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 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or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn.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. If 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 ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) team are looking for Pilot Technicians 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, ROV Pilots, AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) Operators 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.

The ROV Team delivers a discrete capability within SALMO using cutting edge commercial ROV technology to provide deep water salvage outputs in support of SALMO and wider MOD objectives. You will be responsible for ROV operations, mobilising, operating and maintaining SALMO work class ROV systems both offshore and onshore.

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.

What you’ll be doing

• Operate and maintain ROV systems onshore and offshore
• Ensure that the ROV systems are operational and available to conduct investigations, inspections and under-water interventions in accordance with the project deliverables and applicable regulations
• Operate as a Senior Pilot Tech or shift supervisor if required and assessed as competent to do so
• Be prepared to work offshore for up to 120 days per year

Person specification

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

• ROV Pilot Technician with demonstrated competency equivalent to IMCA ROV Pilot/Technician Grade II (R/R04) as a minimum or demonstrable experience in work class vehicles
• Demonstrable, recent experience in mobilising, operating and maintaining work class ROV systems
• A nationally recognised technical or trade qualification (military service qualification and/or an appropriate level national vocational qualification is acceptable) completed in one of the following subjects; electrical, mechanical, electronic or hydraulic

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:

• Be fit to pass and maintain a 2 yearly ENG1 seafarers medical (no geographical limitations)
• This assignment is open to sole UK nationals only
• Be required to enlist as a Royal Navy Sponsored Reserve
• Be expected to work extended hours as and when required in support of operational commitments
• Be required to live within 60 minutes travelling time of HMNB Devonport
• Have an in date current UK Driving Licence

We champion a balanced approach to work at DE&S. When not offshore, regular in-person attendance in office 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.

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
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

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.