Personnel Security Associate

Job summary

As a Personnel Security Associate, you'll play a key role in delivering a professional security vetting service, supporting colleagues, contractors and external partners. Working within a collaborative team, you'll help ensure security clearances are processed efficiently while providing excellent customer service and maintaining high standards of confidentiality.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

Job description

What you'll be doing

• Managing and processing security clearance applications and reviews.
• Supporting government departments and external organisations with vetting enquiries and requests.
• Maintaining accurate records, databases and shared mailboxes.
• Providing administrative support across the wider security function.
• Delivering a responsive, professional customer service to a range of stakeholders.
• Supporting the team to meet performance targets while maintaining quality and compliance.
• Handling sensitive information with care and integrity.

Person specification

What we're looking for

• Experience in an administrative, customer service or support role.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work accurately under pressure.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word and Excel.
• Experience handling confidential information and maintaining accurate records.

Why join us?

This is an exciting opportunity to develop your career in personnel security while making a real contribution to national security. You'll join a supportive team, gain valuable experience in security vetting, and play an important role in ensuring Dstl operates in a safe and secure environment.

Please see attached below the Job profile for full information about this role

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Qualifications

Evidence of good standard of general education e.g. GCSEs or equivalent including
English and Mathematics at Grade C or above.

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,039, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £8,122 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Benefits

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

• Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.

• Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours

• Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.

• Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.

• Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.

• Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid

• Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.

• Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

We want you to have your best chance of success in our recruitment process, so If at any stage of the application process you would like help or assistance please contact the Dstl Recruitment Team [email removed] and we will do all we can to support you.

Sifting will take place week commencing the 9th November with interviews will be held on 24th November 2026 at Dstl Porton Down and will consist of behavioural & technical interview.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vett