C5ISR SYSTEMS ENGINEER

Job summary

A unique and rare opportunity for a talented and experienced engineer to provide expert knowledge in command, control, communications, computers and cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) design to specialist users. The role demands rapid development and delivery of innovative, mission-critical solutions in dynamic environments. Working closely with stakeholders, the engineer translates operational needs into robust novel hardware and software driving capability forward at pace.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

As a Senior Executive Officer (SEO) C5ISR Communication Systems Engineer, you will play a critical role within our specialist electronics development team, delivering high-impact technical solutions at pace. You will be responsible for end-to-end design and development of bespoke electronic systems with a focus on command, control, and communications systems. These systems will be prototyped, manufactured and rigorously evaluated for operational use.

You will work closely with specialist users to capture technical requirements and translate them into functional designs. Your ability to understand the operational context and respond quickly to evolving needs will be vital. You will take ownership of the development process from initial concept and system design through to the final system, assembly and functional validation. You will be required to produce systems diagrams and have knowledge in areas such as IP schemas for networking of systems.

You will split your time between practical lab-based development with system-level thinking and higher-level business management including attending working groups and managing technical projects. You’ll have the opportunity to innovate and apply cutting edge techniques in communications, networking and cyber.

Collaboration is key – you will work alongside mechanical and other electronic to deliver integrated solutions that meet stringent performance, reliability and environmental standards. You will have direct responsibility for the line management of a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) electronics engineer and be responsible for providing SME technical advice to the specialist users and stakeholders.

This role offers the chance to directly influence front-line capabilities delivering novel technical solutions that solve real-world challenges. It is ideally suited to a proactive engineer who thrives in a fast-paced environment and takes pride in delivering high-quality results that make a difference.

You will have an OfQual level 6 qualification in electronics/communications engineering or a similar discipline. You will bring significant experience across many areas such as communications, networks, electronics design, and radios. This position is partly ‘hands-on’ and technical. You should not apply if you do not see yourself in an electronics laboratory at some point conducting hands-on duties such as soldering, writing software, or designing, building and testing all-up electronic systems.

Person specification

As an SEO C5ISR Communication Systems Engineer, you will be responsible for capturing and interpreting user requirements to inform the design and development of novel electronic systems. You will design communications systems and networks, producing schematics, systems diagrams and detailed documentation to support manufacturing. Working hands-on in the electronic lab, you will prototype and evaluate systems to ensure they meet performance and reliability standards in disciplines relating to the provision of C5ISR products, software, and their interaction and integration with other systems

You will collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams, including mechanical, software and electronics engineers to deliver integrated solutions. You will also work with partners across government and industry to maintain a technical advantage. Throughout, you will be expected to work at pace, balancing innovation with robust engineering practice to deliver capability that directly supports specialist user needs.

Essential:

You must hold a Full UK Driving Licence due to the site not being accessible by public transport.

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence- Due to the site not being accessible by public transport

Qualifications

OfQual level 6 qualification in a relevant Engineering discipline (e.g., BEng/Bsc).

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

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

• Applying Scientific and technical knowledge (The MOD Science and engineering professional framework)
• Securing, maintaining and developing relevant technical expertise (The MOD Science and engineering professional framework)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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%

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

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.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (750 Words)

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and Statement of suitability and the following:

Behaviours:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, a sift will be conducted on your CV only.

At interview, you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace

Technical Skills:

• Applying Scientific and technical knowledge (The MOD Science and engineering professional framework)
• Securing, maintaining and developing relevant technical expertise (The MOD Science and engineering professional framework)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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.

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, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) generates and operates specialist capabilities, ready to fight across all domains to make the UK secure at home and strong abroad.

Always on, we are across every UK operation, delivering the capabilities you don’t usually see - or those you can’t.

From cyber warriors and medics to intelligence analysts, special forces, educators, and Defence attachés, our collective expertise delivers the warfighting edge Defence needs to deter threats and secure the nation today and prepare for tomorrow.

CSOC unites Defence’s cyber and specialist capabilities under a single, military command alongside the Royal Navy, British Army, and the Royal Air Force - acting as the UK’s fourth Military Command. For more information, please see here.’

Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to design the way in which the new Military Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, posts within CSOC are/or may become subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

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 developed vetting (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.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

Apply and further information

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 : Civilian Workforce Adviser
• Email : recruiting-group-mailbox-hfd@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

Science_and_Engineering Opens in new window (pdf, 118kB)CSOC Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1777kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Resourcing Info Notice Opens in new window (docx, 237kB)