Employee benefits and facilities - Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Daresbury Laboratory and Chilbolton Observatory

The Science and Technology Facilities Council values diversity and is particularly keen to recruit more women into science, engineering and technology (SET) roles. We are proud to have achieved the UK Resource Centre's SET Fair award for gender equality in 2010.

As part of our commitment to attract and retain a diverse and talented workforce we offer a wide range of benefits, many of which help our employees to achieve a healthy balance between their work and home lives:

Work and life balance:

• Flexible working hoursUp to 30 days annual leave plus 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
• Emergency leave/ special leave
• Maternity leave
• Adoption leave arrangements
• Paid paternity leave
• Personal internet access during lunch breaks and before/after work
• Workplace nursery at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (63 places; waiting list applies)
• Parental leave
• Childcare Voucher Scheme
• Career breaks

Conditions:

• Competitive salary
• Final salary pension scheme
• Maternity pay
• Adoption pay

Health and welfare:

• Confidential counselling service
• Health promotion programmes
• Occupational sick pay scheme
• Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• On-site health club (at Daresbury Laboratory)
• Occupational Health Advisor and Consultant
• Sports and Social Association
• Staff restaurant and coffee lounges
• Free on site parking

Learning:

• Support for further education
• Access to learning resources
• On-site training facilities and in-house programmes
• Accredited management courses
• IiP accreditation
• Individual learning plans
• Library
• Mentoring scheme
• Learning lunches