Air Protection Science Adviser

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 245838**Salary**:

- £53,500**Job grade**:

- Grade 7**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- MOD - Head Office & Corporate Services**Type of role**:

- Science
- Strategy**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Compressed Hours**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- RAF High WycombeAbout the job

**Job summary**:
Defence Science and Technology (DST) works under the direction of MOD’s Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) to maximise the impact of S&T for the defence and security of the UK. It commissions MOD’s Core Research Programme, which is delivered by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), industry and academia. Science and Technology (S&T) is central to the execution of all Defence tasks and activities. It drives the effectiveness and efficiency of our national security, the capability of our armed forces and underpins our international relationships with Allies. S&T is a key contributor to enhanced strategic understanding, to overseas operations, to the nuclear deterrence, to homeland security, the development of new disruptive and affordable winning edge technologies, and the identification of alternative solutions and new concepts to address strategic Defence challenges. S&T is a critical force multiplier for Defence, and our vision is that it will play a central role in Defence thinking and culture, and be fully embedded as good practice in all current and future Defence policy and strategy.

The **Air Protection Scientific Adviser** is responsible for providing Science and Technology support to Air Command with a focus on Air Platform Protection and Force Protection. The Air Protection Scientific Adviser is an ambassador for S&T and provides support through their network of technical and scientific specialists into Air Command, DE&S as well as the wider MOD enterprise.

This exciting role will expose you to the Defence customer context; you will have trusted access to key decision makers and build networks with S&T specialists. By linking S&T opportunities and developments with Defence challenges in your area, you will support MOD to deliver Technology-led Modernisation in an era of rapidly changing threats and opportunities.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

**Job description**:
The Scientific Adviser (SciAdv) role requires a mixture of analytical, technical and consultancy skills to proactively mature the evidence base and foster an understanding of the options, choices and courses of action available to the senior decision-making community. This is a technically and mentally challenging role that requires excellent inter-personal and communication skills in dealing with military personnel and both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

The SciAdv should maintain an awareness of relevant emerging and developing S&T in order to identify opportunities for wider exploitation and joint working across Air Command, Defence Science and Technology (DST) and MOD.

Key tasks include:

- Provision of impartial Science and Technology advice including ensuring that key S&T deliverables are fit for purpose.
- Developing and facilitating effective stakeholder relationships across the Defence community, both nationally and internationally.
- Advise the customer on S&T matters to support capability planning and delivery.
- Understand and communicate customer needs and priorities to S&T commissioning and delivery organisations.
- Prepare stakeholders for S&T governance boards and S&T input to Defence capability planning and delivery.
- Champion and communicate the impact of Science and Technology on behalf of the MOD Chief Scientific Advisor related to Air Protection.

Main contacts and relationships:

- Senior staff in Air Capability (both Capability Strategy and Capability Delivery)
- RAF Force Protection HQ
- Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO)
- Joint Helicopter Command (JHC)
- Key S&T staff across Air Command and other FLCs at up to 3*
- DST and the S&T enterprise - Science Adviser network, Dstl S&T programmes and industry suppliers.

**Person specification**:

- Expertise in science, engineering, operational analysis and/or other fields relevant to Air Protection.
- Excellent communication skills, including written and oral.
- A flexible approach to a variety of tasks of different duration and priority.
- Technical consulting and systems thinking skills, with the ability to work with initiative, to understand customer capability needs, translate these into science, technology and analysis needs, and communicate outcomes back to a senior customer community.
- Proven ability to influence thinking and decision making, and to network extensively across the department and wider S&T enterprise.
- Recent experience in S&T delivery.
- Broad awareness of Defence capability in the air, land, maritime and joint environments.