Junior Geospatial Specialist

UK Hydrographic Office -
Taunton

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Job details

Permanent | Full-time
£28,109 - £31,952 a year
13 days ago

Benefits

Company pension

Qualifications

Data analysis skills
Analysis skills
Database management
Presentation skills

Full job description

Details

Reference number

463176

Salary

£28,109

Rising to £31,952 upon development to Executive Officer grade (further information in short summary). Further pay information can be found in the attached Document Additional Pay Information.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Administrative Officer

Developing to Executive Officer (EO)

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

UKHO - Operations Content

Type of role

Analytical
Defence Operations
Operational Delivery

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time

Number of jobs available

Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information

Location

Taunton, Somerset, South West

About the job

Job summary

These roles, which sit within Operations Division at the UK Hydrographic Office, are being advertised as development roles, where successful candidates will undertake a comprehensive training and development programme, with an expectation of gaining experience in more than one team, to provide a strong foundation for your future career and some breadth of understanding of work in Operations. Confirmation of temporary promotion to B3/EO and subsequent substantive promotion to the B3/EO grade will be evidence based incorporating both Civil Service expected Behaviours for the grade and technical competence and subject to approval by a review panel.

In these roles you will be directly involved in the flowline for the delivery of services or products for customers; whose safety at sea relies on the accuracy and timeliness of the information the UK Hydrographic Office provides. Within these roles, and as you progress, you will develop a number of these analytical and geospatial skills:

Geospatial Data Analysis & Manipulation

Geospatial Data Management

Geospatial Data Standards and Quality

Cartography and Interactive mapping

Geospatial Tools, Software and systems

You will have the opportunity, in whichever teams you are assigned to, to work alongside and learn from subject matter experts in fields such as geospatial data management, GIS, data standards, hydrography, cartography, and navigation. You will also have the experience of working in a modern, flexible and supportive working environment with great benefits, alongside colleagues who are passionate about what we deliver for our customers.

Please note, this recruitment campaign is for a cohort start on Thursday 17 September 2026.

Our teams across Operations work in different ways, depending on the ways of working of the team and customer needs. Some Teams, due to the nature of their work, require team members to attend the office in Taunton daily, whilst others can support a more hybrid work pattern. Hybrid working is a non contractual and voluntary arrangement.

There will be introductory classroom training for these roles which will be onsite at our office in Taunton. This will be for a minimum of 2 weeks but could be up to 10 weeks depending on the team you are allocated to.

Job description

These roles support the acquisition, analysis and management of hydrographic and marine information and subsequent processing into navigational products and services.

Following introductory training, you will work within a team of approximately 10 12 staff of differing levels of experience and will be mentored on the job. GIS and other bespoke software and databases are used in all roles, so you will build hands-on, practical experience.

Day-to-day activities include database management, using GIS based production systems to complete rules-based editing of UKHO geospatial products, data sourcing, data capture and distribution and quality checking. Other tasks may include managing and maintaining records, archival research and job preparation.

As you progress through your development, and depending on your team, examples of day to day tasks are as follows:

Interpret and assess a full range of incoming analogue and digital data against product masters, databases and services and recommend subsequent actions.
Assess impact of complex source data on databases and update accordingly.
Update and deconflict data in databases from new and historical sources.
Produce ENCs as a result of changes to the database.
Compile Submarine bathymetric ENCs.
Maintain authoritative, feature specific master data layers.
Produce specialist analogue and digital products in support of RN deployments.

Person specification

Please note that we will only score against the sift and interview criteria and not the information below.

If you have a real interest in building geospatial skills and experience within an Organisation that is responsible for providing all users of marine/hydrographic information with the data, products and services they need to make effective decisions, then this could be the right opportunity for you.

If you are a supportive team player, who has great attention to detail and the ability to work at pace to meet the needs of our customers worldwide, then we would love to hear from you.

Behaviours

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

Working Together
Making Effective Decisions
Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

Please tell us about your understanding/awareness of the uses of geospatial information and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,109, UK Hydrographic Office contributes £8,143 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

At the UK Hydrographic Office, it's very important to us that our people feel valued.

We offer a huge range of benefits such as training and development, well-being support, flexible/ homeworking, a fantastic state of the art building, high spec equipment, and so much more.

See our attached Candidate Pack for more details.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to Apply:

Click Apply Now and enter the requested information from your CV. Your CV will not be scored and is for information purposes only. You will also be asked to provide a Personal Statement of up to 500 words, including examples of how you meet the experience criteria below. In addition, You will be required to input details in line with the technical criteria below.

Timeline:

Advert closes for applications: 07/06/2026
Shortlisting will take place week commencing 15/06/2026
Assessment centres are likely to take place on 29/06/2026 and 30/06/2026

Please note the above dates are subject to change.

Sift/Shortlist Criteria:

All applications are processed anonymously.

You will be short-listed against the following criteria:

Experience:

You will be asked to enter your Job History, Qualifications and Previous Skills and Experience. This is for information purposes only.

A Personal Statement of up to 500 words will also be required and will be assessed against the following criteria:

An example(s) of working as part of a group/team to undertake a task, detailing what/how you contributed to the successful outcome of the activity.
An example(s) of how you have managed competing priorities or deadlines to ensure outcomes are delivered to time/quality.

Technical:

Your understanding/awareness of the uses of geospatial information and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Assessment Centre Criteria:

Short listed candidates will be invited to attend a virtual assessment centre, which will last approximately 2.5 hours. You will be assessed through tests and a group scenario against the following criteria:

Civil Service Behaviours (Level 1):

Working Together (Group Assessment centre exercise) (Lead Criteria - used in the event of a tie at interview)
Making Effective Decisions (Test)
Delivering at Pace (Test)

Technical Skills:

Good attention to detail (Test)

See here for further information: Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Process:

Single Stage group Assessment centre via TEAMS. You will be contacted to book a suitable slot if you are shortlisted (see our Candidate Pack for further information)
Short listed candidates will be invited to attend a virtual assessment centre, which will last approximately 2.5 hours. You will be assessed using tests involving 3 x 30 minute exercises followed by a 1 hour group scenario
The Assessment centres will involve a panel of no more than 4 people

Onboarding Checks:

In the event you are offered a role with us, you will be required to go through Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks which will include Employment and Right to Work Checks. You will also need to apply for SC (Security Checked) Clearance, but you may be able to start your role before gaining this. Please see our attached Candidate Pack for further details and Terms.

Eligibility

Due to the secure nature of our work, there may be eligibility restrictions if you hold dual nationality or are not a British Citizen. We will consider each application on a case-by-case basis. We will ask you in our application form to confirm your place of birth and details of any dual or previous nationalities.

Please note, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship.

SC non reserved

This is a Ministry of Defence non-reserved post and although open to UK, British Commonwealth and European Economic Area nationals, successful applicants will require a security clearance (SC) and therefore need to have resided in the UK for a minimum of 12 consecutive months within the last 5 years.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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)
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

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : [email protected]
Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

Email : [email protected]

Further information

The Departments recruitment processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment based on merit, open and fair competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, details of which can be found at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can further contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk or view more details at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

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Details

Reference number

Salary

Job grade

Contract type

Business area

Type of role

Working pattern

Number of jobs available

Contents

Location

About the job

Job summary

Job description

Person specification

Behaviours

Technical skills

Benefits

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Selection process details

Security

Nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

Diversity and Inclusion

Apply and further information

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Recruitment team

Further information

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