Senior Sonar Systems Scientist

Dstl Portsdown West, Fareham,

At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location; Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner’s premises for 60% of your working time. Where business needs allow, and with the agreement of your line manager, there may be the option for a combination of workplace and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement.

Job Summary Our armed forces are facing a challenging, dynamic, evolving threat environment where modern threat platforms and systems present a significant challenge to the freedom of action and manoeuvre of UK maritime platforms in an increasingly contested underwater domain.

This role sits within the Sonar Systems team and you will bring your scientific knowledge and skills to maximise operational effectiveness for UK maritime platforms. Your work will have a direct impact on frontline operations.

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.

Job Description This role requires collaboration with other government departments, agencies, industry and academia. Within the team you will have the opportunity to shape and drive your future career and became an expert in your field.

In This Role You Will:

• Work within a team of acoustic analysts, scientists, modellers and marine architects / engineers on a varied portfolio of scientific engineering activities.
• Advance work in acoustic signature analysis, software modelling tools, the understanding of oceanic environments, underwater acoustics and acoustic modelling, together with those physical attributes of naval architectural designs that affect the acoustic signature.
• Support acoustic analysis by providing modelling solutions and studies through scientific engagement by collating and exploiting physical and scientific evidence.

For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. This role requires collaboration with other government departments, agencies, industry and academia. Within the team you will have the opportunity to shape and drive your future career and became an expert in your field.

In This Role You Will:

• Work within a team of acoustic analysts, scientists, modellers and marine architects / engineers on a varied portfolio of scientific engineering activities.
• Advance work in acoustic signature analysis, software modelling tools, the understanding of oceanic environments, underwater acoustics and acoustic modelling, together with those physical attributes of naval architectural designs that affect the acoustic signature.
• Support acoustic analysis by providing modelling solutions and studies through scientific engagement by collating and exploiting physical and scientific evidence.

For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification

You will hold an honours degree or masters (or equivalent recognised professional/vocational qualification) in a scientific, numerical or engineering discipline. You will have a strong scientific background and proactive approach to problem solving and the ability to work innovatively. You will be a strong communicator and have excellent interpersonal skills.

For more information on the essential criteria for this role, please see the job profile attached below. 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.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Please provide evidence to support how you meet the essential and desirable technical skills criteria outlined in the Job Profile
• Please provide evidence to support how you meet the essential and desirable experience criteria.

Alongside your salary of £50,066, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £14,504 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).

Benefits Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

• Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.
• Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).
• Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.
• Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.
• Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.
• Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid
• Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.
• Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.

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.

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 [email protected] and we will do all we can to support you.

If you are a current Dstl employee you must ensure your line manager is aware of your application and the potential situation regarding release dates.

At the application stage, we will assess your submitted application against the essential criteria set out in the job profile.

Sifting will take place from the 30th October with interviews to be arranged from the 25th November, interviews will take place virtually via MS Teams.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact :

• Name : Dstl Recruitment Team
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Should you wish to raise a formal complaint about the Dstl recruitment process you should email [email protected] stating the nature of the issue. We will respond within 5 working days.