Aviation Assurance Panel - Operational & Technical Expert

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, 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., 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., 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.


• 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.
• Yourappointment 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., 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.
  
  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., 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., 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. NERC is a partner organisation within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). UKRI brings together nine organisations to create one single, independent entity with a strong voice, and a vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation., NERC is the UK's leading funder of environmental science. Our scientists study and monitor the physical, chemical and biological processes on which our planet and life itself depends - from pole to pole, from the deep Earth and oceans to the atmosphere and space. The science we fund has impact across all sectors. It provides a platform for future UK prosperity by contributing to a safe, healthy, productive nation. Many programmes involve collaborations with national and international partners to tackle large-scale environmental science challenges, including those faced by developing countries.