About the job

Job summary

This challenging opportunity is for the role of Principal Inspector Approving & Design Authorities (IADA).  The DNSR IADA role regulates the Nuclear Warhead Approval & Design Authority (NWADA), which comprises the MOD Approval Authority and the AWE Design Authority, collectively known as the NWADA.  The NWADA is responsible for the intrinsic safety of the nuclear warhead by the provision of a safe design, approvals, and information to all 4 of the LCP Authorisee’s.  The regulatory conditions on NWADA cover the “cradle to grave” aspects and include concept and design, modifications and interfaces with the assembly and disassembly, processing, storage, and handling of nuclear warheads ashore and onboard submarines.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. 

Job description

You will lead the IADA team within DNSR and use a combination of regulatory interface forums, inspections, assessments and permissioning of activities, to discharge your regulatory responsibilities to provide assurance of compliance by the Authorisee with the Authorisation Conditions.   The team also conduct an annual independent regulatory review of nuclear warhead stockpile safety which is focused on the in service nuclear warheads and their through-life safety.

Following the successful completion of a Duly Authorised Person (DAP) board, the successful candidate will have delegated regulatory authority from NWR for the following:

• The granting or withholding of permission for activities in the Nuclear Weapon Programme which may present a nuclear or radiological hazard.
• Approve/agree nuclear safety submissions and safety management arrangements.
• Offer formal regulatory advice to Authorisee’s representatives.
• Direct the postponement or cessation of specified activity if safety standards have been or are likely to be compromised to an unacceptable degree.
• Assess the demonstration of nuclear emergency arrangements.
• Seek assurance of compliance with the regulatory requirements.

This role will provide you with the chance to work on a wide range of nuclear projects over multiple Authorised Sites, directly influencing the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) within all areas of the CADMID cycle. You will also have significant opportunity to develop your skills within Nuclear Safety Regulation and general nuclear safety technical fields.

Responsibilities

Your main responsibilities will involve the regulation of nuclear and radiological safety as specified in your Letter of Delegated Regulatory Authority and in accordance with the DNSR Regulatory Management System.  This includes:

• Leading and influencing nuclear safety activities in support of the DNE, through providing regulatory advice and guidance to the Authorisee (NFC 1.1).
• Conduct inspections of the Authorisees arrangements against defence regulations and support the Authorisee in demonstrating sustained compliance of safe nuclear operations (NFC 1.5).
• Seek demonstration of a safety culture (Leadership & Management for Safety) by the Authorisee, and the application of a Security Informed Nuclear Safety (SINS) approach and assess its manifestation in the operation and sustainment of nuclear safety (NFC 1.1).
• To assist in and provide briefs to other DNSR Principal Inspectors, NWR and DNSR Head as required (NFC 1.5).

Person specification

Skills, Qualifications & Experience

• Degree or HNC level qualification or equivalent in a STEM field or equivalent experience.
• 12 months experience working or supporting the DNE or equivalent, undertaken within the last two years.
• Knowledge of nuclear weapon design and/or knowledge of ordnance, munitions, and explosives whilst not essential would be advantageous.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,670, Ministry of Defence contributes £15,570 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

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

This vacancy is being recruited for using the Civil Service Success Profiles as the recruitment framework. The Behaviours, Experience and Technical Success Profiles will be used during recruitment.

Stage 1 - Application Stage

Experience: You will need to complete an application and provide a CV, including full details on education and qualifications and your job history, with details of roles held and main achievements. We are looking here for evidence of skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the job.

Behaviours: Additionally, you will need to provide evidence against the Behaviours and Technical Nuclear Functional Competences identified - no more than 250 words per competence. Guidance on writing competency examples is available. 

Candidates will then be sifted based on their application.

Stage 2 - Interviews

Candidates selected through the sift will be invited to interview either in MoD Abbey Wood or using a voice group call. This will be determined at the time in accordance with MOD policy. The interview, typically 60 mins, will further explore the applicants Success Profile Behaviours and Technical Nuclear Functional Competences.

A successful candidate will be chosen after the interview stage.

Stage 3 – Security Vetting & Clearances

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. This vacancy is open to UK nationals only and the level of security needed is Developed Vetting. Successful candidates who do not hold the necessary clearances will be made provisional job offers and asked to undergo vetting procedures. During the process candidates will undertake lower classification works. Should candidates fail to obtain the relevant clearances the provisional job offer may be rescinded.

Inclusivity

The Defence Safety Authority (DSA) and the Civil Service promote equal employment opportunity irrespective of your race, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, civil status, sex, or gender identity. Applications are welcomed and strongly encouraged from candidates of all backgrounds, and we are actively working to establish a diverse workforce across the entire organisation. We recruit purely based upon the merit of each individual applicant. We are committed to ensuring that we recruit the very best individuals and obtain a diverse and inclusive viewpoint to our decision making.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk  

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.  

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (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.