Marine Surveyor - Nautical

Job summary

Looking for an organisation that truly values work–life balance?

Whether you're an experienced maritime professional seeking a new challenge or a seafarer ready to move ashore, this is an excellent opportunity to join a diverse and dedicated team committed to improving maritime safety.

We offer a rewarding role with variety, development opportunities, and a clear career pathway.

We'd love to hear from you.

Location requirement: Successful applicants must live within a reasonable commuting distance of their agreed office location (within a 45-minute drive or 25 miles, whichever is less). Relocation costs are not available.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) implements the government’s maritime safety policy in the United Kingdom and works to prevent the loss of life and occurrence of pollution on the coast and at sea.

Safer lives. Safer Ships. Cleaner Seas.

Our vision is to be a world-leading organisation, accelerating the transition to sustainable shipping with non-negotiable safety standards. We put our people, our customers and our planet at the heart of everything we do.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at MCA Homepage , Civil Service Careershttps://careers.dft.gov.uk/mca/

Job description

Survey & Inspection at the MCA

Survey & Inspection is part of the UK Technical Maritime Services (UKTMS) Directorate within the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Our Marine Surveyors play a vital role in delivering the Government's vision for Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas, helping to maintain high standards of maritime safety and environmental protection across the UK.

The Role

As a Marine Surveyor, you will inspect, audit and survey ships and maritime operators to ensure compliance with UK legislation and international conventions covering safety, security, welfare and pollution prevention. Where appropriately qualified, you will also conduct oral examinations for seafarers, supporting high standards of competence across the industry.

A Varied and Flexible Career

This is a diverse role offering a mix of field-based, office and home-working activities. One day you could be inspecting a vessel in port, the next conducting an audit or examining seafarers. It's a rewarding opportunity to make a real impact on maritime safety while benefiting from flexibility and professional development

Key Responsibilities

• Inspect, audit and survey ships and maritime operators to ensure compliance with UK and international maritime regulations.

• Approve stability information, where qualified.

• Conduct seafarer oral examinations as a Nautical Examiner, where qualified.

• Carry out safety management audits under the International Safety Management (ISM) Code.

• Inspect ships and port facilities for compliance with UK legislation and international conventions.

• Undertake Port State Control inspections of foreign vessels as a qualified Port State Control Officer (PSCO), in line with the Paris MoU.

For more information, please refer to the role profile. The role profile is provided for information only; while all elements relate to the role, not all may be assessed during the recruitment process. The advert will clearly outline the criteria that will be assessed.

Person specification

Essential qualifications/licenses

1. A valid passport for international travel.

1. A full UK driving license.

1. Maritime Professional with the qualifications detailed in this advert.

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications/licenses at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

Required experience

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Proven experience as a Maritime professional, with the qualifications outlined in this advert

• Strong customer service skills

• The ability to make quick, effective decisions and manage a varied workload with competing priorities

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders

Additional Information

You will need to undergo a Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC) and provide proof of UK residency for the last three consecutive years.

At the time of employment, you must reside within a reasonable commuting distance (45 minutes’ drive or 25 miles which either is least) from an agreed location within the supported geographical area. Relocation costs are not supported.

Please note that this is a uniformed role, and uniform will be required to be worn at all times when on duty.

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake a physical medical for this role. Please see the attached document for further information.

Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest and most diverse professional community across the Civil Service. Many of us will have an association with several professional communities or specialisms, ODP applies to all public facing roles / or a role that is primarily aligned to supporting the work of those with public facing roles. All critical to the delivery of UK public services.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkR_okX2T1U

Working pattern and training:

Full-time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

During the first 12 months of the Marine Surveyor Development Scheme, the role is full-time only. Following completion of this initial training period, flexible working arrangements may be discussed with your local Marine Office.

We are committed to developing our Marine Surveyors to the highest standard. In return, we provide comprehensive, role-specific training through the Marine Surveyor Development Scheme. This includes a combination of formal courses and on-the-job training, delivered by experienced surveyors. Training may take place at any Marine Office across the UK.

Travel and working hours:

You will be required to travel on official duty within the UK, as well as undertake short-term visits overseas or offshore. This may involve overnight stays away from home.

Occasionally, you may be required to work outside of normal working hours.

