Master Mariner

Organisation: Defence Equipment & Support 
Salary: £70,300 per annum (plus generous benefits)
Grade:  Professional I
Working Pattern: Full time, Part time, Job Share, Flexible Working
Contract Type: Permanent

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

We offer 26.5+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 28.97%, to help work work for you.

Nationality, visas and vetting: For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 10 years and obtain Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you have been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining DV security clearance can be a lengthy process. You’ll join us once Security Check (SC) clearance is obtained, and then the more enhanced DV checks will continue after you’ve started your employment. If SC clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months, we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made.

Job description 

Why join Salvage and Marine Operations (SALMO)? 

SALMO is the MOD’s centre of excellence for marine salvage and emergency response. Our multidisciplinary team, ranging from Master Mariners and Naval Architects to Environmental Scientists and Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV) / Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) Operators, delivers critical support to UK Defence operations around the globe. Whether it's locating downed aircraft on the seabed, surveying wrecks, towing warships, or conducting emergency response drills, our work is as varied as it is vital.

Are you motivated by complex maritime challenges and looking to progress into a senior maritime authority role within SALMO? If so, this position offers an exceptional opportunity to apply and grow your expertise.

As an Offshore Marine Advisor, you will draw on your Master Mariner background to provide authoritative maritime advice, vessel assurance, and operational oversight across SALMO’s offshore activities. You will lead the planning, coordination, and assurance of safe AUV and ROV operations from Dynamic Position vessels, ensuring the effective delivery of subsea survey, inspection, and salvage intervention missions.

Acting as SALMO’s senior maritime specialist for deployed operations, you will advise on vessel operations, commercial charter arrangements, marine assurance requirements, and the management of operational maritime risk.

Working closely with the wider SALMO Seabed Operations team and Defence customers, you will contribute to mission planning, assess operational and environmental constraints, and ensure the safe integration of AUV/ROV activities with host marine platforms.

When deployed offshore, you will serve as the on‑site focal point for SALMO’s seabed capabilities, ensuring marine operations are conducted safely and effectively. When working ashore, you will support operational planning and play a critical role in enabling the UK Ministry of Defence to operate safely, lawfully, and to the highest professional standards—even in demanding and dynamic operational environments.

This is a unique opportunity to apply your seagoing and marine operations experience to some of the most complex and consequential subsea tasks undertaken in support of Defence.

What’s in it for you? This is more than just a job; it’s a chance to make a real impact. The role is operationally critical and comes with additional allowances under SALMO Terms and Conditions, reflecting the importance and intensity of the work you’ll be doing.

What you'll be doing

As the Offshore Marine Advisor, you will be the primary maritime specialist supporting SALMO’s AUV and ROV operations, ensuring all subsea activity is planned and executed safely, efficiently, and in line with marine regulations and best practice. Key responsibilities include:

• Provide SME marine operations advice to SALMO project teams during planning and execution of AUV/ROV tasks

• Lead operational marine assurance for offshore operations, including vessel assurance, DP CAMO/TAMO reviews, platform suitability assessments and risk management.

• Work with the vessels master to ensure close quarters ships manoeuvring/ DP Operations are conducted safely to enable launch/recovery of the AUV and ROV operational capability. 

• Support the development of operational plans and review safe working practices.

• Provide on-site operational oversight during offshore deployments, acting as the maritime link between SALMO, vessel crew, and subsea teams.

• Assure adherence to safety standards, marine legislation, and Defence maritime governance during operations.

• Contribute to post-mission reviews, lessons learned, and continuous improvement activities across SALMO’s marine and subsea operations.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Lead Criterion – Have experience of providing technical advice at a senior level and leading the delivery of successful maritime outcomes in multidisciplinary projects; and

• Have a wide-ranging depth and breadth of technical experience in marine operations; and

• Experience managing complex /challenging work with evidence of technical problem-solving and risk management; and

• STCW 1 Master Mariner (Unlimited)

   And: 

• Be a Sole UK National; and

• Full UK Driving Licence; and

• Be able to satisfy requirements of:

• 2-Yearly ENG1 Seafarers Medical 2., and 
• Be enlisted as a Royal Navy Sponsored Reserve 2.

1 STCW = International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.

2 For recruitment purposes, external candidates do not need to hold these (including no prior commercial diving experience) but must have no known reasons not to achieve this within 6 months of employment. 

Note: Alternatives to qualifications listed above (which cover England, Wales and Northern Ireland only), is the Scottish SCQF or international equivalent qualification backed up by a statement of comparability from UK ENIC.

This role is subject to Retained Grade Terms and Conditions and differ from the DE&S standard Terms and Conditions. 

For SALMO Retained Grade seeking promotion, please refer to Part 2, Section 10.2 of the SALMO Retained Grade Handbook.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Leadership - CSBC 4 

• Core Behaviour 2: Communicating and Influencing - CSBC 4 

• Technical Competence 1: ECF_01 Suitable Systems and Systems Thinking – Practitioner

• Technical Competence 2: ECF_02 Safety Management - Awareness

Benefits

• Full time staff employed for less than 5 years are entitled to 26.5 days’ annual leave per year, rising to 31.5 days per year after 5 years of service
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• Market-leading employer pension contribution of around 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded professional qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days

• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Further Information

• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-candidate-information-pack 

• SALMO Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/SALMO_Terms_and_Conditions 

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Disability Confident:

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.

Conflicts of Interest:

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.

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and competencies below:   

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1 
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 2 
• 3rd: Technical Competencies 
• 4th: CV Review 

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise the Lead criterion, and/or and additional assessment.  

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview. 

Selection Process Details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.

2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.

3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email: DESHR-WSC-PMOCOMPLAINTS@mod.gov.uk 

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission 

Reserve Lists

Where a competition identifies more appointable candidates than there are available vacancies, a Reserve List may be created for other similar roles in the Civil Service. This may be used for up to 12 months to fill the same role or other similar roles with closely matching essential criteria without further testing of merit.