About the job

Job summary

Do you have a background in science and engineering? Could you bring your technical expertise to our diverse team supporting the UK military air safety?  If so, 1710 Naval Air Squadron wants to hear from you.

With a heritage dating back to the 1930s and based in Portsmouth Naval Base, 1710 Naval Air Squadron is a mixed Civil Service and Military team of technical specialists from multidisciplinary backgrounds, who use scientific and engineering reasoning to overcome UK MOD aircraft operational issues.
As part of our Condition Monitoring Department, the Wear Debris Section ensure the safe operation of helicopter and fixed wing aircraft by monitoring for wear conditions which could result in mechanical failure of engines and gearboxes.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

This exciting and vital role is part of the team of Civil Service scientists and engineers and primarily provides expert specialist support to monitor aircraft engine and gearbox wear processes.  You will acquire and develop the expertise to enable you to analyse, interpret and present evidence to both aircraft operators and manufacturers and provide airworthiness recommendations based on Wear Debris analysis.
Additionally, there will be opportunities explore and exploit other health condition monitoring approaches including novel data analysis approaches.  Your expertise will enable you to work to collaborate with wider condition monitoring national and international partners in assuring the provision of expert scientific and engineering advice and risk-based judgements to the Military Air Commands.
As a key partner in NATO and other strategic alliances, the UK maintains a global military presence to provide security and humanitarian aid. As a Condition Monitoring Specialist, you may occasionally be called upon to support these crucial operations outside of normal working hours.

Person specification

Responsibilities

As a Condition Monitoring Specialist within our team, you will be responsible for:

• Analysing Aircraft Transmission and Engine wear debris samples.
• Interpreting sample data and providing maintenance advice to Delivery Teams and Aircraft Operators.
• Operating and maintaining scientific equipment.
• Generating fault reports for repair and overhaul organisations.
• Reviewing repair and overhaul organisations investigation reports to confirm accurate fault detection.
• Data trending and analysis of fleet data sets.
• Working with MOD Delivery Teams and Aircraft operators to ensure best practice and effective monitoring programs are upheld.

Person specification

In addition to the professional qualifications the following experience is highly desirable:

• Relevant technical knowledge of military aircraft and other military vehicle structures and maintenance practices.

• An enthusiastic, adaptable and inquisitive approach towards new challenges.
• A UK driving license would be an advantage.

Your Qualifications

To carry out the responsibilities outlined above, it is necessary for you to hold a Degree/HNC/D or equivalent relevant experience in science, engineering or aircraft maintenance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,300, Ministry of Defence contributes £7,641 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 using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviors and Technical Skills. Please refer to the Navy Command Applicants Guide attached for further details. 

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours

• Making effective decisions 
• Communicating and influencing 
• Working together 

 Applications will be assessed following the closing date and if successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to interview.

 Interviews will be a blend of Behaviour and Technical understanding type questions. Interviews will take place at 1710 Naval Air Squadron, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth where possible.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (1250 words)

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 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

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.