About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Do you have experience working in a scientific or technical area? 

Are you able to build and maintain relationships strong working relationships with a range of stakeholders? 

Have you got experience of managing a fast-paced and complex portfolio of work?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Job description

The Transport Security Directorate (TSD) works across the Department for Transport, HMG, and with partners to mitigate the threats the transport sector faces domestically and internationally. We lead on high profile work to implement and improve the transport sector’s cyber security, maritime and aviation security regimes as well as working with international partners to raise global standards and build capability.

We are looking for individuals with a science background to join the National Security Science and Research (NSSR) Division of TSD. This is a very busy team working in a fast-paced environment. We provide evidence led scientific and technical advice across a wide range of disciplines, from physics and chemistry to engineering, human factors and ergonomics and support responses to security incidents on the transport network.

Your role will be to lead thematic transport security research and development projects and be a focal point between NSSR and our transport security policy teams. You will establish and run a range of technical projects that provide advice on understanding threats to transport and suggest and evaluate options for mitigating the threats or reducing their impact.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Be the subject matter expert for a specific research theme (actual technical area will be dependent on your skills and qualifications. Examples include; computational model design and interpretation, systems engineering, data management, threat detection equipment and algorithms, understanding threat and risk) across all transport modes, providing support and advice both to the NSSR division and policy colleagues.  
• Lead the commissioning, delivery and exploitation of transport security research and development projects.  
• Technically review and interpret data to make evidence -based recommendations to security policy leads.
• Develop effective partnerships with your expert counterparts across Whitehall Departments and intelligence agencies.
• Influence and leverage related research and development taking place internationally, including representing the UK at meetings with partner countries.

For more information, please see the attached Role Profile.

Person specification

To thrive in this role, you will:

• Have experience of working in a scientific or technical area, including leading or overseeing technical delivery.  
• Have an understanding of science and technology for security.  
• Possess the ability to manage team and stakeholder relationships. 
• Have experience of making effective decisions to deliver against requirements. 
• Have experience of communicating scientific principles to a non-technical audience.

Candidates will be expected to demonstrate their technical experience against the Government Science and Engineering Career Framework

Additional information

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in other DfT workplaces, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

This role will require UK travel approximately twice a month with the opportunity for occasional international travel. Travel expenses will be paid in line with department polices.

These roles require SC clearance, with the willingness to undergo DV clearance in the future if the role requires.

Open session

We will be holding a drop-in session for candidates to join and ask questions about the role on Monday 29th July, 13:00-14:00.

Please email Claire.franks@dft.gov.uk if you would like to attend.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

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.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement (750 words). Please tailor your CV to suit the role. For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Experience of working in a scientific or technical area, including leading or overseeing technical delivery.
• Experience of communicating scientific principles to a non-technical audience.
• Experience of making effective decisions to deliver against requirements.

The sift is due to take place week commencing 19th August 2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held from 9th September 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• A presentation and an interview.

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.  

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile and Government Science and Engineering Career Framework, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. 

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website. 

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

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

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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 had their employment continued. Any applicant’s 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.

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 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.