Hydra Technician (Maidstone)

Job description

Location of Role: Maidstone Advert Closing Date: 25/09/2026 Starting Salary: £31,959.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies) Part/Full Time: Full Time Contract Type: Permanent Working Pattern: Mon-Fri Weekend/Evening Working: No Kent Police is seeking an experienced and innovative professional to lead the operational, technical and governance management of the Hydra simulation environment. Hydra is a critical learning and development platform used to deliver immersive operational and strategic command training across Kent Police, partner agencies and external organisations. As Hydra Operations and Systems technician, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the effective delivery, resilience and continuous development of this specialist capability. This is a unique opportunity to combine technical expertise, operational coordination, stakeholder management and training support within a highly specialised environment. The successful candidate will act as the central point of expertise for all aspects of Hydra, ensuring that systems, facilities, content and governance arrangements are maintained to the highest standard. Technical Leadership and System Management Lead the administration, maintenance and development of the Hydra environment. Manage system upgrades, repairs, fault diagnosis and technical troubleshooting. Coordinate support from suppliers and the Hydra Foundation. Ensure the availability, resilience and performance of Hydra systems, software and associated infrastructure. Identify opportunities for system improvement and innovation. Cloud Administration and Information Governance Manage the Hydra cloud environment, including user permissions and access controls. Maintain information governance standards and ensure data integrity. Oversee content management processes to protect valuable training assets. Implement governance controls and audit arrangements to mitigate organisational risk. Simulation and Training Support Support the design, development and delivery of immersive simulation exercises. Work alongside course directors and facilitators to create realistic and effective learning experiences. Provide expert support during exercises and ensure the smooth operation of Hydra events. Contribute to the continuous improvement of simulation-based learning across the organisation. Contract and Supplier Management Manage maintenance agreements and support contracts. Act as the primary liaison with external suppliers and the Hydra Foundation. Monitor service delivery and ensure the effective use of contracted support arrangements. Support procurement activity and future capability development. Licence Management and Compliance Ensure compliance with all Hydra licensing requirements and contractual obligations. Provide advice and guidance to users and facilitators on the appropriate use of the system. Monitor usage and governance arrangements to reduce compliance risks. Facility and Operational Coordination Manage the Kent Hydra Suite booking process and resource allocation. Coordinate demand, resolve scheduling conflicts and maximise facility utilisation. Support facilitators, course owners and stakeholders in planning and delivering Hydra events. Provide day-to-day operational oversight to ensure successful delivery of training activities. We are looking for a proactive and adaptable individual who can confidently manage a diverse portfolio of technical, operational and governance responsibilities. You will have: Experience managing complex ICT systems and technical environments. Strong problem-solving and fault-finding skills. Experience working with suppliers, contracts and external stakeholders. Knowledge of cloud-based systems, user administration and information governance principles. Excellent organisational and coordination skills. The ability to manage competing priorities and operate independently. Strong communication and relationship-building skills. Experience supporting training, learning environments or simulation systems would be advantageous. An understanding of policing, emergency services or public sector environments would be desirable. This role provides a rare opportunity to influence the future development of one of the most established simulation learning environments within UK policing. You will work with colleagues from across policing and partner agencies, helping to develop critical decision-making skills, improve operational readiness and support organisational learning. If you are passionate about technology, learning innovation and delivering high-quality operational support, we would welcome your application. If you require more information about the role please contact either DI Suiling Chan on Kent Police offer incremental increases within this salary band, therefore the salary for this position will rise to a maximum of £37,056.00. For the full job description please click here. Your application for this role will be shortlisted on the content you provide within the “reason for application” question, within the application form itself. CV’s, covering letters or attachments are not included in the shortlist. Within your “reason for application” answer, please refer to any experience, skills, and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for this role, based on the role criteria stated in the job advert or job description. Please provide as much detail as possible as insufficient content may mean you do not meet the shortlisting criteria, however please note this question is limited to 9000 characters and this system will count spaces and blank lines as characters. This count may differ from the Microsoft Word word count function therefore you may wish to use a different online character counter to check the characters used. All of our posts require a level of vetting and security clearance. During the recruitment process you will be sent vetting information forms to complete. Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status. Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at stating ‘Application Support and Adjustments’ in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833. Where appropriate we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so. If you’re not from the UK, you must be a resident in the UK and have lived here continuously for the last three years. You must also be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain. If you’re from the UK you must have lived here continuously for the last three years. This doesn’t apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces.