About the job

Job summary

Do you have a genuine interest in AI, Autonomy, and/or Robotics? Do you have a proactive attitude and the skills to make a difference to our Armed Forces?

 The Autonomous Systems Group offers a great opportunity to work at the leading edge of technology in the stimulating field of Robotics and Autonomous Systems. Our mission is to exploit the latest in robotics and AI to create effective and trustworthy uncrewed platforms, autonomous and counter-autonomous systems which provide state of the art capabilities for the UK’s Defence and Security.

 Our group comprises multi-disciplinary team members including Engineers, Scientists, Analysts, and Military Advisors. We act as advisors to the Ministry of Defence (MOD), Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and wider UK Government. Together we employ a wide range of skills, technologies, and techniques including systems engineering, trials and experimentation, computational modelling, and Operational Analysis (OA).

 Our work includes:

• Researching the utility of advanced AI and autonomy technology for defence and security applications
• Developing and evaluating new system concepts in military situations
• Providing evidence of military utility to help key decision makers make better evidence-based decisions across the Land, Sea, and Air domains including supporting operations

 Technical areas which we are recruiting into include:

• Collaborative Autonomous Systems (including Air, Land, Maritime, and multi-domain)
• Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (C-UAS)
• Trials Management and Delivery
• Human Autonomy Teaming

 Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

 We particularly welcome female and ethnic minority applicants and those from the LGBTQI community, as they are under-represented within Dstl at these levels.

Job description

All available roles require:

• Technical knowledge, skills and creativity to provide our customers with evidence-based advice
• Undertaking problem solving activities and implementing solutions
• Building and maintaining of strong working relationships with stakeholders, industry and academia

 Dependent on role, you may also:

• Find yourself involved with setting requirements for work to be delivered by our industry partners, and working alongside them to ensure successful delivery
• Working collaboratively with other Government labs across the world to deliver world class S&T
• Test and evaluate autonomous systems in realistic military exercises through war-gaming, synthetic environments and live trial exercises, often in partnership with the UK Armed Forces
• Lead, direct, and plan trials

 At higher levels:

• You will be a technical leader of Dstl engineers, scientists, and analysts
• You will be responsible for setting project technical direction, supervising progress and mentoring project team members on technical issues where appropriate including quality assurance of work
• You will take a leading role in customer engagement, understanding and deciding how to respond to their requirements
• You will have a good understanding of industry and their ways of working, including partnering with industrial suppliers

Safety

Level 4

• You will use safe working practices ensuring that you and your colleagues report on any unsafe practices, no matter how big or small. You will, follow safety guidelines, respecting and contributing to a strong Dstl safety culture.

Levels 5-6

• Pro-actively support safe working practices, appreciating the need for colleague welfare is the top priority for Dstl. You will take responsibility for working safely and report on any practices, no matter how big or small, to mitigate any potential risks.

Person specification

Of the roles available, the one which suits you best will depend on your own specific skills, interests and experience. Each of these will give you the chance to combine both your technical and interpersonal skills to make a difference to the Defence and Security of the UK. You will work side-by-side with highly motivated staff within Autonomous Systems Group, UK and international partners. There will also be opportunities for secondments and placements to our partner organisations.

Qualifications

Essential

• We expect you to hold a degree or have equivalent proven experience in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, computing or human sciences
• An interest in one or more of: Autonomous Systems, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning (ML)

 Desirable

• Systems Architectures, Engineering, or Integration
• Software Engineering
• Simulation and ‘digital engineering’
• Human Autonomy Teaming

 Essential Skills & Experience

• Excellent communication skills with an ability to adjust your style to the needs of different audiences
• Ability to build positive relationships with colleagues, customers and partners in other organisations
• Ability to work at pace to build innovative technical solutions across a range of subject areas
• Complex and non-routine problem solver, drawing together disparate information and making meaningful technical assessments, ideally in an engineering or technology environment
• Ability to demonstrate initiative and take ownership for key priorities and tasks

 Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be 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. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,620, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £9,111 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.

Sifting will take place week commencing 19th February 2024 with interviews to be arranged on: Wednesday 27th March 2024 and Thursday 28th 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.