of the GORS profession: GORS accepted qualifications to apply are a highly numerate degree (minimum 2:1, or a 2:2 with relevant work experience or a postgraduate qualification), at least half of which must be from one or more of these or similar subjects:

• Operational Research
  
  
• Mathematics
  
  
• Physics
  
  
• Econometrics
  
  
• Engineering or Management Sciences
  
  Top Responsibilities
  
  
• Lead complex modelling to assess feedstock availability, costs and benefits of LCF production and feasibility of new technological pathways to produce fuels. The team owns a series of models in Excel, R and Python and you will be responsible to maintain, improve and deliver analysis using these models with the aim of steering other analytical, policy and strategy teams across DfT. You will be likely responsible the development of consultancy analytical work in this policy area.
  
  
• Deliver modelling and analysis to inform the policy design of new and existing LCF policies: You will provide complex modelling and analysis to inform policy decisions and advise ministers on LCF policy development, including RTFO, SAF Mandate and new areas like hydrogen and e-fuels. Your Operational Research analysis can inform better decisions.
  
  
• Collaborating effectively across a number of different teams and stakeholders: You will also be required to form strong working relationships and collaborate closely with departments across Government such as Defra, DESNZ, DBT, HMT, No 10 officials, as well as teams across DfT to ensure that the best available evidence underpins decision-making.
  
  
• Communicating evidence and analysis: You will need to communicate complex and technical evidence and analysis to influence policy colleagues and senior decision makers across Whitehall.
  
  
• Providing wider analytical leadership and support to the wider analytical team: As a Grade 7 analyst you will be a senior member of the team, and will support the successful delivery of robust, influential and timely analysis and build capability through the sharing of best practice and knowledge. You will likely have management responsibility for a junior analyst (to be recruited).
  
  Benefits
  
  
• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
  
  
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
  
  
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
  
  
• Access to the staff discount portal.
  
  
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
  
  
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
  
  
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
  
  
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
  
  About you
  
  To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:
  
  
• Experience in applying a range of Operational Research (OR) techniques, from problem structuring to data science. Proficiency in Excel, Python and R, with the ability to carry out Quality Assurance in line with Aqua Book.
  
  
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to handle and interpret complex and incomplete data to support senior decision-makers. This includes having experience of designing, maintaining and improving analytical models in Excel and R (and ideally Python).
  
  
• Proven ability to build effective working relationships with both analytical and non-analytical colleagues across departments and externally. Ability to overcome disagreement and work collaboratively towards shared objectives.
  
  
• Experience of working across multiple workstreams at pace, prioritising effectively and without sacrificing quality.
  
  How to Apply
  👉 Read the full job description and apply at Civil Service Jobs using the link provided.
  
  This vacancy closes at 23:55 on Monday 4th August 2025