Beta

This is a trial service — your feedback will help us to improve it.

OC Engineering Wing

Vacancy summary

Royal Air Force
1883166
OF-4 - Cdr - Lt Col - Wg Cdr
Wing Commander

31/03/2023, 23:55 

October 2023
1 year, 6 months
Royal Air Force
Engineer
Aerosystems (AS)
RAF Syerston
Nottinghamshire
United Kingdom
FTRS - Limited Commitment

Vacancy detail

A vacancy has arisen for a Wg Cdr (Eng (AS)) to serve as 2 Flying Training School (2 FTS) Officer Commanding (OC) Engineering Wing (Eng Wg), responsible for all air and ground engineering in support of the Viking T Mk 1 Glider. Responsibilities include - Chief Air Engineer (CAE) to the Aviation Delivery Duty Holder (DDH); Military Continuing Airworthiness Manager (Mil CAM); Principal Engineer; Quality Manager (QM); Continuous Improvement (CI) Manager; and Glider Support Contract Manager at RAF Syerston, on FTRS (LC) Terms and Conditions of Service (TCoS) with an initial start date of 8 Oct 23, which may be brought forward by up to 4 months, dependent on funding 

This diverse and challenging position involves delivering all air and ground engineering responsibilities for over 50 Viking T Mk 1 Gliders and close interaction with key organisations and industry partners as the Glider Support Contract Designated Officer. The role is directly supported by a staff of c.20 full-time personnel, and a broader civilian/military Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO). The role entails UK travel requirements to perform Continuing Airworthiness and Ground Engineering Quality Assurance tasks at a number of dispersed 2 FTS Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGS), which will require some weekend working. 

Job Description

This role has numerous responsibilities:  

The successful applicant will be the 2 FTS Mil CAM, supported on-site at RAF Syerston by a CAMO. The post holder will lead, manage, and control all continuing airworthiness activity for 2 FTS in accordance with MAA Regulatory Articles 1011, 1016 and the 4947 et alia. The Mil CAM role includes responsibility for all Viking T Mk 1 Gliders, which are currently based at 10 locations around the UK. In the event that the successful candidate has not completed the courses listed as essential or desirable criteria, suitable training would be made available; however, candidates without any of the essential criteria may not be selected for interview.

The post holder will also be the CAE to the 2 FTS DDH, providing specialist technical support in the delivery of regulated air safety responsibilities in accordance with the MAA Regulatory Article 1023. The post holder will contribute to the technical and airworthiness aspects of the 22 Gp and 2 FTS Air Safety Management Plan (ASMP) and will ensure that an effective engineering Quality Management System is in place to assure engineering practices are authorised and to the appropriate standard. 

The incumbent will be the nominated King’s Regulations (KR) 640 Principal Engineer at RAF Syerston and will be delegated Level K authorisation. The Principal Engineer will support the Stn Cdr on all professional engineering matters and will act as the single point of contact for providing all engineering advice. The post will also include all ground engineering, assuring engineering resources and equipment are appropriately managed, and that standards and practices are maintained to the appropriate and regulatorily compliant standards.

As OC Eng Wg, the incumbent will be a Stn Executive and will provide active leadership to deliver the required 2 FTS output and provide immediate Post Crash Management support and advice to the Crisis Management Centre if the Centre is initiated.

The successful applicant will perform the additional, associated, duty of being the Designated Officer for the Glider Support Contract, responsible for managing and monitoring the performance of the contract and providing liaison between all interested parties, including the Contractor, Contracting Authority and Air Commercial staff. 

  • Must either have been, or currently be, a Wg Cdr Eng (AS), or a Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) Eng (AS) eligible for promotion in accordance with AP 3393 Vol 1 and AP 7000. However, the Selection Board reserves the right to sift out those candidates who have not held substantive rank as a Wg Cdr, and it is likely that only those Sqn Ldr Eng (AS) who hold all the other essential criteria would be considered eligible for the interview selection stage. Any eligible Sqn Ldr would also need to be successful on the Reserves’ Promotion Selection Board, prior to being called forward for interview.
  • Must hold Engineering Council Professional Registration at Chartered Engineer (CEng).
  • Must have held MAP (or JAP) Engineering Authority Level J.
  • Must have completed the following courses:
  • Hold SC Vetting.
  • Hold a full UK Driving Licence.
  • Experience as a Senior Engineering Officer (SEngO) on a Sqn, or in a centralised Forward maintenance organisation, or equivalent.
  • Held MAP (or JAP) Authority Level K.
  • Military CAMO experience, including CAMO course (TT08).
  • Previous DE&S Air System Letter of Airworthiness Authority (LOAA) holder.
  • Experience of working within an Air System TAA/Engineering Authority.
  • Experience of working alongside and influencing Civilian Defence Organisations.
  • Senior Management of Quality Course.
  • Previous experience of MOD contract monitoring and management.
  • Error management and Human Factors foundation courses.

