Reports to Elizabeth Hims – NERC Operational Safety Assurance Manager (Aviation & Maritime)
Base Location AAP locations rotate between stakeholder sites in Cambridge, Swindon and London.
Salary £4800-£6000 per year based on experience
Duration Contract type An initial period of up to three years
Hours: Six days (48 hours) annually made up of three meetings (two days allocated per meeting, one for pre-reading, one attendance). Additional ad-hoc support as and when required with prior agreement
Travel Requirements: AAPs are rotated across Stakeholder locations including Cambridge, Swindon and London.
About UKRI
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the UK’s largest public funder of research and innovation. We invest more than £8 billion annually to advance our understanding of society the world around us and deliver benefits for society, the economy, and the environment.
Our organisation comprises of nine councils – the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, the seven disciplinary research councils and Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England. As a UK-wide organisation we work across the four UK nations and with the devolved funding bodies and governments to understand and support different priorities that span research and innovation in different parts of the UK.
Through our councils and the critical national capabilities provided by our centres, units and institutes, we deliver, support and champion the creativity and vibrancy of research and innovation in the UK, for the benefit of society.
UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Find out more in our 5-year strategy, Transforming Tomorrow Together.
About (NERC)
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) delivers ambitious, world-class environmental science. Our mission is to tackle global environmental challenges, strengthen societal resilience and enable sustainable economic growth. We invest in researchers, innovators, facilities and data to maintain the UK’s position as an international leader in environmental science and evidence-based policy.
Purpose of the roles
Aviation Assurance Panel
NERC’s Aviation Assurance Panel (AAP) is UKRI’s highest- level assurance body for aviation assets within our National Capability provision. These assets include:
Four British Antarctic Survey (BAS) De Havilland Canada Twin Otters (DHC-6)
The BAS De Havilland Canada Dash-7 (DHC-7).
The AAP is chaired by NERC’s Chief Operating Officer and brings together expertise from across UKRI’s aviation domain, including BAS, the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) and NERC Head Office. Its purpose is to provide independent, expert oversight to ensure the safe, effective and complaint operation of UKRI’s aviation capability.
We are seeking an Aviation Operational & Technical Independent Subject Matter Experts to join the Aviation Assurance Panel. As a Panel Member, you will provide impartial, high-level advice and constructive challenges to strengthen governance risk management and assurance across UKRI’s aviation operations. Your expertise will help ensure that our aviation assets remain safe, compliant, and capable of supporting world-leading environmental research.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute your expertise to the assurance of some of the UK’s most distinctive scientific aviation assets. Your insight will directly support environmental research that informs national policy, advances scientific understanding and benefits society.
As an Operational Independent Panel Member, you will:
Provide independent oversight, expert advice and constructive challenge to support the AAP Chair’s decision-making.
Act as a critical friend, offering impartial perspectives on aviation assurance, safety and governance matters.
Scrutinise assurance information, risk assessments and operational reports to ensure frameworks are robust, fit for purpose and able to withstand external scrutiny.
Promote transparency, accountability and continuous improvement across UKRI’s aviation activities.
Skills
In-depth operational expertise within an aviation domain such as operational control, irregular operations, airport and ground operations, safety management systems (SMS), operational risk.
Proven ability to provide high-level advice and challenge on aviation assurance, policy, or operational matters.
Strong understanding of assurance, risk and governance frameworks within aviation or related sectors.
Ability to interpret complex technical data and assurance documentation to inform strategic decisions.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience influencing senior stakeholders
Essential Criteria
Knowledge of aviation regulations and compliance (e.g. CAA, ASSI, ICAO).
Familiarity with emerging aviation technologies (e.g., RPAS/UAVs, sustainable aviation fuels, digital airspace management).
Experience serving on advisory boards, technical panels, or governance committees.
Ability to operate impartially, providing objective advice with appropriate ethical oversight.
Your appointment is conditional upon obtaining and maintaining Security Check (SC) clearance for the duration of your employment. Candidates must be eligible to undergo and successfully obtain SC clearance prior to appointment.
Desirable Criteria
Chartered or professionally accredited status (e.g., CEng, FRAeS, PMP).
Experience working with government departments, regulators or industry partners.
As a Technical Independent Panel Member, you will:
Provide independent oversight, expert advice and constructive challenge to support the AAP Chair’s decision-making.
Act as a critical friend, offering impartial perspectives on aviation assurance, safety and governance matters.
Scrutinise assurance information, risk assessments and operational reports to ensure frameworks are robust, fit for purpose and able to withstand external scrutiny
Promote transparency, accountability and continuous improvement across UKRI’s aviation activities.
Skills
In-depth Technical expertise within an aviation domain such as airworthiness, regulatory compliance, safety management systems (SMS), air maintenance.
Proven ability to provide high-level advice and challenge on aviation assurance, policy, or operational matters.
Strong understanding of assurance, risk and governance frameworks within aviation or related sectors.
Ability to interpret complex technical data and assurance documentation to inform strategic decisions.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience influencing senior stakeholders
Essential Criteria
Knowledge of aviation regulations and compliance (e.g. CAA, ASSI, ICAO).
Familiarity with emerging aviation technologies (e.g., RPAS/UAVs, sustainable aviation fuels, digital airspace management).
Experience serving on advisory boards, technical panels, or governance committees.
Ability to operate impartially providing objective advice with appropriate ethical oversight.
Your appointment is conditional upon obtaining and maintaining Security Check (SC) clearance for the duration of your employment. Candidates must be eligible to undergo and successfully obtain SC clearance prior to appointment.
Desirable Criteria
Chartered status or professionally accredited status (e.g., CEng, FRAeS, PMP).
Experience working with government departments, regulators or industry partners.
Go Live 29th June 2026
Close Date 26th July 2026 @ 23:55pm
Shortlisting: 10th August 2026
Interviews: 18th & 20th August 2026
Application Guidance
We have the right to close vacancies earlier if we receive high volumes of candidates
As part of your application, you will need to submit:
A Curriculum Vitae (CV)
A Supporting Statement – covering the essential criteria
Please clarify which role you are applying for
Your CV and supporting statement should each be no more than two to three pages in length.
Supporting Statement Guidance
Your supporting statement is a key part of your application. It should clearly explain why you are suitable for this role, providing specific evidence of how you meet the requirements outlined in the person specification.
To help structure your statement, we encourage you to address each criterion in the person specification using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This will help you present your experience in a clear and consistent way. Further guidance on the STAR method is available from the National Careers Service.
Please note, failure to provide a supporting statement/CV or failure to address the above points may result in your application not being considered further.
You will only be assessed on the content of your CV and supporting statement, and not the ‘experience’ section of the application on the Careers Portal.
If you experience any issues applying online, please contact seniorrecruitment@ukri.org
UKRI - UK Research and Innovation
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the public sector organisation that invests £8 billion annually to support the entire research and innovation system. We strive for a society powered and empowered by research and innovation, with economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits for all.
We invest in people, places, ideas, innovation and impacts, empowering researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to turn the many challenges we all face into opportunities, driving up prosperity and wellbeing across the UK and globally.
The impacts of our work are felt right across society. We enrich lives by increasing our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, supporting innovative businesses and public services, and creating high-quality jobs throughout the UK.
