STEM Platforms Systems Division Graduate 2022

Dstl's Platform Systems division are seeking graduates of science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects to join our 2 year graduate development scheme starting in September 2022. We are looking for people who are passionate about delivering high impact research and analysis, with a desire to develop technologies used to protect the UK and our armed forces from real-world threats, both at home and abroad.

Our graduate development scheme offers rotational placements within the PLS Division spanning both Porton Down and Portsdown sites to let you experience the breadth of opportunities in the organisation across our sites, and also offers an external placement in the wider defence community. We ask you to be geographically mobile to make the most of these opportunities, which will provide you with a thorough grounding in working across defence. You will gain real-world experience and training to enhance your technical and core personal skills, enabling you to flourish.

After the scheme you will then join a specific area within our Division where you will continue to develop your specialist knowledge and skills.

You will be working with recognised subject matter experts on a wide variety of projects from modelling and theory to practical demonstrations and field trials in world class laboratories and workshops as well as trial sites in the UK and abroad. You will take vital capabilities and push them to their limits, using creativity and innovation to solve real-world problems for real-world customers.

We work at the forefront of defence research and innovation, which is a dynamic and rapidly evolving environment. Quite simply, this is work that you cannot do anywhere else.

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 particularly welcome female and ethnic minority applicants and those from the LGBTQI community, as they are under-represented within Dstl at these levels.

Job description

You will undertake technical work from the very start of your career at Dstl, working with industry, academia and international partners to deliver advice to our customers’ right across the MOD and wider Government. There will be opportunities to travel to military sites, attend various trials and undertake international travel.

You will work with a project manager and project technical authority who will be responsible for the overall delivery of the project, however you will be expected to lead individual work packages or aspects of the work and deliver these to a high standard.

You will develop the skills needed to explain your complex technical research to diverse audiences and ensure their understanding. This includes both military and civilian audiences.

You will also develop networks with external partners, always ensuring we continue to deliver the technical quality expected of Dstl and maximising the value of our research.

Your work will contribute to a diverse team of specialists delivering critical scientific, analytical and engineering solutions. This could be:

• Developing the latest novel and bespoke tools, models and techniques for improving platforms from nano-drones to aircraft carriers
• Getting involved with the UK hypersonic weapons projects
• Finding AI solutions to Navy, Army or Air Force problems
• Working on trials outside of the office, to develop future armour and sensors
• Developing countermeasures for future combat air systems
• Developing synthetic environments for testing sensors
• Modelling the effects of directed energy weapons
• Working with military personnel to improve their personal protection
• Performing embedded software analysis of high-profile military systems

The areas we work in include

1. Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Data Science
2. Autonomous Systems and Robotics
3. Power, energy storage, conversions and transmissions
4. Sensors
5. Advanced Electronics and computing
6. Effector technologies
7. Advanced Materials

The work can be anything used to give our customers the edge in their operations, to do their job and get home safe – plus all the great things we simply can’t tell you about until you join.

Responsibilities

We are looking for someone who:

• Has an inquisitive and enquiring mind
• Sees the bigger picture and wider context of our customers’ needs
• Enjoys problem solving
• Has good attention to detail
• Is creative and innovative
• Can solve practical problems
• Is keen to put forward own ideas
• Has great communication skills
• Is self-motivated and comfortable working under their own initiative
• Collaborates with others and works well in a team

For the full list of skills and experiences relevant to to this role please see the attached job profile at the bottom of the page.

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be British Citizens who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to understand the work you will undertake to protect us from any security threats. For this reason, we regret that 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.

Individuals within DSTL who hold dual nationality and currently hold the required clearance level may apply. If found suitable for the role further security discussions will need to take place before a formal offer can be made.

If you are a current Dstl employee, you are encouraged to inform your line manager of your application as they can support you through the process and should you be successful it will help in negotiating a release date.

Work location

Dstl is strongly encouraging blended and flexible working either at one of our sites or from home or both. We want to empower you to undertake your duties at the most appropriate location for the task, however you will be allocated a Dstl site as a base. You may be required to travel to other Dstl and MoD sites as required. Please note that while we will ask you to select a preferred home site, the graduate scheme is rotational and you will spend 2 x 6 months at each site.

Qualifications

We welcome applications from graduates with a degree in any STEM subject.

We are particularly interested in candidates with technical backgrounds as listed below, however this list is not exhaustive and we will also consider graduates with other relevant backgrounds in a variety of subjects:

• Computational Science disciplines (coding, AI, Machine Learning etc)
• Engineering (Electronics, RF, Aerospace, Mechanical, Systems)
• Maths
• Physics (Acoustics, Electromagnetism, Lasers)
• Operational Research

Behaviours

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

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

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
• Please list your top 3 technical areas of interest including a short explanation of why you enjoy these. This is not necessarily your highest scoring modules, but more the ones you have a passion for or ones you continue outside of university
• What transferable skills can you bring from your university/work/life/extra-curricular activities which you feel might be relevant for a role at Dstl?
• 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 for bi-weekly sift and interviews 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.

We aim to finish our final sift 3rd December and will send out interview invites to successful candidates week commencing 13th December. Interviews will take place from the 10th January till 27th January, so you will have a couple of weeks to prepare. We will aim to have all interview results release week commencing 7th February.

For the interview you will be asked to produce a 10 minute presentation on a relevant technical subject. Candidates who tailor the presentation towards how their studies could be employed by dstl or wider defence tend to score higher. We will then ask you some questions based on the presentation before asking behavioural competency and technical questions relevant to your studies.

During the interview you will be asked competency questions where the panel will seek examples of when you have lead others, developed yourself and/or communicated technical details to experts and non-experts.

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.

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be British Citizens who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to understand the work you will undertake to protect us from any security threats. For this reason, we regret that 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.

Individuals within DSTL who hold dual nationality and currently hold the required clearance level may apply. If found suitable for the role further security discussions will need to take place before a formal offer can be made.

If you are a current Dstl employee, you are encouraged to inform your line manager of your application as they can support you through the process and should you be successful it will help in negotiating a release date.

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.