Maritime Fighting Web Scientific Adviser

Job summary

Are you looking for a challenging and influential role that will help maximise the strategic impact of science and technology for the Royal Navy and wider Defence? The Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser (OCSA) is seeking a Maritime Fighting Web Scientific Adviser to provide impartial scientific advice, technical challenge and enterprise coherence across one of Navy Command’s highest-priority capability areas.

Maritime Fighting Web is the digital backbone that connects sensors, decision-makers and effectors across a distributed maritime force into a single coherent fighting system. It is a key enabler of the Royal Navy's Hybrid Navy concept.

Scientific Advisers work for the Department of State under the leadership of the MOD Chief Scientific Adviser. They are embedded across Defence, including within Military Strategic Headquarters, the Military Commands, the Defence Nuclear Enterprise and the National Armaments Director Group (NADG), acting as Defence’s scientific and technological champions and conscience. They provide independent advice and constructive challenge, connect the wider science, innovation and technology enterprise, identify opportunities, and help Defence secure strategic advantage through science and technology. This role specifically supports the Royal Navy in its design and development of an integrated communications and data network that allow large numbers of crewed and uncrewed platforms to operate effectively as a force.

The Maritime Fighting Web Scientific Adviser will be embedded within Navy Command Headquarters in Portsmouth, working day-to-day with Navy Develop, Navy Digital and wider maritime capability stakeholders. The role will focus on the technologies, evidence and integration challenges required to network Royal Navy platforms, sensors, decision-makers and effectors into a coherent Maritime Fighting Web, aligned with the MOD Digital Targeting Web and the broader Hybrid Navy ambition.

This is a highly networked role, requiring the post holder to operate across Navy Command, OCSA, Dstl, UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), NADG, industry, academia, Allies and other Military Commands. The successful candidate will help translate Navy’s operational and capability priorities into a coherent science and technology demand signal, ensure that investment is technically informed and exploitable, and provide independent advice on maturity, risk, opportunity and assurance across a critical area of maritime capability.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Part time, flexible working and job share may be considered providing that full time hours are covered.

Job description

The post holder will provide high-quality scientific advice and constructive challenge to support the development, integration and exploitation of the Maritime Fighting Web. They will work with senior military and civilian stakeholders to ensure decisions are underpinned by robust scientific evidence, credible technical assessment and clear understanding of risks and opportunities.

• Provide impartial scientific advice, technical challenge and assurance to Navy Command stakeholders on Maritime Fighting Web technologies, integration risks and exploitation opportunities.

• Support Navy Develop and Navy Digital in translating operational and capability priorities into clear, evidence-based science and technology demand signals.

• Build coherence across activity relating to sensors, networks, command and control, decision support, targeting, effectors, data architectures, interoperability and systems integration.

• Act as a key link between Navy Command and the wider science, innovation and technology enterprise, including OCSA, Dstl, UKDI, NADG, industry, academia and allies.

• Provide advice on the technical maturity, evidence base, risks and opportunities associated with major Navy C5I and digital integration programmes.

• Support the exploitation of science and technology investment into fielded maritime capability, with particular focus on Hybrid Navy, distributed operations and Digital Targeting Web alignment.

• Contribute to senior decision-making, investment assurance, options development, experimentation, wargaming, operational analysis and capability prioritisation.

• Identify emerging technologies and novel approaches that could improve maritime connectivity, decision advantage, resilience and operational effect.

• Champion scientific thinking, evidence-based decision-making and constructive challenge across the maritime capability community.

• Maintain strong working relationships across Defence and with external partners, representing OCSA and Navy Scientific Advice in relevant boards, working groups and technical forums.

• Championing CSA strategic objectives within Navy.

Person specification

We are looking for a credible, collaborative and analytically strong technical professional who can operate with confidence in a complex Defence environment. The successful candidate will be comfortable working with senior stakeholders, making sense of ambiguity, and connecting operational need with technical evidence and enterprise delivery.

Essential criteria

• A science, technology, engineering or mathematics qualification, or equivalent professional experience with a focus on systems integration, communications and data architectures.

• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including the ability to engage technical and non-technical audiences.

• Ability to provide evidence-based advice and constructive challenge in complex or uncertain environments.

• Experience of working across organisational boundaries to build coherence, influence priorities and connect specialist expertise to decision-makers.

• Strong analytical judgement, including the ability to assess technical risk, maturity, opportunity and evidence quality.

• Ability to prioritise effectively, manage competing demands and deliver high-quality advice at pace.

• Eligibility and willingness to hold Developed Vetting clearance.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of Defence science and technology, operational analysis, digital capability, C5I, command and control, autonomy, targeting or maritime capability development.

• Understanding of the Royal Navy, Hybrid Navy, maritime operations, force development or capability delivery.

• Experience of working with Dstl, UKDI, industry, academia, international partners or wider Defence science and innovation networks.

• Experience of providing technical assurance or advice into investment, options development, experimentation or capability decision-making.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Leadership

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encourag