About the job

Job summary

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

We offer 26.5+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 27%, to help work work for you.

Nationality, visas and vetting: For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 10 years and obtain Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you have been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining DV security clearance can be a lengthy process. You’ll join us once Security Check (SC) clearance is obtained, and then the more enhanced DV checks will continue after you’ve started your employment. If SC clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months, we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made.

Job description

Are you excited by the prospect of working with industry leading subsea technology in a challenging environment? If so, then this could be the ideal opportunity for you. The AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) Team are looking for an AUV Engineer to join them as part of the wider Salvage and Marine Operations (SALMO) department. 

SALMO is the lead across the MoD for the provision of marine salvage and emergency response. Our team of specialists including Master Mariners, Marine Engineers, Naval Architects, Environmental Scientists, ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles) Pilots and Divers provide a centre of expertise for subsea activities and marine operations .Our operations are varied and include: salvage assistance to damaged surface vessels, location of aircraft on the sea-bottom, survey of WWII wrecks, towage of warships and submarines, emergency response preparedness exercises and underwater engineering support to rectify defects on Navy platforms at home and overseas. We are a flexible, highly trained and multi-skilled team who are ready to respond at short notice worldwide.

You will help deliver a discrete capability within SALMO using cutting edge commercial AUV technology to provide deep water survey outputs in support of SALMO and wider MOD objectives. You will use your experience of working as part of a close-knit team to build strong relationships with your co-workers, helping to promote an encouraging and supportive environment. 

This role is operationally important and as such attracts allowances (SALMO Terms and Conditions) depending on the working situation the employee is undertaking at that time.

Please be advised that this post is based at a location within 10 miles of MOD Abbey Wood.

What you’ll be doing

• Deploy afloat with the AUV system, circa 10-12 weeks split over multiple deployments each year
• Responsible for maintenance and availability of the AUV capability both offshore and onshore
• Support the mobilisation and integration with host vessels by preparing, deploying and recovering the vehicle at sea
• Support the identification of and requirement setting for technical procurements of services
• Assist the AUV Engineering Manager in planning, organising and conducting tasks

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Practical ‘hands-on’ engineering and fault finding experience
• Relevant Level 4 (or higher) qualification or equivalent experience
• Experience of working together as part of a team

 This role is subject to Retained Grade Terms and Conditions and differ from the DE&S standard Terms and Conditions.

For SALMO Retained Grade seeking promotion, please refer to Part 2, Section 10.2 of the SALMO Retained Grade Handbook.

Due to the nature of this role, you are:

• Required to be fit to pass and maintain a two-yearly ENG1 seafarers medical (no geographical limitations)
• Required to enlist as a Royal Navy Sponsored Reserve
• Expected to work extended hours as and when required in support of operational commitments
• Required to live within 60 minutes travelling time of the base to which you are appointed
• Required to hold an in-date UK driving licence

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Improve Engineering Capability – Supervised Practitioner
• Technical Decision Making – Supervised Practitioner
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

We champion a balanced approach to work at DE&S. While regular in-person attendance is required for at least 3 days per week to foster the benefits of face-to-face collaboration, we also offer flexibility in hours to support a healthy work-life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourself with the site, the team, and your role.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,515, Ministry of Defence contributes £11,209 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.

2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills

Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.

3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

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.