Inspector of Air Accidents

Details
Reference number

433612

Salary

£84,838

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Other

Grade 7 AN

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

DFT - Aviation, Maritime and Security Group (AMS) - Air Accident Investigation Branch

Type of role

Analytical

Investigation

Operational Delivery

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Farnborough House, Berkshire Copse Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 2HH

About the job
Job summary

Are you an experienced human factors professional keen to apply your skills to accident investigation and help to make flying safer for all?

If so, we'd love to hear from you

This is an excellent opportunity if you are looking for a unique and challenging role in the aviation industry where you will have the chance to contribute to real improvements in the aviation safety system.

Job description

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is part of the Department for Transport (DfT), and our purpose is to improve aviation safety by determining the circumstances and causes of aircraft accidents and serious incidents and promoting safety action to prevent recurrence. We investigate accidents and serious incidents to civil aircraft in the UK and overseas, where there is a UK interest. As part of a multi-disciplinary team, your primary role will be to investigate the human factors and organisational aspects of these events, with a focus on system level safety improvement.

You will be involved from the outset of accident or serious incident investigations. You will conduct investigations in the UK, including occasionally in the UK's Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. You will help the international safety investigation community to improve aviation safety globally by supporting overseas safety investigation authorities. You must be prepared to deploy at short notice within the UK or worldwide.

You will also contribute to the continuing development of the AAIB's human factors capability. This means that you will help to provide opportunities for others to develop human factors knowledge and skills and consider how human factors input and methods should be integrated into our work.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Deploying at short notice to civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents within the UK or worldwide.
• You will conduct investigations in the UK, including occasionally in the UK's Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
• Supporting foreign safety investigation authorities in their work.
• Producing reports into the human factors and organisational aspects of an event and promoting action to improve safety.
• Keeping the families of victims of fatal accidents informed of the progress of an investigation and briefing them on the findings and conclusions.
• Giving technical evidence at coroners' inquests to explain the findings of a report.
• Identify safety issues and encourage safety actions or make safety recommendations to address them, sometimes at short notice.
• Identify and deliver opportunities for human factors capability improvement within the AAIB and be an advocate for the human factors discipline.

For further information on the role, please read the attached role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

Essential qualifications/licences:

• A valid passport for international travel.
• A full UK driving licence.
• Undergraduate degree in psychology or a relevant discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant human factors discipline.
• Accreditation or chartership from a recognised professional body such as the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF), British Psychological Society (BPS) or the European Association of Aviation Psychologists (EAAP).

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Ability to demonstrate a broad and up-to-date knowledge of human factors subjects and methods. You will have extensive and current professional experience of analysing human and/or organisational factors in safety-critical environments, such as aviation, transportation or other complex operational domains
• Ability to demonstrate understanding of the influence of human performance in aviation safety and how to optimise the aviation system to maximise human performance.
• Experienced in conducting evidence-based research within the human factors domain and in interviewing. You will display associated skills in data collection, analysis, critical thinking and reviewing the work of others. You will also have experience in designing and delivering training courses.

Additional Information

Due to the nature of AAIB operations, the successful candidate will be exposed to situations, information and material of a sensitive or traumatic nature. You will also be required to use tact and compassion when meeting the victims of accidents, bereaved relatives and witnesses, and when working with colleagues in stressful conditions. It is essential that you consider how you would react to these aspects of the role before applying.

Applicants will be required to participate in a wellbeing and traumatic stress risk review in advance of their assessment day. Potential applicants are welcome to contact the AAIB for further information (contact point below).

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

You will be contracted to work 37 hours each week and expected to spend at least 60% of your working time either at the AAIB offices at Farnborough House or at other locations on official business.

The AAIB site is in a semi-rural area and is not served by public transport, but there is a secure car park on site together with covered bike sheds and changing facilities with showers.

There will be occasions where you will be required to travel internationally, sometimes at short notice. The role requires the position holder to be on-call for deployments anywhere in the world at short notice, except whilst on Annual Leave or by mutual agreement with your line manager.

