Operations Support Scientific Adviser

Job summary

Do you want to support the Royal Air Force (RAF) – the air and space force of the Ministry of Defence?

The RAF’s success depends on their people – the Whole Force – regular and reservist military, civil servants, and contractors, all working as one, working together seamlessly. Civil servants are a central part of this Whole Force, undertaking essential work and contributing to the RAF’s mission and values. The role of civil servants in Defence is more vital than ever – now and for the future.

The Air &Space Warfare Centre (ASWC) Operational Research Branch (ORB) provides high quality, impartial and operationally focussed scientific, analytical and technical advice to enhance the warfighting capability of all elements of UK air and space power.

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled individual, with proven management experience, technical knowledge and analytical skills, to play a key role in shaping the direct analytical and technical support to RAF’s front-line capability in current and future operations.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Air & Space Warfare Centre (ASWC) Operational Research Branch (ORB) has several teams, each headed by a Grade 7. As one of these, Operations Support Scientific Adviser (Ops Sp SciAdv) is responsible for the coordination and management of operationally focused work, located within Air Command HQ. As one of eight Grade 7 staff within the ORB, the incumbent is a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The role requires DV STRAP security clearance.

The post is responsible to the ORB Senior Scientific Adviser.

Person specification

As Operations Support Scientific Adviser you will be responsible for:

• Provision of scientific advice and expertise within Air Command (principally 2 Gp and 11 Gp) and Space Command
• Provision of assurance of 11Gp and Space Command analytical products and capabilities.
• Monitoring and assessing parachute safety data
• Continual assessment of data on aircraft serviceability across the fleet
• Assessing effectiveness of contractual frameworks.

Qualifications

Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree in a scientific, engineering, or other numerical subject.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Achieving impact with analysis
• Knowledge and application of OR skills and techniques

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 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).

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Holiday Entitlement - 25-day annual leave allowance per year increasing by 1 day per year (maximum 30 days per year). In addition, 8 statutory Bank Holidays and 1 privilege day per year. MOD recognises the diverse religious origins within its workforce and seeks to accommodate individual leave requirements.
• Special Paid Leave to volunteer up to 6 days a year.
• Flexible Working - Full time staff will work 37 hours a week but have some flexibility of when they complete these hours. It is also possible to work part time. There are a variety of working patterns used by staff in MoD such as: hybrid, reduced hours, compressed hours, and term time working.
• Learning & Development - MoD aims to provide its civilian staff with 5 days a year of Learning & Development (L&D) tailored to your role, delivered through a combination of high-quality training courses and informal opportunities.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• Access to retail and service discounts.
• Health and Wellbeing – we offer staff the use of the onsite gymnasium facilities with annual membership on par with commercial monthly ones.
• We also offer an excellent range of family-friendly benefits, for example, improved parental and adoption leave.

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 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.

An opportunity to be considered for Reward and Recognition.

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.

Please fill out the personal statement section stating how your skills and experience fit the requirements for the role. Applicants can also provide a brief outline of what technical skills you are able to bring to the team and how you feel they will benefit the ASWC.

Candidates will be required to provide a personal statement. (250 Word count)

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, personal statement and the following:

• Working Together
• Communicating and influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Technical skill 1 - Achieving impact with analysis
• Technical skill 2 - Knowledge and application of OR skills and techniques

Technical skills are based on UK Government Operational Research Service (GORS) Technical Framework 2025 (link here).

At interview, candidates will be assessed on:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Technical skill 1 - Achieving impact with analysis
• Technical skill 2 - Knowledge and application of OR skills and techniques

In person interviews will take place at RAF High Wycombe.

A GORS badge is not required for this post. However, arrangements can be made for continued membership while in post.

Post is reserved for Sole UK Nationals only.

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 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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into 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 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 : Simon Kippin
• Email : simon.kippin258@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

20230201 - Air Command's Applicant Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 499kB)GORS_Technical_Framework_2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 545kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)