About the job

Job summary

At Dstl we protect lives. We take innovative Science and Technology (S&T) and use it to keep the country safe.

Dstl Digital provides a variety of business services which are diverse and complex in nature, and not all are standard in their support arrangements. These end to end services can be complex and made-up from many technical components, which come together to support business critical activities.

The Defensive Cyber Intelligence Cell Lead role works as part of a small cell within the Dstl Security Operations Centre (SOC) coordinating Cyber Intelligence activities to inform and shape Dstl Defensive Cyber planning, preparation and response activity. You will be a key enabler to ensure Dstl can protect and support its network operations activity from a Cyber Defence perspective and ensure proactive threat / vulnerability monitoring, assessment and management.

This opportunity will allow you to shape a growing capability within Dstl. You will influence the direction of our future operation in a unique and exciting setting which not only meets the day to day organisational needs for Dstl but responds to a growing portfolio of innovative Digital commitments as well. You will develop a range of capability maturity that will be incrementally introduced to enhance the Dstl SOC capabilities. You will also actively liaise with the Dstl Counter Intelligence and Threat Management Cell (CITM) in order to harmonise Intelligence reporting and assessment processes.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

We particularly welcome female and ethnic minority applicants and those from the LGBTQI community, as they are under-represented within Dstl at these levels.

Job description

In this role you will

Act as the lead for the Defensive Cyber Intelligence Cell.

• Develop an appropriate Governance framework to support Dstl activities including:

          A Concept of Operations (Con Ops)

          A risk assessment process

          Triage process o A planning approach

          An assurance model

          A suitably qualified & experienced person (SQEP) training programme

          A maturity plan to demonstrate and measure capability maturity

• Oversee the internal and external reporting for Defensive Cyber activities working with Warning, Advice and Reporting Point (WARP) and partners.
• Active monitoring of threat indicators and processing for problem management and resolution.
• Maintain proactive awareness of Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) related alerts and tools to mitigate and manage threats.

Leadership

As a leader in Defence you will help shape, role model and bring to life the ‘One Defence’ mindset that will enable us to deliver our vision and strategic objectives. Your leadership style must be inspiring, confident and empowering. Working at every level of our organisation to break down silos, unite teams and create a culture that is trusting, collaborative, innovative, diverse and inclusive. Enabling us to deliver with pace and agility through the skills, commitment and empowerment of our employees and military colleagues.

Please see full job descriptions at the bottom of the page 

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience and evidence of operating in complex cyber risk incidents, scenarios,
  exercises or events.
• Has strong evidence of the effective use of Analytical skills in an Intelligence related
  domain.
• Has the ability to translate a complex, changing environment, applying critical thinking to
  a varied range of data in order concisely provide relevant and clear information and
  recommendations to multiple audiences.
• Is capable of managing uncertainty in a high paced environment, with the ability and
  agility to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances whilst demonstrating balanced
  judgement and effective problem solving techniques.
• Has strong networking skills with experience of establishing and maintaining effective
  working relationships across a range of varied stakeholders, demonstrating effective
  partnering and collaboration to aide inter-operability

Qualifications 

• Relevant technical qualifications and experience in network security operations with
  evidence of the ability to identify, interpret and treat threat information from a Cyber
  Defence perspective using appropriate tooling, methodology and techniques. 

Please see full job description at the bottom of the page 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,667, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,060 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.We want you to have your best chance of success in our recruitment process, so If at any stage of the application process you would like help or assistance please contact the Dstl Recruitment Team dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk and we will do all we can to support you.   

Sifting will take place week commencing the 5th February 2024 with interviews to be arranged from the 15th February 2024

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 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.

This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.

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.