Submarine Delivery Agency - Sensors Technical Lead

Job summary

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is a part of the Ministry of Defence 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 smaller 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, our team will find a community to 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 primary delivery location for this position is Bristol Abbey Wood.

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 but will need regular workplace attendance due to security constraints. Candidates are encouraged to discuss options with the recruiting line manager before submitting an application.

Job description

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is responsible for delivering safe, reliable and capable nuclear propulsion systems that power the Royal Navy's submarine fleet, supporting the UK's defence and national security.

We are seeking a Sensors Technical Lead to provide specialist engineering leadership for the sensors and instrumentation used within Royal Navy submarine nuclear reactors. Working across submarines in design, build and in-service phases, you will play a key role in ensuring the integrity, reliability and performance of systems that are critical to nuclear reactor operations

This is a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of UK defence engineering, collaborating with industry partners, technical specialists, the Royal Navy and multidisciplinary teams across the SDA. You will influence the design and approval of sensor systems, support the resolution of complex engineering challenges, and help deliver innovative solutions throughout the submarine lifecycle.

Key responsibilities include:

• Acting as the technical authority for reactor sensor and instrumentation systems.
• Reviewing and approving designs and safety-critical documentation.
• Leading the resolution of technical issues affecting submarines in design, build and service.
• Supporting design changes, obsolescence management and concession approvals.
• Working closely with suppliers and stakeholders to ensure engineering solutions meet operational and safety requirements.

Whether your experience comes from nuclear, defence, aerospace, energy, process control, instrumentation or other highly regulated engineering environments, we are committed to supporting your development. Comprehensive training, mentoring and on-the-job learning will be provided to help you build expertise in submarine nuclear propulsion, safety and governance.

As you develop within the role and demonstrate competence, you will be granted delegated authority, providing significant responsibility for approving engineering documentation, design changes and concessions across multiple submarine classes. This offers a rare opportunity to become a recognised technical authority within one of the UK's most complex engineering programmes.

This post is on the MOD Civilian Nuclear Post Control List (PCL) and may attract the Nuclear Recruitment and Retention Allowance (RRA). This is a discretionary allowance. The post being listed on the PCL does not mean that the post holder will have an automatic entitlement to receive the RRA. The NSQEP RRA is not a contractual allowance and can be amended or withdrawn without notice in line with MOD Main and Submarine Delivery Agency policy.

This post attracts the NSQEP recruitment retention allowance of up to £16,000 per annum. This allowance is discretionary and is dependent on a candidates ability to successfully demonstrate and evidence their competence, qualifications and experience to an independent panel of Subject Matter Experts.

As the post holder will have access to very sensitive information, there are limitations on travelling to a small number of countries and we will undertake additional security checks as part of the recruitment process. Applications from candidates with close connections to certain countries may take considerably longer to process, or in some cases result in a withdrawal of an offer of employment. Further details will be provided at the conditional offer stage.

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

For this role, we are seeking the following:

• A strong engineering background, with experience working with safety-critical sensors, instrumentation, control systems, electronics or related technologies within a highly regulated environment.
• Experience within the submarine or nuclear sectors would be advantageous, particularly an understanding of their unique engineering and safety requirements. However, this is not essential, and appropriate training and support will be provided.
• The ability to assess and understand technical risk, using available evidence and professional judgement to make sound, proportionate engineering decisions.
• Strong collaborative and communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across multidisciplinary teams and the wider enterprise. You will be comfortable presenting complex technical information to engineering colleagues and communicating key information clearly to non-technical stakeholders.

Essential Criteria:

We are looking for engineers who can demonstrate the following:

• Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng), or equivalent professional registration, or the ability to achieve this within 12 months of appointment.
• A Level 4 qualification (HNC or equivalent) in an engineering or scientific discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience of sensors, instrumentation, control systems, electronics or related technologies within a safety-critical or highly regulated environment. We welcome experience gained across sectors including nuclear, defence, maritime, aerospace, rail, energy, oil and gas, or other comparable industries.
• The ability to assess technical risks and make sound, proportionate engineering decisions using available evidence and professional judgement.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to explain complex technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience of working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, suppliers and stakeholders to deliver successful engineering outcomes.
• Experience of providing technical advice and resolving engineering challenges while supporting the delivery of complex projects or programmes.
• A broad understanding of sensors, instrumentation or related engineering systems, with the ability to apply technical knowledge to practical engineering challenges.
• The ability to meet the security requirements associated with the role.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Leadership

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• EFCF 3 Technical Requirements, Evaluation & Acceptance - Practitioner
• EFCF 4 Technical Decision Making - Practitioner
• EFCF 5 Technical Risk Management - Practitioner

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

• EFCF 4 Technical Decision Making - Practitioner
• EFCF 5 Technical Risk Management - Practitioner

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £48,700, Ministry of Defence contributes £14,108 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 Sift, you will be assessed on your;

Personal Statement - This should be a maximum of 1000 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable requirements for the role. Candidates will be required to provide job history and qualification details.

Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Technical:

• EFCF 5 Technical Risk Management - Practitioner
• EFCF 4 Technical Decision Making - Practitioner

At Interview, you will be assessed on;

Personal Statement/ Experience - The panel will ask questions about your personal statement. Exploring your Past Experiences, Key Achievements or Qualifications.

Behaviours:

• Changing and Improving
• Leadership

Technical:

• EFCF 5 Technical Risk Management - Practitioner
• EFCF 4 Technical Decision Making - Practitioner
• EFCF 3 Technical Requirements, Evaluation & 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.

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.

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.

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 : SDA HR Recruitment
• Email : SDA-HR-WorkforceResourcePlanning@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Please see Further Information document.

Attachments

20240927_Professional Engineer_PII_SDA Success Profiles_FINAL-O Opens in new window (pdf, 140kB)20250918-SDA-Engineering-Technical-Competences Opens in new window (pdf, 613kB)Terms and Conditions (TACOS 2014) (2) Opens in new window (docx, 55kB)20241009 - Further Information - External (1) Opens in new window (docx, 38kB)