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 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 27%, to help 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or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn.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

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

Our SALMO team is the lead across the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the provision of marine salvage and emergency response. Our specialists including Master Mariners, Marine Engineers, Naval Architects, Environmental Scientists, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) 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 resolve defects on Navy platforms at home and overseas.

You will deliver a discrete capability using cutting edge commercial AUV technology to provide deep water survey outputs in support of SALMO and wider MOD objectives. We will provide you with the necessary training and help you on your journey to becoming an experienced Engineering Manager.

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 these posts are based at a location within 10 miles of MoD Abbey Wood.

At DE&S, we champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

What you’ll be doing

• Deploy afloat and safely operate the AUV system in a variety of roles as required, circa 10 -12 weeks a year
• Coordinate planned and corrective maintenance of the AUV System(s) onshore and afloat system to ensure availability
• Oversee engineering activity and supervision both ashore and afloat as well as developing systems and standard operating procedures relevant to the area of responsibility
• Management and procurement of goods and services through established contracting mechanisms and local purchase arrangements related to the upkeep of equipment
• Management of equipment preparation, operational planning and documentation, safety management and system maintenance for planned and unplanned AUV operations
• Lead a team of AUV Engineers

Person specification

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

• You will be able to demonstrate practical ‘hands-on’ experience of maintaining and managing systems that are transferrable to deep water AUV Systems or marine/offshore operations
• You will hold a relevant Level 4 (or higher) qualification in Engineering or Science or a relevant professional qualification, or be able to demonstrate a relevant level of professional experience
• You will have experience of working together as part of a close-knit team and managing employees
• Experience in developing and/or maintaining planned maintenance systems

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 – Practitioner
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,175, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,817 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.