About the job

Job summary

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is a part of the Ministry of Defence responsible for the procurement, in-service support, and disposal of the UK’s nuclear submarines. Our work is of unparalleled strategic importance nationally and internationally, ensuring the security of the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent, and delivering some of the most technically complex programmes in defence.

Here you’ll find a community to belong to – whether that’s alongside project teams with a shared vision or as part of an employee network of like-minded individuals. We believe that, by celebrating different backgrounds and perspectives, together we’ll achieve the extraordinary.

Discover more about our work:

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 27%, to help work work for you.

For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you have been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained, or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months.

Job description

Are you interested in working within a high hazardous environment, applying your systems safety knowledge to some of the most complex platforms in the world? If so, we have a fantastic opportunity to join the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) as an Electrical Engineer at MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol.

As an Electrical Engineer, you will find yourself joining our Design Authority for Electrical Systems team. The team are in charge of maintaining the design intent and safety of the electrical systems on our in-service submarines.

You will work with cutting-edge technology and a variety of specialist stakeholders to ensure our submarines can support the UK’s national security and other missions.

The team you are joining includes around 15 engineers, who all have different specialisations in electrical systems; these range from electrical power to control indication and software. This post will find you working across all these sections of the safety programmes, whilst maintaining the design standards and safety requirements for the electrical systems.

At the SDA, we champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be a minimum of 40%) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

Due to the nature of security requirements, these roles are open to sole UK nationals only.

What you’ll be doing

• Attend high-level hazard reviews to identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Conducting HAZIDs (Hazard Identifications)
• Reviewing and approving product safety alerts
• Briefing with the Engineering System Owner (ESO) about safety issues in advance of the platform safety committee meetings
• Serve as a quorate member of the HRG (Hazard Review Group) contributing to the review and management of identified hazards.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• You will hold a relevant HNC (i.e., Level 4 or higher) qualification in an Electrical Engineering or closely related subject
• You will have experience working within a high hazardous industry for example submarines or nuclear power
• You will have experience working with high power electrical systems
• You will hold Incorporated Engineer or Chartered Engineer status or have demonstrated equivalent knowledge, skills and experience

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Complies with Sys Safety requirements – Practitioner
• Technical Decision Making – Practitioner
• Communicating and influencing – CSBC3
• Changing and improving – CSBC3

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,500, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,015 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

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Offering at a lower level
If you’re not successful at interview, we may offer you a role at a lower level if this is a match for your skills and experience. If this applies to your application, you’ll be scored against criteria for the lower-level role and offers will be made in merit order. If you accept this position, you’ll be able to take advantage of opportunities to develop your career as part of our team.

Security

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.

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.