A roster is managed to ensure there will be periods where you are less likely to be called. An allowance for being on call is included as part of the basic salary.

Training

You will be required to complete six-weeks of training on a residential course to learn the basics of accident investigation and, throughout your employment, will be encouraged to learn about new techniques and develop your professional and investigative skills.

You will undertake training to enable you to carry out your role safely in a wide range of environments, including offshore and in mountainous terrain.

You will also be encouraged to develop general aviation flying experience and will have the opportunity to work towards gaining a Private Pilot's Licence if you do not already have one.

Licences

A valid passport for international travel.

A full UK driving licence.

Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in psychology or a relevant discipline.

Postgraduate qualification in a relevant human factors discipline.

Accreditation or chartership from a recognised professional body such as the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF), British Psychological Society (BPS) or the European Association of Aviation Psychologists (EAAP).

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others

Technical skills

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

• Written Communication – (Accident Investigation Competence)
• Applying Expertise & Technology – (Accident Investigation Competence)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £84,838, Department for Transport contributes £24,577 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King's birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.

• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.

• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.

• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

The successful candidate will not receive an additional on-call allowance as this is already considered to be part of the basic pay.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

Things you need to know
Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift

Stage 2: Wellbeing and Traumatic Stress Risk Review

Stage 3: Assessment Day (Interview, role play exercise, presentation and written assessment).

You must be successful at stage 1 and stage to progress to the next stage. We can confirm that stage 2 does not impact your outcome or performance in any assessment stages.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the essential qualifications/licences and the experience Success Profile elements. You will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (1250-word count).

When applying, please look at how your experience relates to the role. Please tailor your CV to match the role and its responsibilities and within your personal statement please provide evidence of your experience of the following:

• Demonstrable up-to-date knowledge of human factors subjects and methods.
• Extensive and current professional experience of analysing human and/or organisational factors in safety-critical environments, such as aviation, transportation or other complex operational domains.
• Demonstrable understanding of the influence of human performance in aviation safety and how to optimise the aviation system to maximise human performance.
• Experience in conducting evidence-based research within the human factors domain and in interviewing.
• Associated skills in data collection, analysis, critical thinking and reviewing the work of others.
• Experience in designing and delivering training courses.

The sift will take place week commencing 15th December 2025.

Stage 2: Wellbeing and Traumatic Stress Risk Reviews

Due to the nature of AAIB operations, the successful candidate will be exposed to situations, information and material of a sensitive or traumatic nature. Applicants will be required to participate in a wellbeing and traumatic stress risk review in advance of their assessment day. The outcome of this risk review will not determine whether you progress to Stage 3. It will include a questionnaire which is followed up by a short telephone call with a psychologist. Potential applicants are welcome to contact the AAIB for further information (contact point below).

The Wellbeing and Traumatic Stress Risk Review will take place from the week commencing 8th January 2026.

Stage 3: Assessment Day

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours – (Making Effective Decisions, Working Together, Communicating and Influencing and Developing Self and Others)
• Experience – (Mentioned above under Experience).
• Technical – (AIB Competency Framework in attachments).
• Strengths

The assessments will include:

• An interview
• A Role Play Exercise
• A Written Exercise
• A Presentation Exercise

The Assessment Days will take place on the week commencing 19th January 2026 and will be conducted in person, at our Aldershot office (Farnborough House, Berkshire Copse Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 2HH). Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site .

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further information on the selection process

Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

AI Tools and Platforms

During the application process candidates are allowed to utilise AI (artificial intelligence) tools and platforms to support them in writing their Behaviours, CVs and Personal Statements. However, you must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application or used during interview is truthful and factually accurate. Applications may be rejected if plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or concepts generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. You can read more here.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email for assistance.

Further Information

This role is full time only.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

Feedback

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 .

See our vetting charter .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

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.

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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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 : Eileen Collins
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email:

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here

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