Essex Police and Kent Police
Firearms Research and Development Officer (Headquarters, Chelmsford/Home Based)
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Location of Role: Chelmsford / Home Based Agile Worker Advert Closing Date: 11/09/2026 Starting Salary: £27,204.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies) Part/Full Time: Full Time Contract Type: Permanent Working Pattern: Mon-Fri Weekend/Evening Working: No
Role Overview
The role of Firearms Licensing Research and Development Officer (RDO) is to support public safety, ensuring all enquiries, checks, and assessments linked to firearms, shotgun, and explosives licensing are completed thoroughly and accurately in accordance with legislation, statutory guidance, and authorised professional practice.
Key Responsibilities
- Gather, review, and record relevant information from intelligence systems, partner agencies, medical professionals, and open-source checks.
- Identify and document risk indicators such as criminality, domestic abuse, mental health concerns, or signs of vulnerability, so appropriate investigative activities can take place.
- Apply professional curiosity with attention to detail, and awareness of information gathered to clarify and escalate where necessary, to enable a robust assessment to suitability.
- Prepare concise and accurate summaries of each application and assessed against a risk matrix or escalated with all relevant information to the decision maker to make lawful decisions.
- Action notifications of change of addresses and notice of sale or purchases of firearms and any other requests from the public, ensuring relevant checks are completed and a complete audit trail is maintained.
- Contribute to ongoing monitoring of certificate holders, checking information from incidents, intelligence, or partner agencies that may affect their suitability. Identify any threats or concerns and ensure relevant information is brought promptly to the attention of those with delegated authority so risks to public safety are addressed without delay.
- Have an understanding of the legal framework that governs firearms licensing, including Firearms Act 1968, Home Office; Statutory Guidance, Guidance on Firearms Licensing, and security requirements. The role requires the ability to interpret and apply this framework to day-to-day case files, and to ensure recommendations and assessments are fully aligned with national and force expectations.
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Candidate Requirements
- A basic understanding of Data Protection legislation and Firearms Licensing Law.
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to handle sensitive information.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills for engaging with internal teams and the public.
- Experience in managing deadlines and working within compliance frameworks.
- Comfortable working with volume data quickly and accurately.
- Be self-motivated, working independently with good problem-solving skills.
- Good IT skills, proficient with Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, and Office 365.
- Good standard of general education.
- One year’s experience of working in an administrative role in a busy office environment would be an advantage, ideally providing a high volume of service to the public.
Application Process
Your application for this role will be shortlisted based on the content you provide within the “reason for application” question, within the application form itself. CV’s, covering letters, or attachments are not included in the shortlist. Within your “reason for application” answer, please refer to any experience, skills, and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for this role, based on the role criteria stated in the job advert or job description. Please provide as much detail as possible as insufficient content may mean you do not meet the shortlisting criteria, however, please note this question is limited to 9000 characters and this system will count spaces and blank lines as characters. This count may differ from the Microsoft Word word count function; therefore, you may wish to use a different online character counter to check the characters used.
Depending on your current vetting level and security clearances, you may be required to complete additional vetting information during the recruitment process.
Equal Opportunities
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Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.
Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at recruitment.business.services@ecis.police.uk stating ‘Application Support and Adjustments’ in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833. Where appropriate, we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements, and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.
If you’re not from the UK, you must be a resident in the UK and have lived here continuously for the last three years. You must also be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain. If you’re from the UK, you must have lived here continuously for the last three years. This doesn’t apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces.
Disability Confident Leader
As a Disability Confident Leader, we:
- Have subjected our Disability Confident self-assessment to external challenge and validation.
- Are taking an active leadership role in encouraging and helping other employers on their journey to becoming Disability Confident.
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion are central to the values of our organization. At Essex Police, we value and embrace the unique experiences, identities, and abilities that each of us bring to our roles. We strive to empower everyone to bring their authentic self openly and safely to work.
Through the dedicated commitment of our support networks, DE&I team, and wider HR departments, we are on a journey to embed our DE&I commitments, ensuring Essex Police is an employer of choice; where everyone feels included.
Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer. Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.
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