Royal Navy – Machinery Trials Assessment Officer

Are you an experienced Marine Engineer, or ex-forces Marine Engineering professional, looking to apply your skills in a role that directly supports operational capability?

Maritime Capability Trials and Assurance (MCTA) is Navy Command’s independent equipment capability assurance organisation. Operating at the forefront of maritime engineering, MCTA delivers trials and assessment services that ensure Royal Navy platforms are safe, effective, and ready for operations worldwide.

This role offers a unique opportunity to transition your military or civilian Marine Engineering experience into a Civil Service career while remaining closely connected to front-line capability. Working alongside a mix of military personnel and civil servants, you will contribute directly to the delivery of operational readiness across the fleet.

Within MCTA, the Machinery Trials and Assessment Unit (MTAU) conducts trials across new construction ships, platforms emerging from upkeep, and those in service. Covering vessels from aircraft carriers to landing craft, MTAU’s work spans propulsion, power generation and distribution, auxiliary systems, and hotel services—systemsfundamental to ship capability and availability.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

This role delivers the duties of an MCTA Machinery Trials Officer, including the maintenance of professional standards through training and development to deliver Operational Capability assessments. This needs to be supported by an ability to work independently along, and as part of a team (with good interpersonal skills that have been demonstrated in a team working environment). This is an exciting and rewarding role that also provides the opportunity for personal development and the ability to improve and progress your career.

Whilst based in Victory Building in Portsmouth, the role is required to visit other locations around the UK and on occasions abroad to conduct, manage and deliver specialist trials and assurance activities. Out of hours and weekend working including nights away at sea and in other locations can be expected.

Key tasks for this role:

On behalf of key stakeholders within Navy Command and the National Armaments Director Group (NADG) to provide capability assurance by evaluating and assessing marine propulsion and auxiliary systems with a particular focus on T26 and T31Frigates, QEC Aircraft Carriers, and T45 Destroyers, but also other Surface Ships as required, either independently or, or as part of a team.

Trials to be conducted in accordance with the current Shipping Regulations, Defence Standards, Classification Society Rules, Books of Reference and Operating Manuals, through the conduct of:

• Factory acceptance tests.
• New build trials.
• Pre and post upkeep trials.
• Large repair trials.
• Ship performance assessment trials.
• Analysis of Ship’s Staff conducted trials reports.
• Final Installation Inspections (FII) con completion of alterations and additions(A&A).

Key activities include:

• Production of defect lists.
• Compilation, assessment and commentary on the Main Propulsion Installation Report Form (RN Form S346).
• Writing of reports and signals.
• Management of administration for trials including travel, accommodation, and overtime authorisation requirements in line with current MCTA processes to support trials.

To update trials requirements and procedures following trials experience and studies of specifications, drawings and machinery operating instructions.

To provide advice on the content and order of Harbour and Sea Trials programmes to Platform and Equipment Authorities, Ship Builders, Upkeep Managers and Ship’s Staff.

To provide feedback and dialogue on marine engineering matters arising from the conduct of trials to the appropriate equipment and platform desks in DE&S, support teams, and industry partners.

The successful candidate will have a minimum qualification of an HNC (Adv Cert) in Engineering, or Marine Engineering (level 4 qualification in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, or level 7 SCQF in Scotland).

Open to UK nationals only.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Personal Statement:

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (500 words max)

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and Statement of suitability and the following:

• Making Effective Decisions

At interview, you will be assessed against the following:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.