About the job

Job summary

Do you want to play a key role in shaping Royal Navy (RN) doctrine and frontline tactics?

Recent events in the Southern Red Sea have highlighted the RN’s crucial role in international efforts to protect shipping and maintain the flow of global trade. This vacancy presents a unique opportunity for you to make a real impact and contribute to the development of the tactics being developed by the frontline today.

The Operational Advantage Centre's (OAC) Modelling and Simulation Team (M&S) are part of the Operational Analysis (OA) pillar. They are experts in maritime systems, contributing to the success of RN operations by supporting the assessment and development of doctrine and tactics through modelling and simulation, systems understanding, and specialist IT support.

As the Air Defence (AD) Systems and Modelling Senior Analyst, you will be/or develop into an expert in OA, particularly in relation to HK systems and their employment in force protection. You will work closely with other Ministry of Defence and Defence Science and Technology (Dstl) scientists and engineers, industry, and the military. Your creativity and resourcefulness will be essential in delivering assured advice when it is most needed.

This challenging and rewarding opportunity demands both leadership skills and deep technical knowledge. If you're seeking to work at the cutting edge of analysis and apply your skills to some of the most interesting and complex challenges facing the front line, this position is perfect for you.

The position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The AD Senior Analyst is accountable to the M&S Chief Analyst. It is one of several senior analyst posts, each covering a different aspect of above water and underwater warfare. Each Senior Analyst is a respected expert in their area of specialisation and between themselves lead on delivering analysis of tactics to the front line.  

The AD Senior Analyst is the OAC’s principal civilian expert in Hard Kill systems and in modelling their use for tactical development. They provide, information and evidence to support warfare decision making in the Operate pillar of the RN, primarily in the development of tactics and doctrine but with scope for direct operational support as appropriate.

Specifically, the AD Senior Analyst:

• Provides scientifically rigorous analysis to operators and decision makers.
• Defines and maintains a programme of work which, within resource constraints, delivers an OA service to OAC warfare areas to underpin their tactical development.
• Supports the M&S Chief Analyst define and maintain a programme of work, particularly in relation to Air Defence.
• Leads small civilian teams to progress the analysis, with military and other stakeholders as appropriate.
• Is accountable for the safe and secure conduct of command analysis operational research activities, including trials and exercises where appropriate.
• Provide technical assurance and oversight of OA conducted within and for the OA pillar in relation to HK to maintain and enhance scientific standards.
• Contributes to the continuous improvement and evolution of OA, taking advantage of novel techniques and technological advances in support of the organisation’s aims.
• Supports the M&S Chief Analyst to act as an intelligent customer ensure effectiveness and value for money in the external OA tasks commissioned by M&S.
• Mentors and train members of M&S to develop and maintain a cadre of staff with Above Water HK OA capability.
• Manages relationships with key partner organisations within and outside the Ministry of Defence relating to HK systems, including but not limited to: Dstl, Defence Science and Technology, Navy Digital, Navy Develop, Air and Space Warfare Centre, Land Warfare Centre, Defence Digital, Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre, NATO and 5-eyes Partner analysis centres, other government, industry, and academia.
• Influences UK/Allied programmes of work to achieve RN analysis objectives.

The role offers the opportunity to work directly alongside the RN frontline, both ashore and potentially deploying for short periods on RN or Allied platforms. This often involves travel to five-eyes partner nations (AUS, CAN, NZ, UK & USA) and NATO.

Please note: This post is planned to relocate to Portsmouth Naval Base but not before 2026.

Person specification

You will ideally be an expert in Operational Analysis and have a detailed knowledge of HK systems, but this is not a perquisite. What you will need is the underpinning technical skills and a willingness and aptitude to learn. Full support will be provided to achieve the rest.

You will be able to work within dynamic military/civilian teams and be able to operate autonomously with appropriate direction and mentorship. Things change quickly and you will need to be comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities.

You will also be able to link tactical requirements to technical capabilities and be able to clearly articulate this information to a range of civilian and military personnel.

Skills and Experience

Essential:

• A 1st/ 2nd class Honours degree in a scientific or engineering subject (or equivalent).
• Knowledge and demonstrable experience and track record in modelling and simulation, including model development, and model verification and validation.
• Proficient in computer programming in one or more language and associated best practise, including version control.
• Experience in the application of scientific and/or analytical techniques to solving real world problems.
• Very high level of IT literacy – including specialist analytical packages.

Desirable:

• Post graduate qualification in a Scientific or Engineering discipline is highly desirable.
• Experience of managing others as a line manager, project manager or military leader.
• Experience in conducting Operational Analysis and with using a range of OA methods and tools.
• Knowledge of HK Air Defence Systems.
• Wide knowledge and experience of the MOD and Defence environment.
• Knowledge and experience of MOD Research and Development structures and processes.
• Experience of trials conduct/trials management.
• Experience in a deployed and/or front-line command military environment.
• Demonstrable experience and track record in technical leadership.
• Membership and/or accreditation with a professional scientific, engineering, or other relevant institution.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes £11,632 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.

This vacancy will require applicants to attend one interview. The interview will cover Civil Service Behaviours and Experience but will also consist of an opening presentation covering a short technical assessment that will be supplied two weeks prior to your interview.

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. (1000 words)

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

• Changing and Improving

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing 
• Delivering at pace 
• Developing self and others 

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.