UK recruits 'resilience advisers' for post-Brexit fallout

The positions, which pay up to about $66,000, are meant to mitigate disruption as the UK exits the European Union, according to an advertisement on the government's recruitment page.

Brexit opponents pounced on the news. A spokesperson for the People's Vote campaign, which is seeking a referendum on any eventual deal between the UK and the EU, said: "Brexit is turning into a total dog's dinner -- even the government knows it, which is why they're now advertising jobs for new civil service emergency workers to try and handle the massive disruption of their botched Brexit."

The contracts will last for nine months until June 2019 "with the possibility of extension," according to the ad -- suggesting the government is not expecting a smooth transition period.

Successful candidates will join the Resilience and Emergency Division of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which helps communities "respond to and recover from civil emergencies of all types."

The positions are billed as "exciting and challenging opportunities for self-starters with very good strategy development and partnership working skills."

Successful candidates must be "excellent at strategic thinking and understanding the wider context" and should be "able to communicate confidently and effectively with a range of audiences, including ministers."

A MHCLG spokesman said: "It is in everyone's interests to secure a good deal for both sides and we think that is by far and away the highest probability, but we have a duty to plan for the alternative.

"We continue to work closely with local areas, and meet representatives regularly. Government is doing the sensible thing and taking precautions as we plan for all scenarios."