Senior Operational Research Analyst – Modelling & Simulation - Land Analysis

Job content

Job Summary

Are you passionate about delivering high impact analytical research? Do you want to make a difference to the way Defence and Security operates and how it protects the UK, and our Armed Forces, from real world threats, both at home and abroad?

Dstl’s Land Analysis Group supports the British Army, the Ministry of Defence and wider Government through the delivery of impartial evidence-based studies, ensuring intelligent decision-making is at the heart of UK Defence and Security. You will be part of a team that works with industry partners, academia and internationally to develop and evaluate exciting new force and system capabilities. Our analysis primarily helps the Army in designing its future force, developing and testing new capabilities, and informing major equipment investment decisions.

This role is for aSenior Operational Research Analyst (Modelling and Simulation)(Dstl Level 5).

Our analysts use and develop Operational Research techniques, such as simulation and modelling, wargaming (manual and computerised), optimisation, data analysis, statistics, and facilitated workshops, in order to analyse the impact and effectiveness of different technologies, concepts and policies. We are particularly looking for people with strong modelling and simulation expertise.

You will work on a dynamic range of projects, contributing to a diverse team of specialists delivering critical analytical advice and solutions, using creativity and innovation. This is a dynamic and rapidly evolving area.

Our work is critical; we need your help to help us now and into the future.

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

In this role you will:

• Become a senior user of analytical models that will include developing and maintaining a suite of tools used to inform Army decision making.
• Lead strands of work including maintaining a focus on output and technical quality.
• Provide technical partnering to research undertaken by industry and academia to ensure that the tasks remain on track, are of high quality and maximise the benefit of external expertise.
• Provide timely, impartial, evidence-based advice to customers to enable them to make informed decisions representing value for money.
• Provide benefit to the organisation’s wider model and simulation capabilities, through more general model support and development.
  
  

We recognise the unique skills and aspirations of our staff and are able to present them with an unparalleled range of opportunities to develop both the UK’s military capabilities and themselves.

Person specification

We Are Looking For Someone Who Has

• A proven ability to define, develop and utilise bespoke tools in order to assist with decision making. This will include contributing towards the development of simulations to explore specific points, analysing outputs and having responsibility for model updates and maintenance.
• A proven ability to select and use a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques.
• The ability to lead others in order to deliver analytical studies and projects.
• A proven ability to produce technical reports of findings, produce and deliver presentations to customers.
• The ability to provide clear explanations of complex processes to a non-technical audience.
• Excellent team working skills.
  
  

For full details please see the attached role profile.

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.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
  
  

Technical skills

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

• Analysis, modelling and simulation.
  
  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,970, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £9,711 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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: Full flexibility working options include alternative working patterns, compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours. Remote working may be available dependent on role.
• Flexible working hours: Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.
• 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.
  
  

The information pack can be found attached to the job specification on Civil Service Jobs.

Our Diversity Networks

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

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process, you will need to produce a 500 word ‘statement of suitability’ showing through your experiences why this is the job for you.

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 commence once the vacancy closes, and interviews will be held w/c the 27th November 2023 and 04th December 2023.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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.

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 (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

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.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) 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.