Salvage and Marine Operation Specialist

Organisation: Defence Equipment & Support 
Salary: £43,200 per annum (plus generous benefits)
Grade: Senior Technical Specialist I 
Working Pattern: Full time, Part time, Job Share, Flexible Working
Contract Type: Permanent

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

DE&S has recently been integrated into the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group. The NAD Group brings together key Ministry of Defence (MOD) organisations to unite expertise across science, technology, procurement, infrastructure, and support to provide integrated capabilities faster and more efficiently for our armed forces and our allies.  This is an exciting new opportunity to enable better ways of working and empower greater collaboration across Defence. For further information about the NAD Group, please visit: National Armaments Director Group - GOV.UK

We offer 26.5+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 28.97%, to help work work for you.

Nationality, visas and vetting: For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you’ve been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained, or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months.

Job description 
Why join Salvage and Marine Operations (SALMO)? 

SALMO is the MOD’s centre of excellence for marine salvage and emergency response. Our multidisciplinary team, ranging from Master Mariners and Naval Architects to Environmental Scientists and Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV) / Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) Operators, delivers critical support to UK Defence operations around the globe. Whether it's locating downed aircraft on the seabed, surveying wrecks, towing warships, or conducting emergency response drills, our work is as varied as it is vital. 

What makes this role different?

• Supporting challenging underwater operations that directly contribute to UK Defence outputs.

• Develop specialist marine salvage, diving safety and operational leadership skills.

• Be part of a highly respected, multidisciplinary team renowned for technical excellence.

• Long term career stability, exceptional pension, and structured development.

‘Every day is different and I’ve had the opportunity to be part of some exciting projects: Bell from famous US destroyer sunk off Scillies returned to its owners’

Are you an experienced surface supplied diver with an interest in the field of marine salvage operations? Are you excited by the prospect of working in a challenging role and want the opportunity to advance your career in diving and marine environment? Then this could be the ideal position for you!

The SALMO team at the Marine Salvage Unit in HMNB Devonport are looking for experienced salvage mechanic to act as our focal point for maintenance and emergency response both afloat and ashore. Be responsible for keeping vessels and all salvage equipment operational and ready for 24/7 call-out, carrying out repairs during active salvage operations in challenging marine environments. In addition, act as part of an HSE compliant salvage dive team to deliver salvage/ diving capabilities for Defence and other government bodies

Building on your proven background and qualifications, NAD Group will provide you with the necessary training and help you on your journey to becoming an experienced salvage operator mechanic.

In addition to your core role and responsibilities, you will have the opportunity to support all other areas of SALMO, as and when required. This may be in the form of underwater engineering support, welding/tooling, seabed survey and ROV. There may also be the opportunity for regular deployments within the UK, abroad and afloat, instilling best practice in operations as well as the shore-based management.

We champion flexible ways of working. Whilst onshore, regular in-person on site attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 60% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

What’s in it for you? This is more than just a job; it’s a chance to make a real impact. The role is operationally critical and comes with additional allowances under SALMO Terms and Conditions, reflecting the importance and intensity of the work you’ll be doing.

For clarity, the SALMO RG allowances you’ll be eligible for:

Contactable Allowance £3,191.00 pa

Sponsored Reserve Annual Bounty is: Year 1: £583.00, Year 2: £1,290.00, Year 3 & 4: £1,992.00, Year 5: £2,308.00

For deployed periods disturbance allowance applies:  Week day - £94 per day. Weekend - £158 Per day

Sea-going-leave (SGL) is accrued at a rate of 4 Leave Days for each 7 days embarked (additional to your Annual Leave Entitlement)

What you’ll be doing

• Keep specialist salvage and emergency response equipment safe, serviceable and ready to deploy at short notice.

• Maintain, fault-find and repair equipment ranging from power generation to towing equipment.

• Prepare, test, certify and mobilise equipment for rapid deployment by road, sea or air in support of 24/7 emergency response.

• Provide hands-on mechanical support to diving teams, workboats, ROV activity and marine salvage operations ashore, afloat and on deployment.

• Install and operate emergency equipment on casualty vessels during salvage and recovery operations.

• Work safely in challenging marine environments, applying safe systems of work against Defence requirements. 

