About the job

Job summary

Number 1 Radio School (No.1 RS) is the home of training for the Royal Air Force (RAF) Cyberspace Profession and the foremost provider of education to the Service’s Information & Communications Technology (ICT) specialists, in addition to selected Royal Navy, Army and civilian personnel.

Structured under the Defence School of Communications & Information Systems within the Defence College of Technical Training, No.1 RS is a historic and venerable military training institution whose origins in the field of communications education can be traced back in excess of 100 years.

No.1 RS trainers are a 'whole-force' mix of Armed Services (predominantly RAF) and Civil Service instructors/lecturers, who deliver world-class technical training to a broad audience of students across a varied ICT curriculum.

Specialist Instructional Officers (SIOs) deliver ICT technical training to Phase 2 (initial technical) and Phase 3 (pre-employment/career) students/trainees, who are either beginning their Service careers or undertaking training for specific roles they are due to be assigned into.

SIO roles are incredibly interesting and rewarding opportunities for dedicated and focused civil servants to shape and nurture the next generation of Service ICT specialists and enhance the skill sets of personnel returning to No.1 RS for additional learning.

These positions are advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Very exciting opportunities have arisen to join No.1 RS at a key point in the evolution of this historic military training institution. Established over a century  ago, No.1 RS is highly-regarded by an extensive range of stakeholders for the quality of its training and the dedication of its instructional staff, who fully embody the school's legendary motto: 'Thorough'.

No.1 RS is currently recruiting for three ICT SIOs, who will work in the school’s  Training Delivery Squadron and be responsible for providing Phase 2/3 training to students/trainees in communication systems and engineering management.  

Subjects covered include:

• CISCO IT Essentials
• CISCO Introduction to Networks
• MS Server
• MS Power Platform
• Databases
• Linux
• Python Programming
• Cyber Security
• Cryptology / Secure Communications
• Data Communications theory
• Engineering principles
• Radio and Satellite Communication principles
• Scheduled and unscheduled system maintenance
• Installation and manufacture fundamentals for both copper and fibre optic networks
• Test and measurement equipment and trade skills/tools.

Experience within any of these disciplines is highly desirable. In addition, SIOs are responsible for supporting the creation, maintenance and updating of course documentation and functional training equipment.

Further ICT SIO vacancies may arise within No.1 RS over the coming year and a reserve list is intended to be compiled to support this eventuality. Any additional experience held by applicants should be articulated within their CV and Statement of Suitability.

Person specification

Specific duties of a No.1 RS SIO include:

1) The delivery of ICT technical training in accordance with established governance frameworks and line management direction.
2) Monitoring student performance and engaging with Trainee Development Co-ordinators as required.
3) Reviewing and developing course content and learning material, including the creation or enhancement of Virtual Learning Environment content.
4) Participation in Learning Assessment & Support and continuous professional development activity, in support of school and college transformational priorities.

Please note that successful candidates for No.1 RS SIO positions are required to obtain Disclosure & Barring Service (formerly Criminal Records Bureau) Standard Clearance.

The Ministry of Defence offers a range of flexibilities to enable a better work-life balance for employees. Alternative Working Patterns, in accordance with policy, will be considered where it can be accommodated by the business, but there may be occasions when a presence onsite during standard working hours may be required. All working patterns and flexibilities are subject to agreement with the Line Manager.

External recruits who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,300, Ministry of Defence contributes £7,641 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 is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Developing Self and Others

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Developing Self and Others

As per the MOD Specialist Instructional Officer (SIO) Professional Group Management Practices document (attached) for SIO recruitment:

"Selection for appointment must be through a trade competency test, and formal interview, which will include a short presentation by the candidate on a subject relevant to the post."

The selection process will be via Formal Interview and a short presentation.
The Trade Competency Test will only be sat by the successful candidates and will contain sections on the following areas;
Administer a Client Computer, Administer a Communications Network, Administer a Radio Network, Administer Server Systems, Applying Engineering Practices and Health and Safety.
This test is designed to ascertain the experience levels of the candidate and is not a pass/fail exercise.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include: job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be assessed on Success Profiles.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability of no more than 500 words.

Sift for vacancy will take place week commencing 12 Feb 24.

If a large quantity of applications are received the sift will be based on CV, Statement of Suitability and Behaviour 1 (Communicating and Influencing) only.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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.

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

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

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.