Metrology Technician Apprenticeship

Job summary

About OPSS

Do you care about the safety of products and want to protect people and places? Can we use your skills, knowledge and experience to enable UK business to thrive? If the answer is yes, then we would like to hear from you

We are the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business & Trade (Previously the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). We are here for the purpose of making regulation work to deliver real world impact. Regulation is a powerful Government tool to address market failures, influence behaviour and promote positive action. Crafted and delivered well, regulation can be an enabler of growth, innovation and efficiency.

Since early 2018 we have been building a positive and creative team that enjoys a position of influence and respect within an organisation that continues to grow, most recently with the addition of construction products regulation planned.

Our primary purpose is to protect people and places from product-related harm, ensuring consumers and businesses can buy and sell products with confidence.

Further information can be found on our website

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. We embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (DCS) for people with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We are Inclusive:

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Job description

Our Team

We are a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers delivering testing capability across the whole portfolio of the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) regulatory requirements. The team works across our new laboratories which include mechanical, electrical, chemical, flammability and metrology facilities. We seek to implement fit for purpose practices and procedures to deliver robust, scientific outputs. In collaboration with other internal evidence teams including those in science, engineering, research and analysis, our outputs inform the development of policy, and the delivery and enforcement of product regulations across the OPSS remit.

The Role

Metrology is a vital skill to improve and verify the quality of products and components. It concerns all theoretical and practical aspects of measurement. As a Level 3 Advanced Metrology Technician apprentice you will be on the first step to a career as a Metrologists at OPSS. The Metrology Technician apprenticeship is a 3-year programme that includes substantial on- and off-the-job training to develop the essential metrology knowledge, skills and behaviours required by Metrologists The programme includes an independent, end point assessment of the apprentice�s occupational competence.

The apprenticeship is a 3-year course comprising of approximately 20% studies and 80% workplace activities. Upon completion, the Metrology Technician role will focus 100% on delivering metrology testing services in OPSS and access to relevant learning and development opportunities will continue to be available.The Metrology Technician apprenticeship standard is in line with the requirements of Registered Engineering Technician (EngTech) and Registered Science Technician (RSciTech).�A lab-based role and requires 100% attendance on site while completing the apprenticeship course.

Key Responsibilities:

Support the team to provide routine calibrations and testing of equipment and measurement standards.Assist in the maintenance and delivery of measurement services provided by OPSS Testing Laboratories.Work within an ISO 17025 laboratory quality system.Assist in the delivery of OPSS statutory functions and development projects when required.Identify measurement requirements, plan and perform measurement tasks using tools, equipment, instrumentation and software programmes.

Assist in the maintenance and calibration of metrology equipment

Complete apprenticeship coursework in accordance with the Level 3 Metrology Technician standard.

Person specification

Skills and Experience

Essential criteria

Essential Qualifications: 5 GCSEs or equivalent Grade 4 (Grade C) or above including English, Maths, Science.

Essential: Must be age 16 or above as of 1st September 2024 and not in full time education and live within the UK.

Essential: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, good working knowledge of IT software Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, attention to detail, excellent time management, planning and organisational skills, experience working as part of a team.� �

Desirable criteria

Previous work experience including any volunteering and work placements or internships.Full UK Driving Licence

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications: 5 GCSEs or equivalent Grade 4 (Grade C) or above including English, Maths, Science

Behaviours

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

Making Effective DecisionsDelivering at PaceWorking Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of �30,525, Department for Business and Trade contributes �8,241 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Learning and development tailored to your roleAn environment with flexible working optionsA culture encouraging inclusion and diversityA with an average employer contribution of 27%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities

Please refer to the attached candidate pack for further information on our benefits.

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