Small Craft Surveyor - Nautical

Government Recruitment Service; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employer pension contribution

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Flexible working options

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service is seeking a Small Craft Surveyor - Nautical based in Plymouth. You will survey and inspect small and non-convention vessels, issue certificates, and provide expert technical advice to vessel owners and colleagues.

You will work within the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's UK Technical Maritime Services Directorate, delivering high-quality survey and inspection services while upholding UK and international safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Carrying out surveys leading to statutory certificates for small vessels and acting as lead surveyor in straightforward cases.
• Carrying out inspections of small vessels and port installations to ensure compliance with international conventions and UK requirements.
• Providing technical advice to vessel owners and industry colleagues per MCA policies.
• Contributing to delivery of a high-quality survey and inspection service across MCA teams.
• Maintaining training and competence records and supporting staff development as directed by management.

Job description

Small Craft Surveyor - Nautical

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £41,330 to £41,330 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Plymouth

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 4 Nov 2026

Closing date: 17 Nov 2026

Can you apply your maritime expertise to help keep people safe at sea?

Do you have a passion for high standards and maritime safety?

Have you got the technical expertise to make a real difference?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Survey and Inspection function sits within the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s UK Technical Maritime Services Directorate. It supports the Government’s ambition for safer ships and cleaner seas by ensuring high standards of maritime safety and environmental protection. Through a national network of Marine and Satellite Offices, the business area delivers vessel surveys and inspections, certification and regulatory services to customers and maritime stakeholders. Its work ensures compliance with UK and international safety, security and anti-pollution requirements while providing a consistent, professional and customer-focused service

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• 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), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

As a Small Craft Surveyor, you will survey and inspect small and non-convention vessels, ensuring compliance with UK and international safety, security and environmental standards. You will issue certification, provide expert technical advice to vessel owners and industry colleagues, and support consistent, high-quality survey and inspection services across the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• As directed by the Technical Manager(TM) or Principal Marine Surveyor, the post-holder will give training to, or mentor/coach Marine Surveyor colleagues on specified areas of Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Survey & Inspection (S&I) activities to ensure implementation and enforcement of those activities is consistent and in accordance with MCA standards and guidance.
• Carrying out surveys in all but the most complex cases leading to the issue of statutory certificates for small/non-convention vessels. Acting as lead surveyor in all but the most complex cases, including issuing certification, providing advice to the public and colleagues, approving ships plans, investigating complaints and witnessing stability measurements of small vessels.
• Carrying out inspections of small/non-convention vessels and port installations in all but the most complex cases to ensure compliance with international conventions and UK statutory requirements (e.g., general inspection of UK small/non-convention vessels.
• Providing advice to industry and the public in accordance with MCA policies, including as point of contact for technically related communications with designated companies or individual vessel owners. Contributing to the management, provision and delivery of a first-class survey and inspection service by the Marine Office (MO) to customers and stakeholders of the MCA’s maritime services. Working with the Business Manager (BM) and the MO Technical/Business Delivery Teams in providing a customer service experience that both meets and manages customer expectations and contributing to the delivery of a regulatory climate that is clear, consistent, and supportive of UK maritime industries.
• Assisting the TM with the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the MO by maintaining accurate and up-to-date personal training and competence records. Completing training and development opportunities satisfactorily to ensure skill and capability profiles are maintained in accordance with the direction of the TM and Line Manager, and to ensure that the post-holder maintains competence, impartiality, and integrity by undergoing agreed MCA peer review/activity monitoring processes.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile.

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