A Selection Board will carry out a rigorous selection process for this post, based principally on an applicant’s last 4 Officer’s Joint Appraisal Reports (OJARs.  Telephone enquiries concerning this vacancy should be made to:

Wg Cdr G Bingham

Mob – 07342 087941

Applications

Candidate applications, with a maximum 2-page CV and copies of the last 4 Officer’s Joint Appraisal Reports should be sent to:

graham.bingham110@mod.gov.uk

Or by post to:

Comdt 2 FTS
2 FTS HQ
RAF Syerston
Newark
NG23 5NG

The closing date for applications is: 31/03/2023.

Unless already commissioned in the Reserve Air Forces, the successful applicant will be required to be commissioned in the RAFR with a liability for call-out for permanent service.

The appointment is on FTRS (LC) TCoS, in accordance with AP 3392 Vol 7, from 8 Oct 2023 to 31 Mar 2025.  It might be possible to bring the start date forward by up to 4 months, but this will be dependent on funding. Please note that, while it is expected that the Out-of-Service Date (OSD) for the Viking T Mk 1 will be extended to at least 31 Mar 2028, subject to the necessary approvals, employment cannot be guaranteed beyond the current OSD of 31 Mar 2025.

Confirmation of appointment will depend on successful completion of a RAF Medical Board. Personnel who do not meet the Age/Permanent Joint Medical Employment Standard (PJMES) may apply for the appointment but will only be considered subject to an executive waiver process on a case-by-case basis.

Candidates who have been out of regular or reserve service for more than 5 years may be considered for this appointment; however, relevant and suitable alternative experience would need to be clearly demonstrated, and the Engineer Professions’ Advisor must approve the application before the candidate could be invited for interview.

Regular Service Applicants. Personnel currently serving in the regular Royal Air Force should be mindful of the current Early Termination Minimum Waiting Time (MWT) for their respective Rank, Branch/Trade and ensure this MWT is compatible with the post sponsors proposed start date, prior to applying.

Administrative Discharge.  Ex-service candidates who have been administratively discharged through the QR1027 process will have their applications rejected as they are not eligible to join the RAF Reserves in accordance with AP 3391 (Vol 3, Lft 207, Annex L, Para 1a).

Pension Issues.  Personnel who qualify for a service pension should take financial advice from Defence Business Services (DBS) Pensions Department on the effect that undertaking reserve service has on their pension (details can be found on the JPA splash screen). Additional guidance can also be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pensions-and-compensation-for-veterans and MMP116 - Re-employment. Of particular note is reference to the ‘Effect of Re-employment’ on Commutation and, for those leaving on a ‘preserved’ pension, the Resettlement Grant.

Transition between TCoS.  Personnel taking this appointment from other TCoS should consider the impact on any accrued entitlements, such as leave, resettlement etc and should seek specialist guidance where required as certain entitlements are TCoS specific and may not be retained or transferred on transition between TCoS. 

Flexible Working Arrangements.  In accordance with the Flexible Working (FW) Policy, Reserve personnel can request FW arrangements with their line manager. Any immediate FW requirements should be agreed with the line management at the interview stage.

Individual Reinforcement Training (IRT) (Module 1) and RAF Fitness Test (RAFFT).  Reserve personnel are required to maintain currency in IRT and the RAFFT iaw the relevant TCoS. The successful applicant will be expected to undertake the RAFFT within 6 months of commencing employment.

Annual Salary and Leave.  Pay will be in accordance with the pay scales published for the reserve air forces.  Leave entitlement is detailed in JSP 760.

Accommodation.  There is no Living Accommodation at RAF Syerston but personnel serving on FTRS(LC) are eligible to occupy Single Living Accommodation (SLA) if available, at entitled rates, if serving within the Air Command TLB. Accommodation is in great demand and cannot be guaranteed at RAF Cranwell.

This opportunity is closed to applications.