SDA Lead Naval Architect

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, and delivering some of the most technically complex programmes in defence., Are you an experienced naval architect looking to apply your expertise to major platform systems? If so, the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) want to hear from you! We are looking for a lead naval architect to join our Submersible Ship Nuclear (SSN) AUKUS Team at MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol.

The defence partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (AUKUS), will see the first generation of AUKUS nuclear submarines built in the UK equipped for intelligence, surveillance, undersea warfare and strike missions. The aim is to successfully develop and demonstrate a range of underwater capabilities that are crucial to ensuring safety and security in the region and more broadly.

You will be at the forefront of submarine safety and engineering outcomes. Supporting the deputy chief engineer, you’ll make critical, evidence-based decisions that shape the future of our platform designs. Your blend of technical problem-solving and management skills will be key in providing technical advice to senior staff and stakeholders.

You’ll benefit with the chance to work on high profile projects with the opportunity to travel to other submarine establishments across the UK and overseas on occasion.

At the SDA, we champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be a minimum of 40%) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead and manage a team of naval architects and designers to deliver the totality of SSNA naval architecture outputs

• Manage risks to achieving a balanced design within the approved performance, cost and time envelope

• Steer the system designers and spatial designers to achieve a balanced and fully integrated design at maturity levels, commensurate with key design reviews, design freeze and ready-for-manufacture milestones

• Manage and deliver SSNA’s naval architecture design to ensure the submarine will meet the warfighting capability and safety requirements

• Provide naval architecture technical leadership to solve complex problems with innovative solutions to support improved performance and enhance capability

• Advise and report to the deputy chief engineer on naval architecture and overall design integration issues

• Delivery of naval architecture products and services as set out in the engineering management plan, including managing acquisition safety and certification aspects

• Be a responsible engineer holding formal safety responsible delegation (subject to assessment in role) for decision making on submarine design throughout all phases

• Responsible for a range of outputs including safe operating envelopes, stability assessments, trim polygons, weight and space management artefacts, formal technical decisions and their records, general arrangement, whole boat design metrics and more, 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.

1. Interview – If you’re invited to interview, you’ll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

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.

• Hold a minimum level 6 Qualification in Naval Architecture or have equivalent relevant experience

• Hold professional registration at Incorporated Engineer status or higher, or demonstrate suitable equivalent experience to achieve this within 9 months

• Demonstrable experience working with submarines

• You will have recent experience in at least one of the following; submarine safe manoeuvring envelope development and tools (i.e Artemis or S4) or whole platform design integration including decision making and trade-offs, margins management, general layout, spatial design, baseline crew requirement, human factors and platform functional performance

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

• Technical Decision Making – Expert

• Technical Risk Management – Expert

• Leadership

• Communicating and Influencing, Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

• Annual leave

• Company pension

• Employee discount

• Paid volunteer time, £63,400 – £66,600

per annum (pro rata), plus generous benefits and an average 27% employer pension contribution. Existing civil servants should refer to the Further Information document for salary details.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%, Here you’ll find a community to belong to – whether that’s alongside project teams with a shared vision or as part of an employee network of like-minded individuals. We believe that, by celebrating different backgrounds and perspectives, together we’ll achieve the extraordinary.

Discover more about our work:

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 27%, to help make 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., Alongside your salary of £63,400, Ministry of Defence contributes £18,366 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday

• Flexible and hybrid working options

• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%

• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards

• Access to specialist training and funded 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.

LI-Hybrid

Ministry of Defence

Bristol BS34 8JH

Hybrid work

Permanent, Part-time, Full-time, * Candidate Information Pack: http://bit.ly/SDA-Candidate-Information-Pack, Name : Michael Ponsford – SDA Talent Acquisition Specialist Email : michael.ponsford101@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : michael.ponsford101@mod.gov.uk

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