About the job

Job summary

• Are you intrigued how Digital and Technology skills can play a vital role in defence and security?
• Enjoy problem solving?
• Does earning a degree whilst being paid and having no student loan excite you?

If so, this joining Dstl as a Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprentice if for you.

Our Counter-Terrorism and Security (CTS) area are offering you the chance to embark on the degree undertaking the network engineering pathway. Your apprenticeship will see you develop skills in network engineering from design, installation and upgrades to their configuration and security.

As you learn, earn and grow you will experience the wide range of opportunities a career in the digital space offers. You will apply your learning to genuine projects impacting the security of the UK armed forces.

You will share our values, collaboration, innovation and impact, which are at the heart of everything we do. This apprenticeship at Dstl goes far beyond usual boundaries and that is simply because we work on projects that can’t be done anywhere else.

As an apprentice, you will be encouraged to shine, to question the norms and interact with our customers. We aren’t expecting you to join us with all the answers, but if you are able to grasp mathematical concepts and learn, we will support your development in the rest.

Your current situation

You may have never worked in an office, be finishing sixth form, leaving the armed forces, looking for a career change, or not enjoying your current studies. No matter what your current situation is, if you are at least 18 years old you can become join us as an Apprentice.

What’s next?

Once you have successfully completed your apprenticeship, if you have demonstrated the required behaviours, we will support you in applying for a permanent position at Dstl

Job description

In this role you will:

• Understand how network engineering plays a vital part in the defence industry
• Analyse, design, maintain and upgrade network systems
• Collaborate and present your findings to our customers, academic and industry partners
• Be empowered and encouraged to make the most of your development opportunities

Person specification

You will have:

• A genuine interest and passion for launching a career in a network engineering and technology in defence and security
• A good understanding of basic mathematic principles and the desire to learn more

You will possess these essential skills:

• The ability to study, learn new skills and techniques
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal
• Problem solving

  You will have these Essential Qualifications

•    2 A-Levels (C+) or equivalent which may include a BTEC or a level 3 apprenticeship in at least one STEM subject
•    GCSE English and Maths (Level 4/C+)  

Desirable:

• A-Level in Maths, Statistics, Physics or Computer Science

Don’t have an A-Level in Maths, Statistics, Physics or Computer Science but are a keen hobbyist, or done some online courses? Please apply and reference them in your application.

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be United Kingdom (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. 

You must be at least 18 years old in September 2024 to undertake this apprenticeship.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,511, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £6,617 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 and Experience.

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.

Applications will be reviewed the week commencing 25th February 2024 and interview will take place week commencing 18th March 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.