UK Ministry of Defence
Submarine Delivery Agency - Disposal Structure Engineer
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HMNB Devonport, Plymouth, PL5 1BL
Job Summary
The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is a part of the Ministry of Defence responsible for the procurement, in-service support, and disposal of the UK’s nuclear submarines. Our work is of unparalleled strategic importance nationally and internationally, ensuring the security of the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent (CASD), and delivering some of the most technically complex programmes in defence. At least one of four nuclear-armed submarines, supported by smaller attack submarines, is on patrol at all times: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
At the SDA, we strive to Support, Deliver and Aspire and put our values at the heart of our recruitment process. We believe that everyone should feel comfortable to be themselves and be supported to do their best work. As part of a diverse and inclusive workforce, our team will find a community to belong to. We believe that, by celebrating different backgrounds and different perspectives, together we’ll achieve the extraordinary.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
The primary delivery location for this position is HMNB Devonport.
Please note, due to the level of security, this role is reserved for UK nationals only.
Hybrid and flexible working can be considered for this post but will need regular workplace attendance due to security constraints. Candidates are encouraged to discuss options with the recruiting line manager before submitting an application.
Job Description
This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a collaborative environment, enjoys hands-on technical challenges, and is eager to grow their expertise in a specialised and highly respected field. If you want to be part of a team that makes a real difference in submarine safety, this role is for you.
As part of a unique and dedicated team, you will play a key role in carrying out structural inspections that are vital to the safety and structural integrity of submarines.
In This Position, You Will:
- Work closely with a specialised team, contributing your skills to inspect and assess submarine structures.
- Make important decisions that impact the integrity and safety of various submarine classes.
- Work with multiple stakeholders within the submarine community.
- Develop a deep understanding of all classes of submarine configurations, expanding your technical expertise.
- Build your knowledge and competence in structural SQEP (Suitably Qualified and Experienced Person) standards.
- Learn and apply a range of advanced structural inspection techniques to ensure hull material state and watertight integrity is maintained by provided thorough and accurate assessments.
- Experience offsite working opportunities, allowing you to engage with the wider submarine community and gain broader industry insight.
As the post holder will have access to very sensitive information, there are limitations on travelling to a small number of countries and we will undertake additional security checks as part of the recruitment process. Applications from candidates with close connections to certain countries may take considerably longer to process, or in some cases result in a withdrawal of an offer of employment. Further details will be provided at the conditional offer stage.
Person specification
For This Role, We Are Seeking The Following:
- Member of a relevant Professional Engineering Institute or equivalent body.
- Relevant Level 4 (or higher) qualification or equivalent experience.
- Experience of providing submarine structures advice and delivery of successful engineering outcomes.
- Technical experience in submarine structures in a variety of contexts.
- Feel comfortable working in confined spaces/enclosed areas.
- Able to climb ladders and work at height.
- Able to work in an industrial environment.
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Qualifications
- Relevant Level 4 (or higher) qualification or equivalent experience.
Memberships
- Member of a relevant Professional Engineering Institute or equivalent body.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Leadership
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- EFCF 3 Technical Requirements, Evaluation & Acceptance - Supervised Practitioner
- EFCF 4 Technical Decision Making - Supervised Practitioner
SDA Reward Offer
Alongside your salary of £41,200, Ministry of Defence contributes £11,935 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Discover My Benefits: Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD: https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/
This post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
At Sift, you will be assessed on your;
- Personal Statement - This should be a maximum of 1000 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable requirements for the role. Candidates will be required to provide job history and qualification details.
Behaviours:
- Working Together - CSBC3
- Communicating and Influencing - CSBC3
- Seeing the Bigger Picture - CSBC3
- Leadership - CSBC3
Technical:
- EFCF 3 Technical Requirements, Evaluation & Acceptance - Supervised Practitioner
- EFCF 4 Technical Decision Making - Supervised Practitioner
At Interview, you will be assessed on;
- Personal Statement/ Experience - The panel will ask questions about your personal statement. Exploring your Past Experiences, Key Achievements or Qualifications.
Behaviours:
- Communicating and Influencing - CSBC3
- Leadership - CSBC3
Technical:
- EFCF 3 Technical Requirements, Evaluation & Acceptance - Supervised Practitioner
- EFCF 4 Technical Decision Making - Supervised Practitioner
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Please refer to the Civil Service Behaviours here and the Technical Skills Framework and Success Profile documents attached.
Interviews will be conducted over Microsoft Teams.
Requests to work flexibly and/or part time will be considered, taking into account business needs. Please note the salary will be pro-rata where part time hours are undertaken.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into 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. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It 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.
Please note the Civil Service Nationality Rules will also need to be met. The Civil Service Nationality Rules operate independently and in addition to the UK Immigration Rules and must be met before an individual can take up employment in the Civil Service. The Civil Service Nationality Rules do not apply to UK, Irish and Commonwealth nationals, or to those who are eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme but do apply to all other nationalities- including EU/EEA nationals who are ineligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.
The post does NOT offer relocation expenses (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non-Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.
This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. Making the Civil Service a Great Place to Work for Veterans - GOV.UK
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.
There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.
If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact DBSFPCP-SRMResourcingSDA@mod.gov.uk
SDA Reward Offer - Working for SDA - Submarine Delivery Agency - GOV.UK
The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.
The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment,
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