Job Opportunity – Inspector of Marine Accidents (Fishing)

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Would you like to make a difference to safety at sea?

Do you have UK commercial fishing experience and a recognised maritime qualification?

If so, we would love to hear from you!

This is an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to move onto the next step in their marine industry career and who has the passion to not only make a difference but seek solutions in order to make continuous improvements to safety at sea.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s purpose is to improve safety at sea. It has established itself as a world leader in its field and deploys investigation teams nationally and internationally from its headquarters in central Southampton.

As an Inspector of Marine Accidents (Fishing) you will be part of a multi-disciplinary team of inspectors responsible for investigating a wide range of marine casualties, wherever they occur worldwide, to determine their circumstances and causes.

Much of the MAIB’s work involves tragic and often fatal accidents. You will be required to deploy to accident sites, interview witnesses and gather evidence. You will also engage with stakeholders, including bereaved families, requiring both empathy and resilience.

To enable you to make the best use of your industry experience, we will provide external and in-house training in accident investigation, leading to a recognised qualification.

Key accountabilities of the role include:

Following a period of extensive training in accident investigation, your remit will include:

• Deploying to accident sites as part of a team to support or lead investigations

• Interviewing witnesses and collecting a wide variety of evidence

• Completing detailed analysis in order to identify safety issues and draft recommendations

• Writing and contributing to investigation reports, safety bulletins and safety digests

• Presenting MAIB reports at inquests and fatal accident inquiries

• Providing in-house fishing vessel expertise

• Representing the MAIB at fishing industry working groups and other safety fora

Your commitment to deploy will be managed through a 1-week-in-4 on-call rota, and you will be required to deploy at short notice during your duty week.

For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.

About You

You will be expected to apply sound judgement and strong leadership skills, and to be empathetic when dealing with next-of-kin or others seriously affected by marine accidents. You will be highly motivated and assertive, inquisitive and a critical thinker. You will need to be physically fit and capable of working in disrupted environments, and must be able to work under pressure both as part of a team and independently. You will have considerable diplomatic skills and be able to engage colleagues and external stakeholders in the discussion of new, unfamiliar or controversial concepts.

In addition to specialist training courses you will maintain currency with the latest maritime technical developments relevant to your role and represent the MAIB externally in these matters.

You will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, be capable of producing accurate and clear written reports to challenging deadlines, and have good presentation skills. You must also be computer literate.

We will require you to have excellent report writing skills, with the ability to express yourself clearly; to that end we will conduct a written assessment at interview.

Command experience and/or senior management experience in maritime operations is essential for this post. You will also need to have experience of the UK’s fishing and wider marine industry.

Additional Information

We support flexible working and operate a hybrid working model between home and office. You are expected to regularly attend your principal workplace under the department’s policy at the minimum requirement stated in the policy. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards the level of attendance required.

Due to the MAIB’s line of work you will be required to undertake physical activities and must be able to board vessels by pilot ladder and move around disrupted environments unaided.

Full UK Driving Licence.

You must hold either STCW Deck or Engineering Officer (Fishing Vessel) Class 1 Certificate of Competency or have in-depth experience of commercial fishing with a recognised maritime navigation or engineering qualification.

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Applying Expertise & Technology.
  Please refer to the AIB Competency Framework attachment for further information.
• Written Communication – (Accident Investigation Competence)
  Please refer to the AIB Competency Framework attachment for further information.