Occupational Psychologist

RAF High Wycombe

Would you like to make a real difference to the wellbeing and effectiveness of the Royal Air Force and those with whom they work?

Would you like access to the highest levels of the RAF, using the power of your analyses to influence strategy and policy to the benefit of the Service and the public that we serve?

Would you like to join a small, but dedicated multidisciplinary team helping leaders across Defence to understand the current and future context and to exploit leading-edge research?

Would you like your office to be in rural Buckinghamshire, but within easy reach of High Wycombe, with free parking and good transport links, plus a subsidised gym, small shop, and café on site?

Would you like to work flexibly, have a generous holiday entitlement and contributory pension, and support for at least five days of professional and personal development each year?

Are you an Occupational Psychologist with the essential qualifications, experience and professional memberships set out below?

If so, you will be interested in this rare opportunity within Headquarters Air Command at RAF High Wycombe.

The successful applicant will join the Occupational Psychology team for the Chief of Staff Personnel, conducting longitudinal research, like the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS) and their Families and Reserves counterparts, applied psychological research, and wider engagement with emerging social science.

Their primary role is to support the development of strategy and policy by providing accurate and timely analyses of social science evidence, including survey responses and other research findings.

By doing so, they enhance RAF effectiveness, not least by improving the lived experience of Whole Force personnel across Defence, improving their morale, and increasing retention.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week and there will be some requirement to attend the office, but we do offer flexible working policies and facilitate hybrid ways of working with a mix of office-based and home-based working, subject to business need.

The successful candidate will need to:

• Provide occupational psychology advice and consultancy to RAF and MOD staffs in support of current and future personnel strategy.
• Plan, manage, conduct, and report on applied research into occupational psychology issues.
• Support RAF involvement in the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS), Families Continuous Attitude Survey (FamCAS) and Reserves Continuous Attitude Survey (ResCAS).
• Advise on external context issues and provide external scanning.
• Assist stakeholders to understand current context and exploit research findings.
• Provide an intelligent customer capability for the RAF regarding social science research.
• Maintain active liaison with the other Armed Forces and MOD teams, especially other MOD psychologists, the Defence People research team, Defence Statistics, other executive agencies, and national or international bodies.
• Advance intellectual resources by maintaining and promulgating up to date awareness of occupational psychology and associated ongoing developments in the RAF, MOD, and other Armed Forces.
• Act as Line Manager for the team’s two EOs: a Researcher and a Business Support Manager.
• Perform other duties commensurate with the grade as directed by the head of the HQ Air Occupational Psychology team.

British Psychological Society (BPS) approved honours degree in psychology.

BPS accredited MSc in Occupational Psychology.

Minimum of two years’ relevant postgraduate experience in organisational and survey research.

Graduate Member of the BPS – Graduate Basis for Chartership.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Occupational Psychology 1 – Professional Standards (Practitioner)
• Occupational Psychology 2 – Consultancy and Promotion of the Profession (Practitioner)
• Occupational Psychology 3 – Application of Research Skills and Knowledge (Practitioner)

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Occupational Psychology 2 – Consultancy and Promotion of the Profession (Practitioner)
• Occupational Psychology 3 – Application of Research Skills and Knowledge (Practitioner)

Alongside your salary of £33,830, Ministry of Defence contributes
£9,134 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Flexible working.
• Diverse and inclusive culture.
• Highly competitive Civil Service pensionwith an average employer contribution of 27%.
• 25 days paid annual leave rising one day each year to a maximum of 30 days after five years.
• 8 days public holiday per year.
• Privilege Day for the Sovereign’s birthday.
• Professional and personal training and development opportunities.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
• Subsidised membership of a fitness suite, plus lunchtime and evening fitness classes.
• Opportunity to join the Officers’ Mess.
• Café and small shop on site.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment by 31st December 2022. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed. 

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available.
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Job contact :

• Name : Gp Capt Tony Vine (DACOS Pers Strat)
• Email : anthony.vine906@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : 0300 168 5229

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam3@mod.gov.uk