About the job

Job summary

Do you have a background in a STEM subject or cyber-security, and have an interest in the responsible promotion of British exports? Are you someone who can learn at pace and is interested in challenging work?  A career as a technical advisor in the Export Controls Joint Unit (ECJU) maybe the ideal place for you!  

You will be part of a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers, called the Technical Assessment Unit (TAU), within the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). You will provide timely delivery of accurate expert technical advice relating to military and commercial items, across a wide range of industry sectors and areas of technology. This expertise is reached the first year of employment, where you will undergo an extensive training/ induction programme which will enable you to tackle even the most complex casework.  
  
ECJU is multi-disciplined team comprising of members from DBT, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). ECJU provides operational delivery and policy expertise on strategic export controls. Our mission is to promote global security and facilitate responsible exports by regulating the export of military and other sensitive goods and technology. In support of this, the Unit considers around 18,000 licence applications each year which account for at least £10 billion of export trade.  
  
ECJU also work closely with other parts of Government, including the HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC), Border force, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), to deliver one of the most rigorous and transparent export control systems in the world. We also support the activities of the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementations (OTSI) in their role as enforcers of sanctions legislation. The decisions made by ECJU are carefully scrutinised by Parliament, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and business.  
  
Your contribution will be significant in helping ensure that the UK Government delivers on its commitment to provide an efficient, rigorous and customer-friendly export licensing and compliance system.  

Job description

Although the position is desk-based, you may be expected to travel both nationally and internationally as part of ECJU commitments. Further, whilst we offer a hybrid working environment, you will be expected to spend some time each week at either the Darlington or London office, in addition to working from home. We value your STEM/ cyber-security expertise and as such, this is a designated post which attracts a specialist pay enhancement.  

As a Technical Adviser you will assess goods and items presented within export licences, general enquiries and HMRC enquires against relevant export control legislation. Further roles include:  

• Provide timely delivery of accurate advice to a number of government departments;  
• Collaborate, acquire and share knowledge both within TAU and wider; 
• Support development of new Export-Control workspace platform (LITE) 
• Undertake technical assessments across diverse disciplines including but not limited to military, nuclear, electronics, engineering, information/ cyber- security, communication, material science, biological materials, aerospace, marine and space;  
• Deliver in a customer-focussed environment;  
• Engage with colleagues across the national and international export-control community on technical and licensing issues, including MOD, FCDO, Home Office and various international export-control regimes; 
• Provide support to Business Awareness Unit (BAU) in the dissemination of training to exporters in export controls.

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

• A degree level or equivalent qualification in a STEM discipline or cybersecurity and able to demonstrate professional experience in applying their knowledge and expertise in a business, regulatory, research or advisory role.  

• Individuals will need to have, or be prepared to undergo, SC National Security Vetting clearance.  

Desirable Criteria  

• Experience in a regulatory environment would be a strong advantage, as will the ability to quickly acquire knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, and its application to potential exports. 

Personal Attributes & Skills 

• The candidate should utilise their knowledge in their own discipline (science, engineering or cyber-security) to support of their colleagues both within TAU/ECJU and wider in the Export Controls and Sanctions Directorate.
• The candidate should show willingness and resourcefulness to acquire knowledge and gain an understanding, at pace, in fields of science, engineering and technology that are unfamiliar to them.
• The candidate will need to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders with differing levels of technical expertise, adjusting their advice appropriately. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,858, Department for Business and Trade contributes £8,871 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.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:   

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement (500 word limit) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date though this is subject to change. 

In the event that there is a high volume of applicants, a short sift will be conducted based on Personal statement only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment: 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. 

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.  

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Candidate Support

You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.  

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department. 

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.   
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.  
• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.  
• Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty. Any applicant who has details held on the IFD will be refused employment.   
• A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.  
• Terms and Conditions are attached.  Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland/Access NI on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk 

Vetting

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.  

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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.