Navy Develop Directorate – Disruptive Capabilities Technologies Office Project Engineer

Job summary

Do you want to be part of an exciting, fast-paced environment where you’ll have a front-row seat in developing the Royal Navy’s next-generation warfighting capabilities? Do you want to join a team that is driving innovation, transforming platforms and technology, and supporting Naval operations at home and across the globe?

Do you thrive in a culture that encourages creativity, embraces diversity, and fosters an inclusive, intellectually safe space where ideas can flourish? If your answer is yes, then the Develop Directorate could be the perfect fit for you!

The Develop Directorate is at the cutting edge of the Royal Navy’s mission to deliver a modern, global, and ready force. This high-profile, dynamic team is responsible for shaping the future of warfighting capabilities by acting as the Royal Navy’s thought leaders and Design Authority.

The Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office operates within the Develop Directorate of the Royal Navy The Develop Directorate acts as the thought leaders for the RN, leading the development of the Royal Navy’s future warfighting capability and acting as the Design Authority for RN capabilities of the future in order to achieve the optimum mix of present and future warfighting technologies for a modern, global and ready Royal Navy. Develop is divided into the following parts: Capability Planning, Capability Strategy, Aviation Futures and Programmes, Programme Launch SRO, DCTO (Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office) and Underwater Battlespace Capability.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The DCTO accelerates the exploitation of the most promising disruptive technologies into the hands of Royal Navy and Royal Marines end-users, thus enabling technological advantage over our adversaries. It aims to solve operational problems through the rapid development, testing and fielding of prototype capabilities, providing the leadership, network, finance and innovation ‘know how’ to deliver a solution. In achieving all of this, the DCTO takes calculated risks, both to deliver capability but also to learn, and operates within a robust yet proportional safety environment.

The Prototype Development Team, works collaboratively within Navy Command and with external partners to understand capability gaps which could be mitigated by novel technology. It develops prototypes which can then be fielded to the front line, in order to inform future requirements. The Team also contributes the RN’s overall pathway to develop fully autonomous Maritime systems.

DCTO Project Engineer leads and supports key technical projects throughout their lifecycle. They will do this by combining their existing engineering experience and utilising the knowledge of the DCTO stakeholder ecosystem, the capability sponsors within the Develop Directorate, DE&S, and Industry.

They will plan complex technical projects and monitor their progress with the project team; provide assurance that the project is under control and, where necessary, input into evidence-based recommendations for recovery plans in consultation with stakeholders.

Interwoven in all the responsibilities is for the role holder to maintain an inquisitive mind and passion for innovation to push DCTO’s project delivery to its best.

Person specification

• Lead and kick off key technical projects throughout their lifecycle. They will do this by combining their existing engineering experience and utilising the knowledge of the DCTO stakeholder ecosystem, the capability sponsors within the Develop Directorate, DE&S, and Industry.
• Plan complex engineering projects and monitor their progress; provide assurance that the project is under control and, where necessary, input into evidence-based recommendations for recovery plans in consultation with stakeholders.
• Make decisions on aspects of project control offering innovative solutions whilst remaining aligned to MOD and NCHQ policy and provide suggestions and advice on areas where policy does not exist.
• Ownership and management of project & technical risk, dependencies, and interdependencies between the DCTO Project Portfolio. In addition, maintain constant dialogue with all relevant areas of DEVELOP to be aware of any other dependencies, enablers, duplication or blockers in the wider ecosystem that could impact DCTO delivery
• Using technical expertise advise into and peer-review business cases, evidence and assurance to meet the approval strategy if applicable collating evidence and input from own experience to gain approvals for funding. Engaging with the capability sponsors to develop solutions and projects to address their problem set.
• Prepare senior stakeholder engagements about the DCTO Project Portfolio within NCHQ, across the MOD and wider Government community. Provide advice for external project reviews and reporting to achieve timely assessments and assurance of the project prior to key decision points if applicable. Analyse the outcomes of the reviews and develop plans to address recommendations.
• When required to provide a surge capacity in support of Agile methodologies, in order to accelerate a Develop priority.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

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.

As a Civil Servant in Navy Command, you will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career prospects, and a job that makes a difference. Navy Command prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other benefits for Navy Command Civil Servants include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Personal and professional development
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to a confidential, professional support service
• Discount schemes
• Bicycle / season ticket loans
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
• Special paid leave to volunteer up to 6 days a year.

In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking an apprenticeship as part of your role.

An apprenticeship is combined package of work and training. Through an apprenticeship you will gain professional knowledge, practical experience, and the broader skills required to upskill you in your current role and pave the way for your future career. Most of the training will be ‘on-the-job’ with the remaining ‘off-the-job’ training often delivered by a training provider. This means minimal disruption and maximum impact.

Professional qualifications can be achieved through an apprenticeship and range from Level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs), Level 3 (equivalent to 2 A Levels), and Levels 4-7, which can give you a foundation degree, a full Bachelor’s degree, or a Master’s degree.

Apprenticeships normally last between 12 months – 3 years, depending on the level of apprenticeship.

Anyone can undertake an Apprenticeship and everyone, regardless of age, can benefit from developing their skills in an accredited way.

Successful candidates can discuss their development options with their manager when in post.

Our headquarters in Portsmouth also offer an impressive range of on-site facilities including a gymnasium, tennis courts and other sporting facilities, a children’s nursery, a bistro restaurant, a shop and plenty of car parking spaces.

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.

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.

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 and Experience.

Personal Statement:

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (500 Words Max)

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

At interview, you will be assessed against the following:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

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 : Navy Develop Recruitment Team
• Email : NavyDev-recruitment@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

Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)22_0656 NC Applicant guide A4 - Digital Opens in new window (pdf, 2922kB)Candidate Information 2025 Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)