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Human Resources

 

This page provides information about the use of personal information provided by job applicants to the University of Cambridge.

1. What is ‘personal information’?

‘Personal information’ means any information which relates to or identifies you as an individual.

2. Who will process my personal information?

The information provided here applies to the use, sharing and disclosure of your personal information by the University of Cambridge (https://www.cam.ac.uk/), including its Departments, Institutes and Research Centres/Units.

3. How does my Web Recruitment System account work?

If you are applying for a vacancy through the Web Recruitment System, information about how your account works is published separately.

4. What personal information will be processed?

The University will use the details you provide on your application form, together with the supporting documents requested and additional details provided by any referees and recorded following any interview process.

If you are required to undergo certain additional recruitment checks or procedures as part of the job application and offer process (e.g. criminal convictions checks or visa application procedures), we will use this information as described at https://www.hr.admin.cam.ac.uk/hr-staff/hr-data/recruitment-checks-data

5. What is the purpose and legal basis of the processing?

The University will process the personal information provided on your application and the other information referred to above for the purposes of identifying you, processing your application, verifying the information provided and assessing your suitability for the role (including any relevant right to work checks), deciding whether to offer you a job, and communicating that outcome (together with any feedback).

We may also use or disclose the information provided for the following statutory or public interest purposes:

  • To prevent or detect fraud.
  • For equal opportunities monitoring.
  • To help us to make reasonable adjustments for any disability, as requested by you.
  • To provide statutory returns required by applicable legislation.
  • For research and statistical purposes (which may include the receipt of applicant surveys), but no information which could identify you will be published.

If you are a current employee, then we may use the information (including equalities information) you provide in any application you submit to update the employment records we already hold on you.

We consider the processing of your personal information for the above purposes to be either necessary for us to take steps with a view to creating a contractual relationship with you (e.g. to assess your application for employment with us), or necessary for compliance with a legal obligation (e.g. to administer visa applications), or necessary for the performance of tasks we carry out in the public interest (e.g. non-statutory reporting or research). Where we ask for any sensitive information, such as that concerning your ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or health/disability, the use made of such information will be explained and you will normally have the option to refuse your consent by not supplying it. We require you to provide us with the information we ask for during the application process in order to assess your application properly except where its supply is marked as optional. Applications decisions are not automated.

6. Who will my personal information be shared with?

As well as circulating your application and related materials to the appropriate staff at the University, we will share your personal information for the above purposes as relevant and necessary with:

  • Your referees.
  • Where relevant and necessary, any College(s) you may become connected to.
  • Where relevant and as required, the Disclosure and Barring Service or UK Visas and Immigration in order to administer relevant recruitment checks and procedures (see https://www.hr.admin.cam.ac.uk/hr-staff/hr-data/recruitment-checks-data).
  • Where relevant and as required for some posts, NHS organisations (e.g. NHS Trusts or Local Education Training Boards).
  • Companies or organisations providing specific services to, or on behalf of, the University.

7. How is my personal information used if I become a member of staff?

If you are accepted, we will use your personal information for the purposes described at https://www.hr.admin.cam.ac.uk/hr-staff/hr-data/how-we-handle-your-personal-data, as amended from time to time.

If you are accepted, the University will also return data about you to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (which forms part of Jisc) as described on their website at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/about/regulation/data-protection/notices, and to other external agencies, as required.

8. How can I access my personal information?

You have the right to access the personal information that is held about you by the University. Further details are set out on the University’s data protection webpages at https://www.information-compliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/data-protection/subject-access-request.

You also have the right to ask us to correct any inaccurate personal information we hold about you, to delete personal information, or otherwise restrict our processing, or to object to processing (including the receipt of direct marketing) or to receive an electronic copy of the personal information you provided to us. Please note that all of these rights are qualified in various ways.

9. How long is my information kept?

We store your personal information for as long as necessary to complete the application process. If you are successful, your information will be kept as part of your staff record for the duration of your employment. If you are unsuccessful, your information will be normally kept for one year after the completion of the application process. Skeletal records about the recruitment processes for some senior appointments (e.g. professorships) may be held for longer periods. Information about how long different types of information are retained by the University is published at https://www.information-compliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/records-management.

10. Who can I contact?

If you have any questions about how your personal information is used, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please consult the University’s data protection webpages at https://www.information-compliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/data-protection. If you need further assistance, please contact the University’s data protection team (data.protection@admin.cam.ac.uk) or its Data Protection Officer (dpo@admin.cam.ac.uk).

11. How do I complain?

If you are not happy with the way your information is being handled, or with the response received from us, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF (https://ico.org.uk/).

12. Are changes made to this webpage?

This webpage was last updated in March 2023. It is reviewed when necessary and at least annually. Any changes will be published here.