Senior SEO Surveyor - External Monitoring and Assurance

Job summary

Do you want to work for an organisation where having a good work life balance is important?

Do you have excellent communication skills with ability to build relationships with a variety of stakeholders?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is seeking a Senior SEO Surveyor to join our External Monitoring and Assurance (EMA) team within the Maritime Governance and Regulatory Compliance Directorate.

The MCA implements the UK Government’s maritime safety policy, working to prevent loss of life and pollution at sea. The EMA branch provides assurance that external organisations, such as Classification Societies, Certifying Authorities, and UK Overseas Territories, comply with international and national standards. EMA team monitors and audits these bodies to ensure robust governance and adherence to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) codes, supporting the UK’s obligations as a flag, port, and coastal State.

You’ll work alongside experienced auditors and technical specialists, influencing policy and representing the UK in industry and regulatory forums. This is a unique opportunity to shape industry best practice, strengthen regulatory compliance, and contribute to safer seas worldwide.

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 and 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: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

As a Senior SEO Surveyor (External Monitoring and Assurance), you will contribute to meeting the EMA strategy for quality assurance of delegated statutory survey work carried out by ROs, CAs and other bodies with which MCA has an agreement in place to delegate survey and certification functions, and monitor ROs and CAs to ensure that the delegated survey works are discharged to consistently high standards in line with UK guidance and instructions.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

1. Contribute to meeting the MGRC strategy for quality assurance of delegated statutory survey work carried out by Recognised Organisations (ROs), Certifying Authorities (CAs) and other bodies with which MCA has an agreement in place to delegate survey and certification functions.
2. Lead on providing technical expertise for monitoring of ROs, CAs and other organisations involved in certification of UK flag ships to assure that all delegated survey work are discharged to consistently high standards in line with international requirements, UK guidance and instructions.
3. Undertake Vertical Contract Audits (VCA) of delegated survey work carried out by RO and CA Surveyors and lead/participate in other oversight activities such as regional monitoring, specialist monitoring, British Committee meetings and ship file reviews. Assess performance of ROs and CAs and follow-up where required to assure compliance with UK and international requirements.
4. Training & mentoring/coaching of Lead Auditors and External Compliance Officers within the MGIA team for the technical aspects of RO and CA oversight activities. 6. Where requested, lead on carrying out audits of ships enrolled under the MCA Alternative Compliance Scheme (ACS) and assess shipyards for building ships to UK flag under ACS.
5. Ensure that own continuous professional development is ongoing and own professional knowledge is up to date. Maintain a high level of technical knowledge of the UK Maritime legislation, Codes and guidance documents, and of MCA S&I activities. Acquire and maintain a high level of knowledge of IMO RO Code, IACS and Classification Society Rules, Regulations, processes, and procedures.
6. Provide technical expertise at internal and external meetings associated within areas of responsibility (Eg: REG-Technical Forum, REG-RO Monitoring Working Group, RO British Certification Committee (RO BCC), CA British Certification Committee (CA BCC): Arrange and provide briefing as requested for both internal and external fora; Represent MGIA as directed in industry and regulatory forums and work with other MCA or Government Departments in relevant groups/committees, and international/industry fora such as International Association of Classification Societies/ Quality Assessment and Certification Entity etc.
7. Lead in developing digital systems including fleet analysis to aide continual improvement and risk monitoring and performance of ROs and CAs.

Postholders are required to obtain and maintain Port State Control (PSC) eligibility to participate in the PSC Officer On-Call Rota

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

Essential qualifications/licenses:

1. A valid passport for international travel
2. A valid full UK driving license at the point of application
3. Please see Qualification listed below in more detail

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:

1. The post is open only to experienced MCA SEO Marine Surveyors (HQ or Marine Office) who have successfully completed their initial training and probation period with the MCA;
   
   OR
   
   
2. Senior Marine Surveyors experienced in classification and statutory surveys of Newbuilds and/ Existing Ships on behalf of one of the United Kingdom authorised Recognised Organisations.

