Positioning, Navigation & Timing (PNT) Modelling & Simulation Scientist/Engineer

Details

Reference number

488786

Salary

£41,431 - £47,139
Salary will be dependent on skills and experience.

This role may benefit from our new skill-set allowance. If you possess a specialist skill-set required at Dstl, you may benefit from additional monetary allowance in addition to your salary – a handy bonus for your craft! (£1,000-£4,500 per annum). This allowance is payable just 3-months from joining.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP

Job grade

Senior Executive Officer
Level 5

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

CDO - S&T Delivery - Digital Advantage C4ISR

Type of role

Science

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

  • Location
  • About the job
  • Benefits
  • Things you need to know
  • Apply and further information

Location

Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JQ

At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location; Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner’s premises for (options 100% etc. complete as appropriate with minimum being 60%) of your working time. Where business needs allow, and with the agreement of your line manager, there may be the option for a combination of workplace and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement.

About the job

Job summary

Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capabilities are critical to Defence's ability to understand, decide and act in increasingly contested environments. This role delivers technical research and analysis through the development, application and exploitation of modelling and simulation tools to assess current and future PNT capabilities. Working alongside specialists from across Dstl, industry and academia, you will use modelling, simulation and data analysis to investigate complex technical challenges and generate evidence that informs Defence decision making. The role combines technical delivery, analytical problem solving and scientific rigour to support the development of resilient and assured PNT capabilities for the UK.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution



Job description

This role is focused on using modelling and simulation to support the development and assessment of Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) technologies for Defence applications.

  • You will build, modify and apply models to investigate how PNT systems perform in a range of operational scenarios, analysing complex data and simulation outputs to provide robust technical evidence and recommendations.
  • Evaluate models developed both internally and externally, assessing their assumptions, limitations and suitability, while contributing to model verification, validation and technical assurance activities.
  • Work closely with scientists, engineers and analysts across Dstl, industry and academia to deliver multidisciplinary research, as well as communicating technical findings through reports, presentations and briefings to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
  • Be expected to stay up to date with emerging PNT technologies, modelling techniques and software tools to help address evolving Defence challenges.

For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who has:
Experience applying modelling and simulation techniques within a scientific, analytical or engineering environment. You will possess strong programming skills and be confident analysing complex data to deliver robust, evidence-based recommendations. With an understanding of simulation methods, statistical analysis, verification and validation, you will be able to assess model outputs critically and apply sound judgement.
Preferably you will have some knowledge of Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems and technologies although this is not essential.

For more information on the job profile, see the job profile attached below.

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Qualifications

Degree or equivalent professional experience in Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science or another relevant STEM discipline.

Behaviours

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

  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

Benefits

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

  • Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.

  • Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).

  • Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.

  • Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.

  • Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.

  • Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid

  • Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.

  • Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

We want you to have your best chance of success in our recruitment process, so If at any stage of the application process you would like help or assistance please contact the Dstl Recruitment Team dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk and we will do all we can to support you.

Sifting will take place week beginning 23rd of November.

Interviews will be face-to-face at Dstl Porton Down (SP4 0JQ) and will take place on the week beginning 7th of December.

Interviews will consist of a behavioural and technical interview to include a 10 minute presentation entitled 'Example of the Development and/or Implementation of a Modelling & Simulation Solution to Support Technical Research'




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 .

See our vetting charter .
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .
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 the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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 : Dstl Recruitment Team
  • Email : dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk

Further information

Should you wish to raise a formal complaint about the Dstl recruitment process you should email dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk stating the nature of the issue. We will respond within 5 working days.

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