Spectrum Engineering Officer

Location: City of Edinburgh

Closing Date:27/05/2026

Group:

Spectrum Group Management Level:Associate Job Type:Permanent

Job Description:

Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Wednesday 27 May, and therefore we advise getting your application in by no later than midnight on Tuesday 26 May.

Looking for a job where you can utilise your radio engineering skills and help manage the UK’s radio spectrum?

About the team Radio spectrum is a vital resource, and it touches everyone's life every day. The radio spectrum connects our mobiles, wireless headphones, tablets, and computers. It enables our key fobs to unlock our cars, the Met Office to forecast the weather, satellites to measure global warming, and concerts and shows to be seen and heard. Without access to radio spectrum, the police, fire, ambulance, coastguard, and air traffic control would not be able to communicate – it’s that important.

It’s Ofcom’s job to manage and protect the use of all this spectrum.

Your role will be working in the Spectrum Assurance team within the wider Ofcom Spectrum Group. Spectrum Assurance is a large team consisting of two core elements: a team of Spectrum Engineering Officers (SEO’s) who cover specific geographical areas across the UK; and the Spectrum Management Centre – Ofcom’s central technical operations hub in Hertfordshire.

SEOs provide advice and assistance to licensed spectrum users and, whenever necessary, they undertake compliance action to resolve interference issues. SEOs will also monitor and proactively investigate improper use of the spectrum, to keep the UK businesses and consumers “on the air”. You are not required to have a legal/regulatory background as full training will be provided.

Purpose of the role

The key purpose of the role is to deliver high quality spectrum assurance to services and spectrum users within a geographical area. This requires first class radio engineering and interpersonal communications, and we will teach you the investigation and compliance skills necessary to carry out the  this unique Engineering / Regulatory role, you will collaborate with a wide range of Ofcom’s radio and telecoms external stakeholders to resolve harmful radio interference cases which can disrupt critical safety to life systems.

This includes aircraft radio communications and navigation systems as well as radio services essential to everyday life such as mobile network operators.

Radio interference casework will be triaged and passed to you from the Spectrum Management Centre; it will be your responsibility to locate and manage the interference case to resolution. In addition, you will manage the radio spectrum within your geographical area monitoring and investigating unlicensed spectrum use.

And you will be supported by a highly specialised and experienced Ofcom team using state of the art mobile and fixed radio measurement equipment such as real time radio spectrum analysis supported by the relevant regulatory legislation.

Your key responsibilities

Responsible for maintaining high radio/spectrum engineering standards and ensuring all harmful interference issues raised are resolved within KPIs.Responsible for investigating all unlicensed radio spectrum use within geographical area are resolved within KPIs.To mitigate the effects of harmful radio interference you will be responsible for planning targeted proactive radio monitoring to ensure radio licence compliance

Proactive inspection of a wide range of radio equipment to ensure licence compliance and adherence to associated technical specification

Support large sporting events which rely on radio services, such as The Open Golf Championship and G26 Commonwealth Games.

Provide support and collaboration to fellow colleagues and assisting when required.

Responsible for own equipment plant and vehicle are at professional standard, finances, and H&S. (Full equipment and vehicle will be provided)
Essential skills, knowledge, and experience

Appreciation of and desire to promote Ofcom’s values of excellent, agility, respect, empowerment, and collaboration.

Owning Accountabilities - ownership and delivery of performance, KPI’s and service levels

Experience of radio engineering and…