Traffic Examiner

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 18th October 2026

We are running four separate recruitment campaigns for this role. Candidates should apply to one campaign only, selecting the option that best matches their preferred location and working pattern.

Please review the below campaigns carefully before submitting your application.

1. 482401 - Traffic Examiner

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

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of personal statement

Stage 2: Interview and written exercise

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Experience - you will be asked to provide a personal statement (750-word count). Please provide evidence of your experience of the following:

• Used your communication skills to engage others.
• Followed a process that involves interpreting data, and writing detailed responses.
• Remained positive when adapting to change of working requirements or business need.
• Gathered further information so that you can make accurate decisions.
• Worked effectively as part of a team while working towards a shared goal.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The sift will take place on the 20th of October 2026.

Stage 2: Interview and Written Exercise

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours - Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace and Communicating and Influencing
• Experience - please see attached role profile

You will also be required to complete a written exercise, that will assess Seeing the Big Picture and Communicating and Influencing. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place between the 4th to 20th of November 2026.

This interview will be conducted in person at a DVSA office. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change

We will also hold a 12 month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You canhere.

Some of the locations advertised will not have posts available immediately. However, we will hold a Reserve List for up to 12 months and will be in touch with the successful candidates when they become available.

During your application, you should indicate which location(s) you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for each location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which locations you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for a location you have expressed a preference in or have expressed an interest in more than one location and accept an offer, you will be withdrawn from any lists you may be held on. We may also offer candidates a location that they have not expressed a preference for where we have the requirement to do so but this will again be done on the basis of your place in the overall merit order and, in this event, you will not be removed from the list if you decline.

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

DVSA - Enforcement

Find out more about what it's like working at Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency - Department for Transport Careers

• Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

For further information on the role, please read the attached role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

There will be extensive training on all aspects of the role. Some of the training will take place in our training centres, usually in Avonmouth or Chadderton. Other training will be completed online over MS Teams.

You may be required to travel to various DVSA locations in order to carry out your role and there is potential for overnight stays. This may also include working outside of normal hours. An overnight allowance is paid to staff for overnight stays.

The Traffic Examiner role can be physically demanding, which will include getting in and out of large commercial vehicles.

It is requirement of this role that staff are able to meet the credible witness status in court proceedings on behalf of the DVSA. Any convictions or material casting doubt on the reliability of a witness could harm DVSAs chances of a successful prosecution and damage the reputation of the agency. Please note, as part of our onboarding process we facilitate social media and online checks.

Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest and most diverse professional community across the Civil Service. Many of us will have an association with several professional communities or specialisms, ODP applies to all public facing roles / or a role that is primarily aligned to supporting the work of those with public facing roles. All critical to the delivery of UK public services.

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.

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

• Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
• Threats or acts of violence
• Illegal activity or substance misuse
• Sexually explicit material
• Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It's not about judging your personality or lifestyle - it's about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what's being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction..

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: