SDA Structures Engineering Manager

Job summary

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is part of the Ministry of Defence and is responsible for the procurement, in-service support and disposal of the UK’s nuclear submarines. Our work is of unparalleled strategic importance nationally and internationally, ensuring the security of the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent (CASD) and delivering some of the most technically complex programmes in defence. At least one of four nuclear-armed submarines, supported by attack submarines, is on patrol at all times: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

At the SDA, we strive to Support, Deliver and Aspire and put our values at the heart of our recruitment process. We believe that everyone should feel comfortable to be themselves and be supported to do their best work. As part of a diverse and inclusive workforce, there are many communities that you can belong to. We believe that, by celebrating different backgrounds and different perspectives, together we’ll achieve the extraordinary.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

The successful applicant can choose between either MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol, or BAE Barrow In Furness as their primary delivery location.

Please note, due to the level of security, this role is reserved for UK nationals only.

Hybrid and flexible working can be considered for this post; however, the expectation is that post holders will work from an office or workplace location for at least 60% of their working time. Regular workplace attendance in Barrow In Furness Shipyard will be required due to security constraints. Candidates are encouraged to discuss options with the recruiting line manager before submitting an application.

Job description

The role sits within Design and Build Assurance, responsible for assessing design intent and the as-built product against Ship Specification requirements. The role supports acceptance of compliant products by providing technical assurance, scrutinising evidence, engaging with industry and stakeholders, and ensuring that design, build and acceptance activities are aligned to the required safety, functional and performance outcomes.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Lead on the development of structural requirements, including acceptance plans, performance criteria and draft specifications.
• Provide expert advice and guidance to solve complex technical problems and identify application risks relating to the design, integrity and assurance of submarine structures.
• Manage assurance and delivery of submarine structural designs as defined in assignment specification, including acquisition safety aspects and the technical requirements for the relevant acquisition lifecycle stage.
• Collaborate alongside other Engineering disciplines to deliver integrated system solutions.
• Produce and maintain functional design summaries to support understanding of design intent, functional performance and compliance evidence.
• Reviews Verification and Validation evidence to demonstrate compliance of the solutions for the safety, function and performance requirements.
• Production and Review of; non-conformances, change requests and concessions, ensuring appropriate technical assessment, decision making and control.
• Author, produce and maintain safety documentation to support platform certification activities, design assurance, acceptance and compliance demonstration.
• Produce technical assurance reports to confirm product compliance against requirements, including clear conclusions, supporting evidence and any limitations or residual risks.
• Hold Safety responsibilities via delegation.
• Monitor and implement any governance and assurance policies and procedures to ensure the ‘safe & professional’ status of the area led.
• Represent the Equipment Authority in matters relating to Common Missile Compartment structural systems, supporting informed decisions on design, build and acceptance.
• Interface with industry as the intelligent customer, both in a scrutiny role and in supporting the identification and management of application risks.
• Presenting work to design review panels and key stakeholders.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by the SDA Recruitment Team. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team via the Help link.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Membership of Chartered or Incorporated Engineer or has a demonstrated equivalent knowledge, skills, and experience and ability to obtain within 9 months.
• Relevant Level 6 (BSc, BEng or above) qualification or equivalent experience.
• Wide ranging depth and breadth of technical experience in structures with knowledge and application of Systems Engineering approaches.
• Experience of providing technical advice and leading the delivery of successful structural requirements outcomes.
• Willing and able to travel between sites to support build assurance and platform certification activities.

Memberships

Membership of Chartered or Incorporated Engineer or has a demonstrated equivalent knowledge, skills, and experience and ability to obtain within 9 months.

Evidence of the Membership will be required at interview.

All memberships declared must be held at point of application and be in date.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Application of Analytical Techniques - Practitioner
• Technical Decision Making - Practitioner
• Technical Requirements, Evaluation and Acceptance - Practitioner

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

• Application of Analytical Techniques - Practitioner
• Technical Decision Making - Practitioner

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,700, Ministry of Defence contributes £14,977 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).

• 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%

Discover My Benefits: Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD: https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

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.

At the Application Stage, you will be assessed against the following:

Experience:
• Personal Statement - This should be a maximum of 1000 words that sets out your career history and motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable requirements for the role.

Behaviours
• Communicating and Influencing (CSBC3)
• Leadership (CSBC3)

Technical skills
• Application of Analytical Techniques - Practitioner
• Technical Decision Making - Practitioner

At the Interview Stage, you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours
• Communicating and Influencing (CSBC3)
• Leadership (CSBC3)

Technical skills
• Application of Analytical Techniques - Practitioner
• Technical Requirements, Evaluation and Acceptance - Practitioner

Please refer to the Civil Service Behaviours here and the Technical Skills Framework and Success Profile documents attached.

The sift will be completed within 10 working days of the vacancy closing date. Interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed.

Requests to work flexibly and/or part time will be considered, taking into account business needs. Please note the salary will be pro-rata where part time hours are undertaken.

All employees joining Ministry of Defence who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period (unless otherwise advised) effective from the employment start date.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Check.

To be considered for this role, qualifications and/or memberships detailed must be held in full, prior to submitting your application.

This post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.

The post does NOT offer relocation expenses (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non-Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.

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.

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.

Please note the Civil Service Nationality Rules will also need to be met. The Civil Service Nationality Rules operate independently and in addition to the UK Immigration Rules and must be met before an individual can take up employment in the Civil Service. The Civil Service Nationality Rules do not apply to UK, Irish and Commonwealth nationals, or to those who are eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme but do apply to all other nationalities- including EU/EEA nationals who are ineligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. Making the Civil Service a Great Place to Work for Veterans - GOV.UK

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.

If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contactDBSFPCP-SRMResourcingSDA@mod.gov.uk

SDA Reward Offer - Working for SDA - Submarine Delivery Agency - GOV.UK

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.

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. 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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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

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 : Gareth Broadbent
• Email : Gareth.Broadbent100@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSFPCP-SRMResourcingSDA@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please see Further Information document.

Attachments

20240927_Submarine Structural Specialist_PII_SDA_Success Profiles_FINAL-O (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 145kB)20250604-Engineering Competence Framework-O (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 198kB)20241009 - Further Information - External (1) Opens in new window (docx, 38kB)Terms and Conditions (TACOS 2014) (1) Opens in new window (docx, 68kB)