About the job

Job summary

Do you wish to explore, investigate, analyse data and ask questions to support military end users and improve the effectiveness of UK air capabilities in operations? Do you enjoy problem solving? If so, we would like to hear from you.

A position is available for an Analyst in the UK JFAC team within Air and Space Warfare Centre Operational Analysis Element based at RAF High Wycombe. The role will support analytical capability development in a variety of operational areas.

This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional candidate to drive the ASWC analytical agenda and help shape the future. If you are looking for an opportunity to make a tangible difference to the RAF’s conduct of operations, please read on.

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. 

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Air and Space Warfare Centre Operational Analysis Element (ASWC/OAE) provides high quality, impartial and operationally focussed scientific, analytical and technical advice to enhance the warfighting capability of all elements of UK Air and Space Power.

The UK Joint Force Air Component (UK JFAC) is the Royal Air Force’s scalable and deployable Command and Control headquarters, which is subordinate to No 11 (Multi-Domain Operations) Group. The UK JFAC is held at high readiness to respond to global crises, which could be supported from fixed or deployed locations. As part of 11 Gp, UK JFAC played a pivotal role in the UK’s response to the Ukraine Crisis in 2022, with analysis directly supporting senior RAF decision-making.

As an Operational Analyst working alongside military and MOD personnel, you will be working in a high-profile collaborative headquarters which directs the RAF to ensure successful delivery of Air capability in current and future operations. Through this rare opportunity you will contribute to shaping the way in which UK operations are conducted and actively facilitate and improve the knowledge development and training of RAF personnel.
 
Based at RAF High Wycombe, you will provide analytical support to military exercises and operations in the UK and occasionally abroad. You will develop tools in response to RAF requirements and apply a range of Operational Analysis (OA, known more widely as Operations Research, OR) techniques to solve analytical problems. This interesting and varied role will build your understanding of Air operations and military equipment, enabling you to have a direct impact on UK military Air capability within current operations.

This is a unique opportunity which requires niche skills and knowledge in military domain awareness and OR. Significant support, mentorship and training will be provided to assist the successful applicant with developing into the role, including:

• Military courses to understand the systems, processes and structures to prepare for working in a military headquarters and providing decision support to military planning staff.
• On-the-job training and mentoring covering the principles and practices of OR, with access to ad-hoc mentorship from a large pool of highly experienced Air analysts.
• Civilian analysis courses.
• Attendance at OR conferences for exposure to the work of expert analysts.
• Opportunities to support complex, unique and challenging military decision-making problems.

Person specification

As an operational analyst at the UK JFAC, you will collaborate with the military and other MoD analysts to:

• Understand and identify requirements for the application of analysis to Air Power in operations.
• Develop, maintain, and assure innovative analytical support tools to enhance the provision of OA advice.
• Use hard and soft Operations Research (OR) Techniques.
• Use problem-solving skills to think creatively about Air questions and generate practical solutions.
• Consistently provide robust and timely scientific evidence-based insights directly in support of operations and exercises, using hard and soft OR techniques.

Your work will impact operational decision-making within the UK JFAC, 11 Gp and NATO, covering a broad range of areas including:

• Targeting
• Air Defence
• Information Operations
• Logistics
• Air Power in Strategic Competition

During crisis, operations and exercises, you will be responsive to the JFAC Division Heads to provide high-quality and assured analytical advice using the OA Toolset and other bespoke techniques. When not directly supporting military decision-makers, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining the JFAC OA Modelling & Simulation Toolset. You will provide training and education to military staff on the appropriate use of OA tools and advice.

You will engage with analysts from across the MoD (ASWC/OAE, Dstl and other Warfare Centres) to identify collaboration opportunities and develop the JFAC OA Modelling & Simulation Toolset.

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.

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

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. (Word count: 500)

At sift and interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles: 

Behaviours

• Making Effective Decisions 
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace 
• Communicating and Influencing 
• Developing Self and Others

Technical Skills

• Knowledge and application of OR skills and techniques (from GORS Competencies Framework)
• Achieving Impact with analysis

The Technical Skills - Competency Framework is included within the attached supporting documents of the advert.

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 use the contact details below.

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.