Additional Information

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

Operational Delivery Profession

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.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week. This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Regular travel will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, 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 valid passport for international travel at point of application
A valid full UK driving license at the point of application

Qualifications

The minimum academic qualification required is one of:
Engineer: MCA recognised International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) III/2 Chief Engineer Unlimited Certificate of Competency; or
Nautical: MCA recognised STCW II/2 Master Unlimited Certificate of Competency.

MCA recognised means certificates issued by a country whose seafarer training is recognized by the UK. A list of those countries can be found on our website at www.gov.uk and search MCA CEC (those without UK issued STCW Certificates of Competency will need to complete UKLAP training at an early stage after entry).
or
Naval Architect: Honours Degree in Naval Architecture, Ship Science, Marine Engineering, Mechanical and Marine Engineering or Marine Technology;.
or
Ship Surveyor: Applicants without the qualification stated above may also be eligible if they are a Chartered Engineer (CEng) through the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA) or the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), but in such cases evidence of the equivalent level of learning plus relevant marine industry experience will need to be demonstrated to the satisfaction of an MCA S&I technical review panel.
And
In each of the above cases the stated qualifications need to be supported by `sufficient experience' in a managerial role on board ship or in a technical capacity of responsibility within the maritime industry.

`Sufficient experience' means experience in working in the marine industry in a capacity that develops and broadens the knowledge gained at qualification over a minimum of 3 years and is unlikely to be achievable in a period of less than 5 years. Whilst this time period is not fixed, it provides a benchmark for the likely time period to gain the breadth of experiences in a variety of situations which underpins the work of a Marine Surveyor. It is expected that the marine industry experience is in a field closely related to the work of MCA Surveyors.

As a source of detailed technical advice about straightforward and routine situations post-holders must demonstrate the technical competency levels specified for the post. Areas of technical competency are detailed in MCA document MSF 4989 which forms part of the Marine Surveyor Development Scheme (MSDS).

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Underpinning competencies (as detailed in the attached MCA Document MSF4989) – Level 3

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,793, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £16,163 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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: Interview and presentation

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

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

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (750-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• Knowledge of work of classification societies: Demonstrate technical and professional competency in survey, audit, and inspection activities, with a strong understanding of IACS and Classification Society processes.
  
  
• Qualifications & Breadth of Experience: Confirm qualifications equivalent to a Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) Senior Surveyors and five years’ experience as a Marine Surveyor, demonstrating the technical competency levels required for complex decision-making.
  
  
• Technical Advice: Provide examples of acting as a source of detailed technical advice about difficult and/or complex situations demonstrating your technical competency levels. Areas of technical competency are detailed in MCA document MSF 4989 which forms part of the Marine Surveyor Development Scheme (MSDS).
  
  
• Experience in working in the marine industry in a capacity that develops and broadens the knowledge gained. It is expected that the marine industry experience is in a field closely related to the work of MCA Surveyors.

The sift will take place week commencing 18/05/2026

Stage 2: Interview and presentation

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

Behaviours –

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Technical –

• Underpinning competencies (as detailed in the attached MCA Document MSF4989) – Level 3

You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess 'Experience: Demonstrable technical and professional competency in the primary area of effective oversight of Recognised Organisations (RO), Certifying Authorities (CA), and providing technical policy and decisions on RO and CA policies'. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place week commencing 01/06/2026.

This interview will be conducted in person at our Southampton Office - Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1EG. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

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.

Further information on the selection process

Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We will also hold a 12 month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

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.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service within the last 12 months, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage.

All 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.

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.

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 : HR Resourcing
• Email : hr.resourcing@mcga.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hr.resourcing@mcga.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

Senior SEO Surveyor (External Monitoring and_anonymous Opens in new window (docx, 63kB)Surveyor Technical Framework Opens in new window (pdf, 355kB)Annex E - SI Health Standards Opens in new window (pdf, 512kB)