About the job

Job summary

The Senior Safety Case Engineer post is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde as it undergoes significant investment in support of current operations and in preparation for the future nuclear submarine and weapons programmes.

In Navy Command, our civil servants work alongside their military colleagues in jobs that matter; jobs which often have a direct impact on the quality of the operational capabilities we deliver.
Roles can offer great job satisfaction and there are many opportunities to develop and progress both within the Department and across the wider Civil Service.

This post may be eligible for the NSQEP Recruitment Retention Allowance of up to £12,000 per annum. This allowance is discretionary and will be dependent on a candidate's ability to successfully demonstrate the necessary competency, qualifications, and experience to an independent panel of Subject Matter Experts.

Hybrid working (a blend of working in the workplace and from home) is encouraged. You should expect to work 2 days a week at HMNB Clyde in agreement with your Line Manager.” 

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Working within the Clyde Design Authority, the Senior Safety Case Engineer is responsible for ensuring that a Fit for Purpose safety case is in place to support key defence nuclear activities related to nuclear powered warships and nuclear weapon systems.

To achieve this, we will offer significant opportunities to develop your knowledge of nuclear activities and designs through both formal training and on-site familiarisation.

Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde (HMNB Clyde) is home to the United Kingdom’s Strategic Nuclear Deterrent, Astute Class Attack Submarines,  Sandown Class Mine Hunter Vessels and 43 Cdo Royal Marines. It is an operational support and maintenance base, within the Navy Command TLB and comprises both Faslane and Coulport sites. HMNB Clyde’s primary purpose is to provide engineering and logistical support to the Royal Navy in maintaining Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD). This is achieved by ensuring at least one Vanguard Class submarine is on patrol at sea every day of the year.         
         
RNAD Coulport is responsible for the storage, processing, maintenance and issue of the Trident Weapon System and the ammunitioning of all submarine-embarked tactical weapons.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements. 

Person specification

You will be responsible, with the support of a Design Authority Principal Engineer, for:

• Acting as the Intelligent Customer for Contractor delivery of Nuclear Reactor, and Nuclear Weapon design and safety cases, as we build these in support of future capabilities.
• Supporting the delivery of the HMNB Clyde Periodic Review of Safety programme and subsequent implementation of shortfalls.
• Supporting the development and assessment of HMNB Clyde Policy and Standards, ensuring they are consistent with Relevant Good Practice.

Skills and Experience:

• A track record of making intelligent evidence based decisions using various sources of data.
• The ability to effectively manage and prioritise your own workload.
• Minimum of Engineering Council degree in an engineering/science subject (or equivalent qualification or experience).
• Writing, Specifying, Assessing, Approving and / or Maintaining Safety Cases (Desired but not mandatory as training and development will be offered)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes £9,528 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.

Candidates will be required to complete an online CV template to include job history, full details of education and qualifications, and previous experiences and skills.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. Word limit of 250

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, statement of suitability the following Behaviour:

• Leadership 

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours and Technical Skill:

• Working together
• Making effective decisions 
• Communicating and influencing 
• Leadership
• Nuclear Competence 1.3 - Nuclear Safety Cases

The Safety Case Engineer role is a Reserved Post as it requires access to Protectively Marked Information associated with the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Programme and therefore this job is limited to Sole UK Nationals.

Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly.

Interviews will be sifted based on the remaining behaviours and the technical skills

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of gender and ethnic group. Appointment will be based on merit alone.

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.