Person specification
To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Have experience of providing technical advice and delivery of successful subsea activities or marine operations; and

• Have technical experience of marine operations in a variety of contexts; and

  • An Engineering, Science, Technical, Technology or Marine based qualification at RQF Level 6; or
  • A Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Marine based qualification at RQF Level 4, plus with a Professional body/institution related to your discipline hold current professional registration at the level listed below; or
  • A Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Marine based qualification at RQF Level 3, plus a minimum of 3 further years of relevant professional experience; or
  • With a Professional body/institution listed below, hold current professional registration at the level listed below, plus a minimum of 3 further years of relevant professional experience; or
  • STCW 1 OOW Unlimited (STCW) or STCW OOW Engineer, or Electro-Technical Officer (ETO) III/6 (Unlimited); 

Hold (as a minimum) either:

o In date Surface Supplied Diving qualifications that comply with Schedule 1 or Schedule 2, of the HSE Diving at Work Regulations 1997 List of Approved Diving Qualifications1 plus 3 years diving experience (supported by a logbook)

Professional Registration List (minimum levels provided)

• Engineering Technician (EngTech) or

• Registered Science Technician (RSciTech); or

• Marine Engineering Technician (MarEngTech); or

• Marine Technician (MarTech).

And:

• Be a Sole UK National; and

• Full UK Driving Licence; and

• Be able to satisfy requirements of:

  • 2-Yearly ENG1 Seafarers Medical 2., and
  • Be enlisted as a Royal Navy Sponsored Reserve 2.
  • Annual HSE Dive Medical 2, and
  • Dive Aptitude test 2.

1 STCW = International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. 

2 For recruitment purposes, external candidates do not need to hold these (including no prior commercial diving experience) for interview but must have no known reasons not to achieve this within 6 months of employment; successful candidates must pass the HSE Dive Medical and undergo a dive aptitude test prior to being offered the role.

This role is subject to Retained Grade Terms and Conditions and differ from the DE&S standard Terms and Conditions. 

For SALMO Retained Grade seeking promotion, please refer to Part 2, Section 10.2 of the SALMO Retained Grade Handbook.

Due to the nature of this role, you are:

• Required to be fit to pass and maintain a two-yearly ENG1 seafarers medical (no geographical limitations)

• Required to enlist as a Royal Navy Sponsored Reserve

• Expected to work extended hours as and when required in support of operational commitments

• Required to live within 60 minutes travelling time of the base to which you are appointed

• Required to hold an in-date UK driving licence

Please see the Professional Engineering Institution Equivalences for a list of approved equivalent professional registration as per the requirements listed above.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Making Effective Decisions

• Core Behaviour 2: Working Together

• Technical Competence 1: ECF_02 Safety Management - Awareness

• Technical Competence 2: ECF_03 Supportable Technical Solutions - Supervised Practitioner

Benefits

• Full time staff employed for less than 5 years are entitled to 26.5 days’ annual leave per year, rising to 31.5 days per year after 5 years of service
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• Market-leading employer pension contribution of around 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded professional qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days

• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Further Information

• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-candidate-information-pack

• SALMO Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/SALMO_Terms_and_Conditions

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Disability Confident:

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.’

Conflicts of Interest:

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.

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and competencies below:  

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1 
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 2 
• 3rd: Technical Competencies 
• 4th: CV Review 

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise the Lead criterion, and/or and additional assessment.  

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview. 

Selection Process Details
Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check your application to ensure that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.

2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.

3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you will be assessed against the following:

• CV Review

• Core Behaviour 1

• Core Behaviour 2

• Technical Competencies

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that 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 department via email: NAD-Recruitment-Complaints@mod.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission 

Reserve Lists

Where a competition identifies more appointable candidates than there are available vacancies, a Reserve List may be created for other similar roles in the Civil Service. This may be used for up to 12 months to fill the same role or other similar roles with closely matching essential criteria without further testing of merit.

Offering at a lower level

If you’re not successful at interview, we may offer you a role at a lower level if this is a match for your skills and experience. If this applies to your application, you’ll be scored against criteria for the lower-level role and offers will be made in merit order. If you accept this position, you’ll be able to take advantage of opportunities to develop your career as part of our team.