AddressDetails
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Operational Delivery
Quality
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
- Do you have a degree in an engineering discipline, with a keen interest in automotive safety and environmental compliance?
- Are you looking for a graduate scheme with the opportunity for international travel, insight from the industry’s best and on the job training while also earning a salary?
- Have you got the ambition and drive to become an Incorporated or Chartered Engineer?
- Does a scheme where you have regular access to subject experts, mentors and Civil Service benefits appeal to you?
If you are looking for the next step in your career and professional development, our Graduate Scheme could be for you.
About Us
Our work is focused on improving vehicle safety and environmental protection by providing robust testing and certification to national and internationally recognised standards. We are a part of the Department of Transport as the designated UK Vehicle Type Approval Authority. With more than 40 years’ experience, we have become one of the largest and well-respected approval bodies around. This position has been built on a reputation for technical expertise and quality, which is at the heart of everything we do, and what you could be a part of.
Why not see what one of our graduates has to say about their experience and our scheme. You can also check out our graduate candidate pack for more information about us, what we can offer you and why we’re a great place to work.
Job description
Joining our world-class Graduate Scheme as a permanent member of staff will open doors to many opportunities tailored to you. Working collaboratively with UK and overseas manufacturers and experts, you will be at the centre of our work, making a direct impact on vehicle safety and environmental compliance, with the resulting benefit on society.
Your day to day will involve on the job training with internal and external placements on offer. Our diverse schedule and global links enable graduates to experience some of the world’s most innovative ideas and methods within the automotive industry. To gain this level of insight, extensive travel will be an essential part of the scheme. You will be at the forefront of vehicle safety and environmental testing and type approval, working with products long before they reach the market. Your knowledge and skills can take you all over the World, working with leading industry experts and facilities.
As well as having a core network of colleagues to support you on your journey, graduates will be allocated a mentor who will be on hand for any advice and guidance needed. On completion of your first two years training, gaining invaluable exposure to a broad spectrum of our work and others, we then welcome graduates to take up an engineering role with us. Thereafter, we promote graduates to gain Incorporated or Chartered engineering status over the following two/three years, with support and training available throughout to achieve this goal.
Person specification
To apply for our Graduate Scheme you will need:
- Keen to progress your academic knowledge towards the application of real-world automotive testing.
- Understand the underpinning technical principles relevant to vehicle systems and their associated technology.
- Ability to plan and manage and proactively progress with your own work.
- Work with others constructively, to explain ideas and proposals clearly and to discuss issues objectively and constructively.
For more information, please see the role profile.
Additional Information
A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace or on location testing.
Licences
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- GSE - Applying Knowledge
- GSE - Developing/Maintaining Expertise
Benefits
Your wellbeing is important to us, which is why we’re pleased to offer a wide range of benefits to all our colleagues, inside and outside of work.
Find out more about the ways you can benefit in our candidate pack.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Stage 1: Initial Experience-Based Sift
In this stage, we carefully review all applicants CV & Personal statement to shortlist candidates who meet the experience indicators and possess the necessary qualifications.
We will assess the following experience indicators from your CV & personal statement so you should tailor both to clearly explain how you meet them:
- How have you applied your engineering knowledge (can be from any part of your life including work, studies, or interests)?
- An example of how you have used your experience of analysing data or documents and reporting on findings.
- What is your approach to working individually and as a team?
Your personal statement should be a maximum of 1000 words and we recommend a minimum of 250 words for each of the bullet points above.
Some guidance to help you with your application can be found in the candidate pack below.
Stage 2: In-person Assessment
The final stage involves an in-person assessment, where selected candidates will be invited to visit one of our premises.
This will consist of:
- A written exercise of applying their knowledge against legislation that is .
- Practical exercise of assessing vehicles in a workshop environment.
- Interview.
- Group Exercise – Scenario based presentation.
Sift and Interview
The sift is due to take place from 11th March 2024.
Interviews are likely to be held from 25th March to 5th April 2024.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
You are encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.
Your technical skills will be assessed against the Government Science and Engineering Framework, please click here to find out more. We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process.
The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.
Please note that VCA are unable to offer VISA sponsorship.
Merit List
During your application, you should indicate which location you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for your selected location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which location you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for the location you have expressed a preference in your application will be withdrawn from the list.
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Document Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.
Further Information
For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.
Pre-employment Checking
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here
