DIO Ecology Graduate Scheme

Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is the estate expert providing advice on infrastructure and estate management across the defence estate in the UK and overseas. Do you want to influence the way almost 1% of the UK land area is managed? DIO manages the largest and most diverse part of the public estate, which has been described as the most important estate for wildlife and natural capital in the country with 37% designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Managing the estate in a sustainable way enables the armed forces and Defence civilians to live, work and train. It also supports wider government objectives and the public by delivering a range of ecosystem services from pollinators, carbon sequestration and nature recovery.
This Assistant Ecologist position is unique in terms of the diverse range of projects, sites and stakeholders you will be involved with. The post will support the DIO Ecologists and Senior Ecologists employed in a team of 12 to gain understanding and experience in different types of ecological impact assessment involving different types of landscape, habitats and species.
Throughout your journey with us you will be fully supported by experienced colleagues within the Ecology Team but also from across DIO and wider Defence. These wider influences will build your competence as a professional ecologist by showcasing other professions and helping you understanding your role within a bigger team with shared goals.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week., Technical Services provides in-house expertise to DIO and the wider MOD; the specialist skills available through the Technical Services team span natural capital, environmental planning, sustainable development, climate resilience, forestry, access & recreation, archaeology and historic buildings, as well as ecology.
The Ecology Team provides advice and guidance to all branches of the MOD on ecology and biodiversity conservation matters across the UK and overseas estate. It directly supports military training and other defence outputs by managing and delivering ecological assessments for military exercises, estate management activities and new infrastructure development.
The team leads the MOD SSSI Condition Improvement Project and is responsible for managing over 80,000 ha of SSSI towards favourable condition and delivering the MODs biodiversity objectives across the whole of the estate. We also support the development of Integrated Rural Management Plans (IRMPs) at our largest and most important sites for wildlife. As part of the Greening Government Commitments, we are shaping the MOD nature strategy and will be a driving force in delivering the departments nature recovery plan., The specific requirements of the role are diverse, and every day, week and year will be different. Some of the work is reactive but planned work will include support to:
+ Habitat Regulations Assessment
+ SSSI assent applications
+ Ecological Impact Assessment
+ Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment
+ Sustainability Appraisals
+ Marine Licencing
+ SSSI condition assessment
+ Habitat management
+ Conservation Management Plans
+ Farmer environmental stewardship schemes
+ Phase One ecology surveys
+ Data management and Geospatial mapping tools
+ Conservation volunteers
+ Publicity and communications, Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile and the CIEEM Competency Framework elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly, and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.
Stage 1:
At application stage you will be assessed against the following:
Behaviours:
+ Communicating and Influencing, Please also try to showcase your relevant skills and experience against the role responsibilities. This statement is your opportunity to give examples of how you fit the requirements of the role.
Stage 2:
At interview you will be assessed against the following:
Behaviours:
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Developing Self and Others
Technical Skills:
+ CIIEM Competency P3 (Foundation Level) – Advising on the requirements of legislation, policy and guidance or international standards.
+ CIEEM Competency S3 (Foundation Level) – Habitat identification, classification and assessment.
We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn’t always possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months.
Application sifting is scheduled to take place on week commencing 11th November 2024 following advert closure.
Interviews are currently taking place remotely and will be conducted week commencing 25th November 2024.
A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavour to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.
Once all interviews have taken place, we will make provisional offers to the successful candidates in December 2024 and begin your pre-employment checks. Please be aware these checks can take several months to complete, however we will remain in contact throughout the process.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
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 (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks., + 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) (opens in a new window)
+ 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 (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

As an Graduate Ecologist in DIO, you will undertake a three-year pathway to move from Qualifying Membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology & Environmental Management (CIEEM) to Associate Membership. You will gain experience in a wide range of projects, ecological assessment techniques and conservation management activities. After three years you will have developed the knowledge and experience to carry out standard tasks unsupervised confidently and consistently, but you will need to seek advice before carrying out complex or non-standard tasks., You must have, or will achieve by September 2025, the following Qualifications/Essential Criteria:
+ A degree in Ecology, Conservation, Natural Resource Management or a closely related Environmental Science subject at 2:2 or above awarded within the last two years.
+ A full, valid UK driver’s licence.
If you are currently an undergraduate, you are encouraged to apply with your predicted grades. Evidence of the above qualifications will be required as part of your pre-employment checks before a formal offer can be made., Qualifications:
You must have, or will achieve by September 2025, the following Qualifications/Essential Criteria:
A degree in Ecology, Conservation, Natural Resource Management or a closely related Environmental Science subject at 2:2 or above awarded within the last two years., + Communicating and Influencing
+ Developing Self and Others
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
+ Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ CIIEM Competency P3 (Foundation Level) – Advising on the requirements of legislation, policy and guidance or international standards.
+ CIEEM Competency S3 (Foundation Level) – Habitat identification, classification and assessment.

Alongside your salary of £29,500, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,546 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ An environment with flexible working options
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
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.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
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.
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/.
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 however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. 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.