Senior Researcher – Wake Vortex Expert

NATS is the UK’s leading air navigation service provider, handling over 2.4 million flights each year. We provide air traffic control services from two control centres and at airports around the UK. We also provide a wide range of commercial products and solutions internationally. Our people are at the heart of our purpose to advance aviation and keep the skies safe.

Salary: £62,362.00 – £83,149.40

Job Type: Maternity Cover (10 months)

Closing Date: Thursday 12th March

Please Include a Cover Letter with your Application

Job Purpose/Overview

• The purpose of the role is to provide in-depth technical expertise to lead, plan, execute and report on work within the area of technical specialism focussed on aircraft separations and wake vortex risk in the Research and Development Portfolio. The role also proactively supports the management of the overall programme of work within the wider technical domain area in the Research and Development department.
• The job holder will lead a technical team, which could include non-R&D and external clients, to deliver solutions to non-routine technical problems against NATS most significant challenges.
• They will be responsible for multiple technical tasks or work packages within their technical area of expertise and will also be involved in proactively driving improvement in this area.

Breadth of Experience

• A technical leader with an in-depth technical knowledge in at least one of the specialist technical domains within R&D and a recognised expert in this at organisation level. A good knowledge of NATS’ ATM operations, NATS organisation and processes is desirable.
• As a leader of a specialist technical area, the postholder will have developed people leadership skills within project and technical teams, R&D Delivery, communication, influencing and negotiation skills.

Scope for Impact

• As a technical leader of a technical or project team, the jobholder provides expert technical direction and leadership on the solution design and the technical delivery of tasks within projects across R&D that could have a significant impact on NATS’ business decisions that shape the future of UK ATM.

Job Scope/Key Responsibilities

• Supervision and Leadership: Provides Technical leadership to project teams, including non-R&D and external project members, ensuring team members understand how the allocated work contributes to overall objectives and are kept informed of wider developments. Provides day to day technical supervision of other team members working on designated tasks to ensure they meet timescales and required standards of quality.
• Capability: Supports development of R&D capability through identification of future capability requirements and development of strategic external partnerships for their technical areas of expertise.
• Project Management (inc Planning): Manages, plans, designs, implements and reports on (through appropriate means) complex technical tasks. Identifies and resolves conflicts and issues. Oversight of other project member’s input.
• Delivery: Leads scientific and technical delivery of projects to time, cost and quality. Manages technical risk regarding delivery of key R&D activities. This includes carrying out or reviewing scientific, technical or data analysis and drawing technical conclusions.
• Technical Problem Solving: Leads technical teams to solve non-routine technical problems against NATS most significant challenges, which may be first-of-kind within the industry. Defines and communicates the implications of those solutions on other work areas across NATS business.
• Process Improvement: Contributes to continuous improvement in their area, through a variety of innovative and creative solutions. Works with members of R&D leadership team to embed best practice within R&D. Ensures the team deliver in line with R&D processes and, where necessary, suggest changes to the processes to R&D leadership team.
• Application & Maintenance of Knowledge: Develops and maintains a high level of technical and professional expertise, coaching and assisting others in these areas. Uses professional standing as a recognised expert within the organisation to develop knowledge, skills and experience with others within the department.
• Customer Focus: Liaises effectively with customers for delivery of their R&D projects, working across the business to integrate and exploit technical outputs. Has good working relationships with customers and stakeholders across NATS and externally for their area of technical work.

Skills and Experience

• Academic Background: Good honours degree in a STEM or Operational Research subject or equivalent (e.g. other qualifications or relevant work experience). Membership of relevant external professional body, such as IET, BCS, IMA, IoP, ORS etc and working towards chartership status or equivalent is highly desirable.
• Knowledge and Appreciation of ATM operations: A good knowledge and appreciation of current and likely future UK ATM operations. A good understanding of the interactions between ATM operations and how work produced fits into the wider processes, and how R&D activities can positively impact KPIs. Familiarity with European and world-wide developments in ATM in area of technical specialism.
• Understanding of specialist techniques and methodologies: Good understanding of the nature and relevance of specialist techniques and methodologies when applied to studies and the ability to apply these to multiple customer areas. Including but not limited to experimental design, hypotheses testing, statistical analysis, technology development approaches, verification and validation.
• Quality of work and communication: Produces well documented, high quality technical work, and actively determines when work is of a sufficient standard.
• Appreciation of the importance of generating and applying best practice. Proven communication and presentation skills at all levels.
• Influencing Skills: Uses knowledge and experience to influence decisions made within R&D.
• Team working: An ability to lead, motivate and inspire an effective team culture, by promoting team spirit, keeping others focussed and supporting colleagues. Able to communicate effectively within a multi-disciplinary environment considering different perspectives and able to moderate different technical viewpoints.

Additional Vacancy Information

We are proud to offer a fantastic total reward package to help you thrive both personally and professionally – for more information on what NATS can offer you please visit – Why NATS?