Control Engineer - Banknote Security & Design, Notes Directorate

   The Bank of England is the UK's central bank. Our mission is to deliver monetary and financial stability for the British people.

The Bank of England is a diverse organisation. Each of its 4,000 plus people are committed to public service and dedicated to promoting the good of the people of the United Kingdom by maintaining monetary and financial stability. The Notes Directorate fulfils the Bank's obligations as the sole issuer of banknotes in England and Wales. With staff across Head Office, Debden and Leeds, we rely on expertise in fields as diverse as economic and quantitative modelling, risk analysis, operations and science. In fulfilling this important and highly visible public role, in maintaining confidence in the currency, it is important that we ensure:

The right note - the public has access to genuine, high-quality banknotes of a range of denominations The right place - a well-run cash industry exists to supply banknotes cost effectively across the country The right time - the Note Circulation Scheme ensures peaks in public banknote demand e.g. Christmas are met consistently

In addition to our role in relation to Bank of England notes, Notes Directorate fulfils the Bank's statutory responsibility to ensure public confidence in banknotes issued by Scottish and Northern Ireland banks.  

Department Overview The Banknote Security and Design (BSD) team is based within Notes Operations at our Debden Cash Centre in Essex. The team comprises a diverse mixture of technical specialists including product design, scientists and engineers that supports:

pioneering design and development of banknote security features. banknote product design for the next generation of banknotes. technical support for the continued manufacturing and quality control of existing banknotes. counterfeit threat assessment and support for law enforcement. a framework for the testing the efficacy of automatic cash handling machines. maintain leading edge technology for banknote sorting machines for processing new, circulated and returned banknotes.

The team works collaboratively with its contracted supplier of banknotes, technical suppliers from around the globe, academia, other Central Banks, law enforcement agencies and banknote equipment manufacturers.

Job description This is an exciting technical role for a control engineer to make a real impact within the BSD team to:

Lead on maintaining quality control tools for the inspection and authentication of banknote security features, encompassing interacting with contracted suppliers for materials and engineering systems. Lead on configuration, testing and calibration of high-speed sensor systems for banknote sorting machines including the data acquisition required as part of the verification process. As part of the BSD team, you will also participate and contribute on technical projects as part of the research and development of innovative next generation security features and banknote authentication solutions. As an engineer you will also provide technical support for the operational teams that carry out quality inspection of new banknotes and processing of used banknotes.

Role Requirements Minimum Essential Criteria

Engineer (Electrical/Electronic or Electro-Mechanical) with a proven record of accomplishment in systems engineering in a previous role. Have a multidisciplinary engineering background to deliver on maintenance planning work, upgrades to machinery, and innovative improvements. Demonstrate good level of knowledge, experience and understanding in the field of electrical and electronic engineering. Experienced problem-solving skills and techniques. Judgement and critical thinking based upon evaluating a problem, identifying root cause, analysing solutions and implementing a resolution. Interpersonal skills. Strong communication and diplomacy skills to persuade and influence. An ability to work collaboratively with peers to achieve desired outcome. Confidence in public speaking; able to present technical information to non-technical people and ensure their understanding clearly, concisely and with authority. Able to answer questions on the spot and handle the situation calmly, be clear on their answers and be authoritative on their reply. Educated to Degree level in relevant Engineering field, BTEC HNC/D qualification and/or equivalent would be considered with relevant experience in lieu. Desirable Criteria

Experience in being a specialist or subject matter expert in banknote sorting machines or cash machine technologies. Experience of computer programming using C/C++, PLCs or equivalent programmable controllers. Have working experience of data acquisition systems used for sensor systems. Experience in CAD for rapid prototyping using 3D Printing technology. Experience of using advanced data analytics tools (e.g. Excel, R, Python, Matlab). Incorporated engineer status within a related and recognised professional institution. Experience in managing people or project managing the delivery of technical projects

        Our Approach to Inclusion

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve. 

At the Bank of England we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we're working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it’s by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we’ll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns. We've also partnered with external organisations to support us in making adjustments for candidates and employees in the recruitment process where they're needed.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month.  Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

Finally, we're proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme. If you wish to apply under this scheme, you should check the box in the ‘Candidate Personal Information’ under the ‘Disability Confident Scheme’ section of the application.

Salary and Benefits Information

This specific role offers a base salary of circa £52,730 - £57,400 per annum (depending on skills and experience) on a full-time basis.  We encourage flexible working, part time working and job share arrangements.  Part time salary and benefits will be on a pro-rated basis as appropriate.

In addition, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package as detailed below:

•    A non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/95th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/50th) or decrease (to 1/120th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year.

•    A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.

•    A 8% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits.  

•    26 days’ annual leave with option to buy up to 12 additional days through flexible benefits. 

•    Private medical insurance and income protection.

National Security Vetting Process

Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process (and typically can take between 6 to 12 weeks post offer) and the passing of additional Bank security checks in accordance with the Bank policy.  Further information regarding the vetting and security clearance requirements for the role will be provided to the successful applicant, and information about how the Bank processes personal data for these purposes, is set out in the Bank's Privacy Notice

The Application Process

Important: Please ensure that you complete the ‘work history’ section and answer ALL the application questions fully. All candidate applications are anonymised to ensure that our hiring managers will not be able to see your personal information, including your CV, when reviewing your application details at the screening stage. It’s therefore really important that you fill out the work history and application form questions, as your answers will form a critical part of the initial selection process.

The closing date for applications is 14th February 2024.

The assessment will comprise two stages.

Please apply online, ensuring that you complete your work history and answer ALL the application questions fully and in detail as your application will not be considered if all mandatory questions are not fully completed.