STEM Graduate 2022

Are you looking for a rewarding career in Science and Technology?

Would you like exciting work, working alongside interesting people on projects that will deliver impactful transformation to the way Defence & Security operates, with the opportunity for continued self-development?

Do you want to use your knowledge and experience to explore and transform our capabilities, delivering agile ‘generation after next’ ideas & concepts, policy and strategy to protect the security and stability of the UK, and partner nations?

Dstl’s Exploration Division are looking to recruit graduates from a wide range of disciplines who have a passion for science and technology, and who are looking for more than just a job - a career. Working at Dstl you will have access to high profile, classified information that very few people will ever see. You will then use this information to research/develop the science and technology needed to protect the UK, and partner nations, from internal/external threats. Your role will be in a one of Exploration division’s specific groups but there will be opportunities for placements in other groups inside and possibly outside the division.

Job description

We offer the opportunity to develop your innovative skills within a highly successful team, whose services are in high demand. You can expect to be deployed on projects across a number of domains. You will work across MOD, Government and with our partners in Industry and Academia.

In this role you will

• Work on a variety of interesting and challenging problems that owing to their sensitivity cannot be done elsewhere
• Make a difference and have pride in what you do; our work improves the front-line capability of the UK Armed Forces and Government, keeps British citizens safe and support national prosperity. We are proud of our impartial status, doing things for the right reasons
• Form links across Government, Industry and Academia. Work with an array of partners both at home and abroad including the Armed Forces, other Government departments and Industry
• Drive your career, with great opportunities to gain new skills and qualifications, work with leading experts and ensure your working life is never boring.

We have roles available in the following groups

Futures and Innovation Group

Leading on ‘Futures’ we identify and assess emerging trends, capabilities and technologies; the imagining and development of transformative technologies, concepts and systems, through ‘incubation’ to realisation. To develop the capability we identify innovative approaches to futures analysis and are a centre for understanding external studies & engagement across the wider futures community.

Systems, Analysis and Social Science Group

We use systems skills, ‘soft’ operational research (OR), strategic analysis and behavioural and social sciences expertise to identify and understand complex defence and security problems. We structure, assess and develop pathways to promote change, influence decisions and guide problem owners on the implementation for the future.

Future Concepts Evaluation

Utilising qualitative and quantitative operational research methods, including wargaming, modelling & simulation, we assess Defence & Security policies, strategies, concepts & force structures, to further develop understanding of the future operating environment.

Transformative Techniques and Technologies Group

We lead on the development of novel strategies, concepts, systems and technologies through the use of specialisms like software development, data science & analytics, transformative technologies and the human-digital environments to better enable exploitation of these for Defence and Security.

Responsibilities

We are looking for some who has:

• STEM related academic knowledge
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Good problem solving skills
• The ability to work on unbounded problems and apply scientific or engineering knowledge to them
• The passion to keep learning and developing themselves
• The desire to understand how things work and to improve them
• The ability to work independently and in teams
• The ability to work outside of their comfort zone
• Self-starting skills (i.e. confidence, motivation, innovation, creativity)
• Integrity

Memberships

Membership of a relevant professional body is desirable but not essential. Dstl will pay the fees for up to 2 professional memberships if you are successfully appointed. Dstl will also support and encourage you in gaining a higher level of membership of a professional body.

Please see the attached job profile for the full list of skills and experience relevant for this role.

Qualifications

For these posts you will need an undergraduate degree in a STEM subject, for example:

• Computer Science
• Data Analysis
• Data Engineering
• Data Science
• Futures or Foresight
• Game Design
• Historical Analysis
• Mathematics
• MORSE (Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics)
• Physics
• Political Science/Studies
• Sociology & Human Geography
• Software Development
• Systems Engineering
• Systems Thinking
• War Studies

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• Please state the title of the degree you are studying and list the modules that you are taking
• From the descriptions in the advert, which group do you think your skills best fit and why.
• Please list your top three technical areas of interest and include a short explanation of why you enjoy these the most.
• Please provide an example of a technical challenge you have overcome and how you approached solving it.

Benefits

We'll provide a great range of benefits including;

• Fully flexible working, including alternative working patterns, annualised hours, compressed hours and job share, to name a few.
• Flexible Working hours, a 12 month reference period and the ability to bank hours. Up to 37 hours can be taken in any calendar month
• Excellent learning and development to ensure everyone fulfils their potential.
• Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, and paternity leave of 2 weeks full pay.
• Chartership and accreditation support.
• Pension.
• Generous annual leave, with the ability to buy and sell up to 5 days holiday per year.
• Onsite gyms and restaurants.
• Staff discounts for high street and online shopping, restaurants and days out.

Our Diversity Networks

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. We have a number of support networks to ensure all employees feel supported at work.

These include the following;

• Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Network
• Race, Faith and Culture Network
• Parents and Carer Support Network
• Alternative Working Network
• Gender Equality Network
• New Starters Network
• Enabled Network, for people with visible and non-visible disabilities

Things you need to know

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

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

For full details and the behaviors for this role please see the attached job profile at the bottom of this page.

We are aiming to sift and interviews periodically throughout the application window but we are going through a large growth period at the moment, so if you do not hear back with in two weeks please do not worry your application will be looked at, we are just experiencing a very busy period at the moment so it may take us a bit longer to get back to you.

Dstl aims to attract the best talent. We recognise 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.

We are taking positive action to actively encourage under-represented people. Representation within our workforce from females, black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities and the LGBTQI+ is currently much lower than we want it to be.

We actively encourage and welcome applications from those who work alternative working patterns (part-time, job share, term-time only etc.). Please be prepared to discuss this if you are selected for interview. You can also discuss your working pattern with the recruiting line manager or talent acquisition adviser at the application stage if preferred.

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

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.

Apply and further information

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