Defence Ordnance Munitions & Explosives Safety Regulator - Directed Energy Weapons lead

Job summary

The Defence Safety Authority (DSA) is responsible for the regulation of Defence Health, Safety and Environmental Protection, operating under a Charter from the Secretary of State for Defence (SofS). The DSA provides independent assurance, directly to the SofS, that the law is complied with and the policy on safety in Defence is being promoted and implemented whilst Defence activities are conducted. This regulation is achieved through proportional and appropriate evidence-based assessment of the activity that supports Defence’s operational imperatives. The DSA hosts Defence safety regulators across all operating environments, the Defence Accident Investigation Branch and a headquarters into a single independent organisation led by a 3* military officer.

The Defence Ordnance, Munitions and Explosives (OME) Safety Regulator (DOSR) is responsible for regulation of safety and environmental protection across Defence activities across a broad range of regulatory areas. These areas include the acquisition and in-service operational safety management of OME, Defence Ranges, where live-firing, trials and operation of OME take place, Major Accident Control on certain Ministry of Defence (MOD) establishments, designed to prevent major accidents involving dangerous substances and limit the consequences to people and the environment of any accidents which do occur, and military lasers including laser directed energy weapons, and radiofrequency directed energy weapons.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Are you enthusiastic about solving technically challenging problems, developing your skills in emerging and specialised technologies, and making a meaningful contribution to safety, sustainability, and responsible innovation? We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated individual with strong creative problem-solving abilities to join the DOSR as a Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) Lead. In this pivotal role, you will serve as the primary point of contact for DEW within the organisation, responsible for the technical authorship, review, and ongoing development of regulations and guidance relating to laser and radiofrequency weapon technologies and military lasers. This position offers a significant opportunity to influence and shape a rapidly advancing area of Defence capability

You will draw on your ability to “think outside the box” to address technically complex issues, while applying your understanding of OME Acquisition safety management principles and your working knowledge of laser / radiofrequency technologies, to ensure effective Regulation of DEW. Strong written communication, copywriting, and document development skills are essential, alongside the ability to interpret and clearly explain complex technical information to a diverse range of stakeholders.

We are looking for a dynamic individual with excellent leadership and communication skills, who can articulate purpose and direction with clarity and enthusiasm while building positive working relationships across the community. You will support national and international engagement by representing the organisation at meetings, forums, and working groups across government, academia, and industry. A proactive, innovative approach to change is vital, as is a commitment to continuous professional development.

This is a cross-cutting role within the DOSR, and you may also contribute to audit, assurance, and certification activities related to DEW and military laser systems. Although the post does not currently include line management responsibilities, it offers substantial opportunities to demonstrate leadership and influence within a developing and strategically important area. Your ability to lead by example, inspire confidence, and promote an inclusive and collaborative working environment will be central to your success. If you are ready to contribute to a high impact area of work and support the advancement of Safety and Environmental Protection in a rapidly evolving field, we would welcome your application.

Responsibilities:

TECHNICAL MAINTENANCE OF REGULATORY DOCUMENTATION:

• Undertake development of new regulations where required.
• Review and maintain regulations for military lasers, including laser directed energy weapons, and radiofrequency directed energy weapons, as published in DSA 02.OME.
• Review and maintain guidance material for military lasers, including laser directed energy weapons, and radiofrequency directed energy weapons, as published in DSA 03.OME.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND HORIZON SCANNING:

• Engage with National and International Stakeholders across government, industry, and academia, to ensure that DOSR remain current and relevant on military laser and DEW-related matters.
• Provide regulatory guidance to the Defence community on military laser and DEW-related matters.
• Conduct horizon scanning for new technologies and assessing their impact on current regulations and guidance.
• Facilitate DEW-related working groups and stakeholder engagement meetings.
• Represent DOSR at stakeholder engagement meetings.
• Provide regular updates to the DOSR Regs and Pubs Team and regular updates to the wider DOSR team when required. Support the ATL by covering Defence Safety Authority wide working groups on occasion.
• Support international relationships through representing the DOSR (and UK where necessary) at national and international meetings, forums, and working groups.
• Conduct horizon scanning for new technologies and assessing their impact on current regulations and guidance.

SUPPORT THE WIDER DOSR TEAM AND THE DSA:

• Support the DOSR Assurance Team by designing assurance programmes and undertaking audits in the DEW/OME acquisition space, contributing to the DSA’s Annual Assurance Report where required.
• Support the DOSR Permissions Team in the permissioning and certification of DEW and military lasers where required.

Person specification

Essential Experience

• Military or civilian experience with OME and OME Regulations, Legislation, Policy and/or Standards (DSA 02.OME, DSA 03.OME, ER 2014, DefStan 07-085, 00-035, JSP 815, 816, 375, 376, International Harmonized Standards).
• Experience of OME Acquisition Safety and Environmental Protection management.
• A working knowledge of lasers and/or radio frequency technologies.

Desirable Experience

• Experience of working with Laser and/or Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapons
• A Lead Auditor qualification.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• HS&EP Functional Competency: 7 – Stakeholder Engagement - intermediate
• HS&EP Functional Competency: 2 - Regulation and Permissions - intermediate

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%
• Alternative working practices.
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service.
• In addition to eight public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
• Minimum of 15 days special leave in a rolling 12-month period for voluntary military or emergency service reserve commitments.
• Special paid leave for volunteering up to 6 days per year.
• Employee Assistance Programme to support your well-being - a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment, which is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
• Onsite gymnasium (for a small monthly fee for civil membership of Civil Service Sports club).
• Loan to purchase a bicycle (Advance on salary).
• Defence sports and recreational association (DSRA).
• Access to Defence Discount Service and Blue Light Discount.
• Onsite nursery (Abbey Wood, Bristol).

Inclusivity Statement

The DSA and the Civil Service at large are strongly dedicated to promoting equal employment opportunity irrespective of your race, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, civil status, sex, or gender identity. Applications are welcomed and strongly encouraged from candidates of all backgrounds, and we are actively working to establish a diverse workforce across the entire organisation. We are delighted to announce that we are an Equal Opportunities Employer and that we recruit purely based upon the merit of each and every individual applicant.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

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 in no more than 250 words.

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

Behaviours

• Seeing the big picture
• Leadership

Technical Skills

• HS&EP Functional Competency: 2 - Regulation and Permissions
• HS&EP Functional Competency: 7 – Stakeholder Engagement

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles:

Behaviours

• Seeing the big picture
• Leadership

Technical Skills

• HS&EP Functional Competency: 2 - Regulation and Permissions
• HS&EP Functional Competency: 7 – Stakeholder Engagement

Please refer to the Technical Skills - Framework within the attached documents.

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.

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 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

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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 : Jocelyn Peach
• Email : jocelyn.peach108@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

HSEP Functional-Competency-Framework Opens in new window (pdf, 6340kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)