Eligibility:

Please ensure you meet the eligibility requirements before applying. Due to the nature of this role, you must have resided in the UK continuously for the past three years. You will be required to provide evidence of this at the interview stage.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. Therefore, this role is not open to applications from those who require sponsorship – candidates must ensure they have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Licences

A full UK driving licence and a passport valid for international travel are required. This must be held at point of application.

Qualifications

Nautical Discipline - The minimum academic qualification required is one of: Nautical Surveyor: MCA Recognised STCW II/2 Master unlimited Certificate of Competency. MCA Recognised means certificates issued by a country whose seafarer training is recognised by the UK. A list of those countries can found on our website at www.gov.uk and search MCA CEC. (Those without UK issued STCW Certificates of Competency will need to complete UK LAP training at an early stage after entry).

Further details of essential minimum qualification requirements can be found on the Role Profile

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Understanding of the principles of the safe operation of large commercial ships - Level 2
• Understanding of the use of mandatory ships equipment on ships - Level 2
• Understanding of marine structural design and assessment on small vessels - Level 2

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,299, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £14,861 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).

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at MCA (opens in a new window).

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.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV and Personal Statement

Stage 2: Microsoft Teams Interview

Stage 3: Interview in Person

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following elements:

Experience - you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement on how your relevant experience meets the requirements of the role.

Within your CV please ensure you outline your previous jobs including the company you worked for, job title, length of employment and a brief description of your duties and responsibilities. In addition, please can you list any qualifications you have including the full degree titles.

For guidance on the CV please click the following link: Candidate Guidance for CV.

The sift will take place week commencing 24th August 2026.

Should you be invited to interview you will be asked to provide proof of your qualifications and licenses in advance, Failure to provide these or not meet the standard required in the advert may mean your application is withdrawn.

Stage 2: Interview (Microsoft Teams)

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Technical – Understanding of marine structural design and assessment on small vessels - Level 2.
• Technical - Understanding of the principles of the safe operation of large commercial ships - level 2.
• Technical - Understanding of the use of mandatory ships equipment on ships - Level 2.

As part of your interview you will be assessed against Marine Surveyor Competencies (Level 2).

The interviews will take place week commencing 7th September 2026.

This interview will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

Stage 3: Interview (In Person)

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours – Communicating & Influencing and Making Effective Decision.
• Technical – Understanding of marine structural design and assessment on small vessels - Level 2.
• Technical - Understanding of the principles of the safe operation of large commercial ships - level 2.
• Technical - Understanding of the use of mandatory ships equipment on ships - Level 2.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Interviews for this stage will be held in person, applicants that applied for locations in the North will be invited to our Glasgow office. Applicants that applied for locations in the South will be invited to interview at our Southampton office.

North - Aberdeen, Shetland, Whitby, Cleethorpes , Paisley, Beverley

South - Cardiff, Plymouth, Milford Haven, Southampton, Dover, Falmouth, Poole, Weymouth

The interviews will take place week commencing 21st September 2026.

Further information on the selection process

During your application, you should indicate which location(s) you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for each location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which locations you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for a location you have expressed a preference in or have expressed an interest in more than one location and accept an offer, you will be withdrawn from any lists you may be held on. We may also offer candidates a location that they have not expressed a preference for where we have the requirement to do so but this will again be done on the basis of your place in the overall merit order and, in this event, you will not be removed from the list if you decline.

If you choose to relocate, you must still reside within the 25mile/45 minute drive (at the time of appointment, whichever is lower) from the marine office you are posted to for contractual purposes. Any relocation is done at the individuals’ expense.

AI Tools and Platforms

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit theHow We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All External applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour

Threats or acts of violence

Illegal activity or substance misuse

Sexually explicit material

Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public.

Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle—it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture.

If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

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 counter-terrorist 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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : MCA HR Resourcing
• Email : HR.Resourcing@mcga.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/) to visit Civil Service Commission

Attachments

SEO Marine Surveyor (All Disciplines) - May 2025 (1) (1) Opens in new window (docx, 69kB)Annex E - SI Health Standards Opens in new window (pdf, 512kB)MSF4989 R09.22 Recruitment Opens in new window (pdf, 598kB)