Technical Surveillance Officer

Technical Surveillance Officer - Gillingham About the job
Job summary
Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it's really like to work at HMRC.
Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.
Are you passionate about using innovative surveillance technology to combat serious crime?
Do you have the technical skills and resilience needed to deploy in high-risk, demanding situations?
If so, continue reading to find out more about this fantastic opportunity to join HMRC's Tactical Surveillance Group (TSG). As a Technical Surveillance Officer, you'll be part of one of the most advanced and dynamic investigative teams in Europe, using cutting-edge technology to safeguard the UK's tax system.
is the UK's tax, payments and customs authority and we have a vital purpose: we collect the money that pays for the UK's public services and help families and individuals with targeted financial support.
HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) is responsible for the department's civil and criminal investigations.
FIS provides HMRC with an effective investigation arm to enforce the Department's compliance policies. This enables the Department to deliver against the strategic responsibilities across all the taxes and duties it administers. This includes complex offshore evasion, international smuggling of illicit excise goods, exports of controlled weapons and technology, labour market abuses, VAT and Self-Assessment repayment frauds and a host of other fraud attacks targeted at the tax system.
FIS is home to a wide range of people with a variety of skills and professional backgrounds - including accountants, cybercrime specialists, criminal justice professionals, tax professionals and operational delivery support teams to name but a few. We use a range of powers and approaches to protect funding for UK public services, investigating the most harmful tax cheats and ensuring nobody is beyond our reach.
Covert Operations, Digital Exploitation (CODE) sits within HMRC's wider Fraud Investigation Service (FIS). Working across Law Enforcement and government, CODE provides investigative tools and covert techniques to front-line investigations and works with key partners to develop and provide access to new technology and systems to enable investigators to respond to serious and complex tax evasion and crime.
Job description
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Tactical Surveillance Group (TSG) as a Technical Surveillance Officer.
The TSG are a specialist team within the FIS Covert Operations, Digital Exploitation. The team strive to provide innovative solutions to complex and often highly challenging scenarios where the collection of intelligence or evidence is key to the progression of an investigation and traditional techniques would likely fail.
TSG's work is diverse, challenging and frequently involves deploying into high-risk environments. The team comprises of surveillance professionals with a diverse range of skill sets.
Duties will include:
• The assembly, repair, and installation of covert audio/video equipment, tracking equipment.

• Covert duties in relation to Targeted Equipment Interference (TEI).
• Property interference and other intrusive techniques.
• Designing and fabricating bespoke solutions to technical surveillance challenges.
• General technical support to specialist equipment and vehicles.
• The role will involve frequently close working with other Law Enforcement partners such as the National Crime Agency and Police forces.
• Other aspects of the roles may involve representing the Department at national specialist user groups/forums or other duties at the direction of the SIO.
• Research and development - preparing business cases for the procurement of new equipment and technology.

The role involves supporting HMRC operations nationally, which will require regular travel and nights away. The role necessitates working unsocial hours, being on-call, frequent short notice duty changes and additional hours, for which a Level 2 Flexibility Payment allowance is paid.
You should also be aware that the role may involve working at heights or in hostile urban/rural environments. On occasions, the role may involve working in foreign countries.
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
We are looking for candidates with knowledge and experience of the following;

• The technologies behind asset tracking systems including RFDF and GPS.
• Voice and data systems (wired and wireless).
• Audio & video equipment. (Transmission, reception, recording and presentation).
• Transmission systems, including GSM, GPRS, 3/4G, 5G?? Wi-Fi, microwave, and wired systems.
• General knowledge of 12v and 24v vehicle electrics and electronic systems.
• Basic knowledge of IP networking and associated systems/devices (hardware and software).
• Proven technical ability to develop, deploy, maintain and repair the above technologies in accordance with legislation and operational Codes of Practice
• Excellent teamworking and communication skills.

All candidates must hold or be able to obtain National Security Vetting of SC or above.
Desirable Criteria:
We are looking for candidates that may have the following:
• Experience working in a Technical Surveillance Unit
• College of Policing D6 qualification in 'Tactics for Techs' or similar/ equivalent Rural Surveillance (RSO) qualification.
• College of Policing D7 qualification in 'TS Core skills'.
• College of Policing E1, E2, E3 specialist qualifications.
• Experience in installing intrusive Covert Audio and/or Video.
• An electronics or engineering qualification.
• Developed Vetting.
Additional Information:
Training Requirements
Training will depend on the qualifications / experience already held, but training is available depending on the needs of the business.
Please discuss with the vacancy holder.
Integrity Declaration Statement
All applicants will be required to declare any past convictions, criminal findings, or police cautions, regardless of whether they are 'spent'. You must also declare any disciplinary proceedings relating to previous employments. The disclosure of this information will not automatically disbar you from employment with FIS, but we need to be aware of any event or issue which could impinge on your credibility if questioned in court.
FIS may conduct background checks and any offer will be withdrawn if you fail to disclose any relevant material that causes conflict with you being able to complete the duties of the role.
Security Clearance
This role requires security clearance to SC. Any job offer is conditional to the attainment of the security clearance to SC and thus, the security clearance is mandatory. Please be aware that those who do not attain the required security clearance will not be allowed to carry on in this particular post.
Applicants who wish to work alternative working patterns are welcome to apply. The preferred working pattern may or may not be available, agreement will be subject to business need, and any request to work an alternative working pattern should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.
Depending on individual circumstances and the requirements of the role we may be able to make reasonable workplace adjustments such as flexible working, adjusting breaks and time to complete tasks, providing alternative office equipment, software etc. A successful applicant would be able to discuss this with their manager.
The successful candidate will be expected to attend and pass 'Public and Personal Safety Training' (PPST), Level 3, and maintain this permit by attending annual refreshers.
Appointment will be conditional upon satisfactory conduct and discipline checks and security vetting.
Candidates must live within reasonable daily travel of Gillingham (Kent).
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits
Alongside your salary of £36,320, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £10,521 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.
We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
• Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues' Alpha pension
equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.
To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it's really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.
This post attracts a Level 2 Flexibility Payment (FP) that is paid monthly with salary. This FP allows HMRC flexibility to change your work pattern, at short notice, to meet business needs. You will be expected to undertake periods of On Call. You will also be expected to work additional hours, at weekends and outside your normal working hours/days (including bank holidays).
In applying for a position and accepting the FP you agree that you can and will meet those attendance requirements.
FP levels are reviewed annually - on a business need and personal basis - and may be subject to change.
If you currently receive the Flexibility Payment, which may include Transition Protection and/or a Maintained Pension Value, moving to a new role may affect your payments.
Details of the Flexibility Payment can be found in the attached document.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
How to Apply
The selection process is made up of three stages.
1. Application
CV
A name-blind CV including your job history and previous skills and experiences.
Personal Statement
Please explain in no more than 750 words how you meet the essential criteria detailed above, providing examples, and what you can bring to the role.
Use the STAR structure to assist you.
S = Situation T = Task A = Action R = Result
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
2. Sift
A sift will be carried out on your CV and Personal Statement, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.
3. Interview
During the panel interview, your experience will be assessed, and you will be asked behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of.
Interviews will take place face-to-face.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Eligibility
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake, please contact us via: - Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - 'Please re-open my application - (insert vacancy ref) & vacancy closing date (insert date)'
To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles - if this applies to you, we'll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.
Criminal Record Check
Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
Merit List
After interview, a single merit list will be created and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact the UBS Recruitment Excellence Team via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Additional Security Information
Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.
Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:
Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.
Terms and Conditions
Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.
HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.
Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.
Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
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.
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

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