Small Craft Surveyor - Ship

Job summary

Can you apply your maritime expertise to help keep people safe at sea?

Do you have a passion for high standards and maritime safety?

Have you got the technical expertise to make a real difference?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Survey and Inspection function sits within the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s UK Technical Maritime Services Directorate. It supports the Government’s ambition for safer ships and cleaner seas by ensuring high standards of maritime safety and environmental protection. Through a national network of Marine and Satellite Offices, the business area delivers vessel surveys and inspections, certification and regulatory services to customers and maritime stakeholders. Its work ensures compliance with UK and international safety, security and anti-pollution requirements while providing a consistent, professional and customer-focused service

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 Small Craft Surveyor, you will survey and inspect small and non-convention vessels, ensuring compliance with UK and international safety, security and environmental standards. You will issue certification, provide expert technical advice to vessel owners and industry colleagues, and support consistent, high-quality survey and inspection services across the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

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

1. As directed by the Technical Manager (TM) or Principal Marine Surveyor, the post-holder will give training to, or mentor/coach Marine Surveyor colleagues on specified areas of MCA Survey and Inspection (S&I) activities to ensure implementation and enforcement of those activities is consistent and in accordance with MCA standards and guidance.
2. Carrying out surveys in all but the most complex cases leading to the issue of statutory certificates for small/non-convention vessels. Acting as lead surveyor in all but the most complex cases, including issuing certification, providing advice to the public and colleagues, approving ships plans, investigating complaints and witnessing stability measurements of small vessels.
3. Carrying out inspections of small/non-convention vessels and port installations in all but the most complex cases to ensure compliance with international conventions and UK statutory requirements (e.g., general inspection of UK small/non-convention vessels.
4. Providing advice to industry and the public in accordance with MCA policies, including as point of contact for technically related communications with designated companies or individual vessel owners. Contributing to the management, provision and delivery of a first-class survey and inspection service by the Marine Office to customers and stakeholders of the MCA’s maritime services. Working with the Business Manager (BM) and the MO Technical/Business Delivery Teams in providing a customer service experience that both meets and manages customer expectations and contributing to the delivery of a regulatory climate that is clear, consistent, and supportive of UK maritime industries.
5. Assisting the TM with the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the MO by maintaining accurate and up-to-date personal training and competence records. Completing training and development opportunities satisfactorily to ensure skill and capability profiles are maintained in accordance with the direction of the TM and Line Manager, and to ensure that the post-holder maintains competence, impartiality, and integrity by undergoing agreed MCA peer review/activity monitoring processes.

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

Required experience:

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

1. Proven experience as a Maritime professional, with the qualifications outlined in this advert
2. Strong customer service skills
3. The ability to make quick, effective decisions and manage a varied workload with competing priorities
4. Excellent communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders

Additional Information

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 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.

Weekly travel to other offices 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.

Security Checks

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 CTC.

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.

Licences

A valid passport for international travel
A full UK driving license

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.

Qualifications

An engineering degree accredited by IMarEst, IMechE as meeting the academic qualifications for Incorporated Engineer.
Applicants without the qualification stated may also be eligible if they are Incorporated Engineer (I.Eng) through the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEst) or Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), 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.
The MCA would welcome applications from candidates with HND qualifications and relevant marine experience in small commercial craft, who should note the Engineering Council requirements for qualifications that may lead to I.Eng.
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 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 period is not fixed, it provides a benchmark for the likely 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 very closely related to the work of MCA Surveyors.

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 mandatory ship equipment usage.
• •Understanding of marine structural design and assessment for small vessels.
• •understanding of Fishing Vessel types, design arrangements and operations

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,330, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £11,973 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

Stage 2: Interview

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 elements:

Experience - you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) 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.

The sift will take place 18th November

Stage 2: Interview

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

• Behaviours – Making Effective Decisions and Communicating and Influencing
• Technical – Understanding of mandatory ship equipment usage. Understanding of marine structural design and assessment for small vessels. Understanding of Fishing Vessel types, design arrangements and operations

Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place week commencing 30th November

This interview will be conducted online via Microsoft Team. 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

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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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 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 : 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

Surveyor Technical Framework (4) Opens in new window (docx, 85kB)Small Craft Surveyor (All Disciplines) SHEOSUR - Oct 26 Opens in new window (docx, 67kB)Annex E - SI Health Standards Opens in new window (pdf, 512kB)