Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Specialist

Dstl; Idmiston; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Dstl is seeking a scientific leader for Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capabilities. You will guide research across the PNT portfolio to shape future capability, coordinating with government, industry and academia to deliver impact for defence and national security.

You will lead or influence major programmes, develop strategies and plans, and provide high-level technical advice to support strategic decisions while ensuring sovereign PNT sources for the UK.

Qualifications

• Broad understanding of Positioning, Navigation and Timing technologies, capabilities, vulnerabilities and future trends.
• Experience leading or influencing significant scientific, engineering or research programmes.
• Experience developing research strategies, technical plans or future capability concepts.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific and technical leadership across PNT research activities, aligned to Defence needs and priorities.
• Deliver authoritative technical advice that informs strategy, policy development and capability planning.
• Identify, evaluate and prioritise emerging technologies, threats and opportunities for UK PNT capabilities.

Skills

PNT technologies

research leadership

strategic thinking

Education

Degree in STEM

Job description

Based at Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JQ

At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location; Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner’s premises for 60% of your working time. Where business needs allow, and with the agreement of your line manager, there may be the option for a combination of workplace and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement.

About the job

Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capabilities are fundamental to the UK's ability to understand, decide and act in support of Defence and National Security objectives. This role provides scientific and research leadership across Dstl's PNT portfolio, shaping future capability and ensuring the UK maintains access to resilient, assured and sovereign sources of position and time information. Working with stakeholders across government, industry and academia, you will identify emerging opportunities, direct research investment and influence strategic decisions relating to future PNT capabilities. Through technical leadership, evidence-based analysis and strong partnerships, you will deliver research impact that supports critical defence and security outcomes.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

In this role you will:

Provide scientific and technical leadership across PNT research activities, ensuring work is aligned to Defence needs and future capability priorities.

Deliver authoritative technical advice that informs strategic decisions, policy development and capability planning.

Identify, evaluate and prioritise emerging technologies, threats and opportunities that could affect future UK PNT capabilities.

Person specification

You will be able to demonstrate a broad understanding of Positioning, Navigation and Timing technologies, capabilities, vulnerabilities and future trends; and demonstrate the ability to evaluate complex technical evidence and draw robust conclusions to support strategic decision making.

You will be able to demonstrate experience of leading or influencing significant scientific, engineering or research programmes; and experience of developing research strategies, technical plans or future capability concepts.

For more information on the job profile, see the job profile attached below.

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Qualifications

Degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant STEM discipline.