Helicopter Observer

You'll be a key member of a niche unit within National Grid that conducts Transmission powerline aerial surveys on 7000km of critical national infrastructure across England and Wales. You'll have autonomy and flexibility when planning the week's work in the most efficient manner based on task priorities, resources and weather. You'll operate optical sensors to gather high resolution stills, video and thermographic imagery on overhead lines. You'll fly a helicopter with your pilot from Turweston Aerodrome on a Monday, staying overnight in hotels local to airfields nearest the chosen work before returning the aircraft to base for maintenance on a Friday. You will be nomadic, entrusted with a multi-million-pound asset with an emphasis on safety, crew resource management and thinking ahead. Flight profiles require low speed flight in proximity to powerlines so you will need to be alert, familiar and comfortable in the low-level environment and situationally aware of hazards and constraints.

• City & Guilds or equivalent in a relevant technical subject
• Excellent IT skills
• Skilled camera/sensor operator
• Ability to interpret and assess visual and numeric engineering data
• Familiarity with electronic mapping and data-logging systems
• Current full driving licence
Desirable
• Previous operational flying experience
• Experience of airborne data-gathering
• Digital photography & gimbal-mounted surveillance systems experience
• GIS and remote-sensing experience
  
  Our Vision is to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future.
National Grid Electricity Transmission is at the heart of energy in the UK - we own and maintain the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales. Every time a phone is plugged in or a switch is turned on we've played a part - connecting you to the electricity you need

You'll need to reside within 90mins drive of our helicopter base at Turweston Aerodrome in order to fulfil this role. You will be required to work flexibly and efficiently but rostering aims to achieve a roster of 2 weeks flying, 1 week non-flying , Monday - Friday (generally 8am - 4pm on duty). If you work over 37hrs per week we will pay overtime or allocate Time Off In Lieu. Flexibility in hours is needed and overnight stays all week are expected for which subsistence and mobility allowances are available. During the 'ground' week, you may work from home or a business site, processing the information you have collected whilst completing planning and other tasks for the efficient running of the Helicopter Unit. The interview process will consist of an initial interview to determine if other selection processes are necessary to distinguish between candidates.What's in it for you? A base salary between £37,000 and £43,000, expenses and mobility allowance paid for flying weeks + a company vehicle to get you to and from the helicopter base and other locations nationally. You'll have 25 days annual leave + the option to buy or sell holiday days and things such as 26 weeks fully paid parental or adoption leave. Our double-matched pension contribution scheme means your pension could be worth up to 18% of your salary and you'll have the option to purchase discounted National Grid shares. On top of all of this we offer financial support for study and we are committed to your career development.