About the job

Job summary

We welcome applications from every part of the community, and we don’t discriminate against any gender identity. We’re especially interested to hear from underrepresented groups in the DfT such as gender diverse, ethnic minority, LGBT+ and disabled candidates.

• Are you knowledgeable in vehicle technology and/or engineering?
• Do you want to be part of a future looking organisation enabling innovation in the automotive industry?
• Do you enjoy variation in your day-to-day work, being part of a team and making a difference?
• Does a vocation with the opportunity for travel, career progression and many other benefits appeal to you?

If you are looking for your next opportunity, we would like to hear from you.

Job description

Our work is focused on improving vehicle safety and environmental protection by providing robust testing and certification to national and internationally recognised standards. We are a part of the Department of Transport as the designated UK Vehicle Type Approval Authority. With more than 40 years’ experience, we have one of the largest and well-respected approval bodies around. This position sits at the core of our mission to support the development and implementation of cutting-edge technical legislation that will enable the future of transportation.

Job description

The Automated Vehicle Technologies Group is part of the Vehicle Certification Agency's (VCA) Type Approval Authority Division. Our primary focus is crafting, evaluating, and facilitating the adoption of technical legislation governing vehicles, systems, and components. 

Our team oversees a wide spectrum of topics that include;

• Supporting the development of new technical regulations for topics that include vehicle dynamics like braking and steering, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Automated Driving Systems.
• Ensuring the robustness of Cyber Security measures and Software Updating protocols by performing technical reviews of approvals issued by the Agency.
• Assessing new technology applications for vehicle type approval.
• Reviewing applications for vehicles identified as self-driving.
• Conducting technical assessments of approved devices for civil traffic enforcement.

You will play a crucial role in ensuring compliance by handing technical review and assessment tasks. You will also contribute to the development of new legislation and providing technical guidance.

Your main duties will include but not limited to; 

• Perform technical reviews – Undertake group technical review and assessment tasks to ensure compliance with technical legislation.
• Answer technical questions – Respond to questions relating to technical legislation the group covers.
• Develop technical interpretations – Creating technical interpretations to guide engineering colleagues and industry if legislation is unclear.
• Collaborate on new technical legislation – Work with colleagues in the Agency, the Department for Transport and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles to create new international and national technical legislation.
• Technical training delivery – Assist in the development and delivery of technical training.

To see the full role information, please see the attached role profile.

Person specification

To do well in this role you will need;

• Experience of working in an engineering capacity, following procedures and understanding regulations or standards.
• Experience of analysing data or documents and reporting on findings.
• Experience of delivering outcomes on time and to a high standard.
• Be able to use a range of information to make effective decisions.
• An ability to balance your workload according to top priorities.
• To collaborate effectively within your team and wider.
• Understand underpinning technical principles relevant to vehicle systems and their associated technology, with a particular focus on connected and automated vehicles and cyber security.
• Be proactive in your personal development.

Additional Information

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace.

Engineering Skills Allowance

In addition to your basic salary, this role attracts a non-pensionable £3,000 annual allowance in recognition of the requirement for professional engineering and/or relevant professional occupational experience. After 3-years in the HEO post, the allowance will be increased to £6,600 per annum to reflect experience gained in the role. If you work part time, these payments will be pro-rated.

Benefits

Your wellbeing is important to us, which is why we’re pleased to offer a wide range of benefits to all our colleagues, inside and outside of work.  

Find out more about the ways you can benefit in our Candidate Pack attached. 

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Our 2-stage selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

Stage 1: Initial Experience-Based Sift

In this stage, we carefully review all applicants CV & Personal statement to shortlist candidates who meet the experience indicators (listed below) and possess the necessary qualifications.

Stage 2: In-person Assessment

The final stage involves an in-person assessment, where selected candidates will be invited to visit one of our premises.  This will include:

• An interview
• A presentation

Merit List

Please note that candidates placed on the merit list will be considered for suitable positions as they arise.  Being on the merit list may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role of Automated Vehicle Technologies Engineer 

How to Apply

To apply you should provide a CV and personal statement. We will assess the following Experience Indicators from your CV & personal statement so you should tailor both to clearly explain how you meet them. 

• Experience of working in an engineering capacity, following procedures, and understanding regulations or standards.
• Experience of Analysing data or documents and reporting on findings.
• Experience of Delivering outcomes on time and to a high standard.

Your personal statement should be a maximum of 1000 words and we recommend a minimum of 250 words for each of the bullet points above.

Some guidance to help you with your application can be found in the candidate pack below.

Sift and Interview

The sift is due to take place from 17th June 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held from 1st July 2024. 

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. Your technical skills will be assessed against the Government Science and Engineering Framework.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.  

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website. 

Please note that VCA are unable to offer VISA sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.