Senior Air Analyst

• Can you think creatively and consider all possible solutions to a problem?
  

• Are you passionate about delivering highly rewarding analysis and research to help protect the UK and our Armed Forces from real-world threats, both at home and abroad?
  

• Do you want to work alongside interesting people on exciting projects that will deliver impactful transformation to the way Defence & Security operates?
  

• Do you have an analytical mind with an ability to structure, tackle and visualise complex problems?

If the answer to these questions is yes, we want to hear from you!

Within the Air and Maritime Analysis Group (Platform Systems Division ) we are looking for analysts who can ensure that decisions made by senior leaders in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and across Government are based on the best available evidence.

Our analysts directly contribute to the defence and security of the UK, working alongside the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and the British Army to help keep the country safe.

We support and lead multi-disciplinary technical teams delivering high quality;

• Analysis and visualisations to assist with evidenced based decision-making at senior levels of government;
  

• Innovative analytical models, tools and techniques that take advantage of new advances in science and technology;
  

• Briefings, technical reports and presentations to our customers and the military;
  

• Solutions to allow pertinent information to be delivered rapidly to decision makers allowing them to have improved situational awareness.

Working at Dstl you will have access to high profile, classified information that very few people will ever see. You will use this information to research/develop the science and technology needed to protect the UK, and partner nations, from internal and external threats.

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.

In this role you will:

Lead the delivery of technical work for our customers from the very start of your career at Dstl, working in project teams alongside recent graduates through to more senior staff to deliver high impact advice to customers.
You will develop and use novel analytical tools and techniques to assist your customers with their decision-making. We work at the forefront of Defence and security research and innovation, which is a dynamic and rapidly evolving environment.

Quite simply, this is work that you cannot do anywhere else.

Your work will be delivered through a variety of methods including (but not limited to):

• Leading and delivering specific projects and work packages;
  

• Developing and exploiting your technical consulting skills to understand customer requirements and design studies;
  

• Delivering technical reports summarising complex scientific research and analysis for policy and decision makers;
  

• Presenting vital scientific data to customers across the defence community;
  

• Developing models and analytical tools in order to solve challenging new problems;
  

• Using diverse analytical methods including but not limited to; empirical analysis, statistics, linear programming, optimisation, modelling and simulation, wargaming;
  

• Data science.

Safety

• Pro-actively support safe working practices, appreciating the need for colleague welfare is the top priority for Dstl. You will take responsibility for working safely and report on any practices, no matter how big or small, to mitigate any potential risks.

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

We are seeking people with an understanding of the Air domain, or previous experience of Operational Research / Operational Analysis.

Prior experience would allow you to “get going quickly” and make the most of your technical skills in a customer-facing role but specific domain knowledge can be developed whilst working at Dstl.

We are looking for individuals to join our successful teams delivering high priority, high impact evidence, analysis and advice to inform MOD’s important Air focused decisions.

For example you will be:

• Developing analytical evidence using a variety of Operational Research techniques, such as: running wargames (manual and computerised), table-top exercises, focus groups, knowledge searches, historical analysis and modelling and simulation.
  

• Apply appropriate qualitative and quantitative analytical methods to explore the evidence to inform a range of capability decisions;
  

• Analysing policy and scenarios to set system requirements;
  

• Drawing on emerging science and technology to develop concepts and ideas to enable future force development;
  

• Developing cost-effectiveness and balance of investment analysis to compare courses of action and procurement action.
  In these areas there will be opportunities to work on broader command level work supporting decision making at the highest levels.

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

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

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: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).

• Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.

• Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.

• 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.