47979 - Lead Data Engineer, Data & Analytical Services Directorate (3 posts available)
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
Overview
We have three permanent Lead Data Engineer roles within our expanding Data Engineering team within the Data & Analytical Services Directorate at Grade.
Due to the ongoing pandemic you will be expected to work from home to begin with. In future your base location will be 10 South Colonnade, London, although you may be expected to spend some time working in 102 Petty France. Flexible working arrangements are available, including working from home over the longer term.
Interviews are likely to take place during late November. We will keep a merit list for a year for those who successfully pass the interview but are not offered a post.
About us
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has a vision to solve its thorniest problems by the smart use of data. At the heart of this vision is the data engineering team: a growing team with support from senior colleagues, working in an exciting area, solving problems and building products to transform analysis within government. Join us!
If you’d like to know a bit more about our approach and what we have achieved already, watch this video: https://youtu.be/M_R4VrRDK-E, or explore our codebase on GitHub: https://github.com/moj-analytical-services.
About you
We are seeking skilled and motivated individuals with relevant technical skills, and would welcome applicants from data engineering, devops, analytical, or data science backgrounds.
You should apply if:
- you are keen to learn cutting-edge skills at the intersection of data engineering, software development, analysis and data science
- you want to sharpen your data skills to become a better data engineer, development, analyst or data scientist
- you want to help drive change in the way data is used in the public sector
- you want to use your data or analysis skills to help improve the justice system
- you want to work with leading cloud platform technology
About the roles
You will be leading one of three projects, bringing either probation microservices, courts reform, or Office of the Public Guardian data onto MoJ’s Analytical Platform. In addition to the core aims of these roles, some examples of the things you may be doing are:
- using infrastructure as code tools to deploy cloud infrastructure in AWS
- building other robust and scalable automated data pipelines
- developing and improving tools, resources and processes that enable the best use of our data
- helping data scientists productionise models and workflows within a modern microservices architecture
- creating Python packages and deploying pipelines to test, predict and report on our data
Salary and benefits
Your salary will be at least £54,274 and up to £78,448 depending on your skills and expertise. You will also receive great benefits including:
- 25 days leave (plus bank holidays) and 1 privilege day usually taken around the Queens’ birthday, plus 5 additional days of leave once you have reached 5 years of service
- up to 5 days paid volunteering leave
- a generous civil service pension, with employer contributions of 26-30% depending on your salary
- flexible and home working
- flexible office locations
- time off in lieu if at any point you work more than your contracted hours
- bike loans of up to £2500 through the cycle to work scheme and secure bike parking
- quarterly reward and recognition scheme
- wellbeing support, including access to the Headspace app
- access to subsidised onsite gyms at some office locations
- season ticket loans, childcare vouchers and eye-care vouchers
Recruitment process
We will ask for a CV and a statement of suitability (i.e. cover letter) to assess your experience and your technical skills. Based on this, we may invite you to an interview where you will also complete a short scenario-based coding test.
Experience
You will be asked during the application to submit an anonymised CV.
Technical
You will be asked to submit a statement of suitability. Here you should explain why you are the right candidate for this role, based on the skill requirements below. Consider giving a short example for each bullet point, using work you have completed to demonstrate how you meet each one.
While these requirements are important for the job, we do not expect candidates to be expert in all of them. Just give as much evidence as you can for each. If you are interested in applying but are not sure you have all the skills listed, please do so and give us the opportunity to consider you as a candidate.
We are looking for people with:
Highly Desirable
- Proven ability with Python, and preferably experience using SQL. Knowledge of other high-level analytical languages (such as R) is also a benefit.
- Track record of developing strong quality assurance and automated testing culture, including use of version control software (preferably git).
- Experience of working with cloud computing environments, ideally AWS.
Desirable
- Experience leading or delivering data or analytical projects with tangible outcomes.
- Ability to quickly learn new languages and frameworks and willingness to pick the right tool for the job.
- An understanding of the principles of infrastructure as code, CI/CD and containerisation.
Your statement of suitability should cover as many of the above points as possible and should be no more than 750 words.
Applicants Invited for Interview
If you successfully reach the interview stage you will be assessed on the following.
Behaviours
- Changing & improving - tell us when and how you have driven a change in your workplace culture or practices.
- Managing a quality service - tell us when and how you have worked with colleagues to set priorities, objectives and timescales under challenging circumstances.
Please see the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade (Level 4 - Grade 7 and 6 or equivalent):
Technical
- We will also ask you to complete a short scenario-based Python test, followed by a discussion.
- We will ask you some further questions specific to data engineering
You may be eligible for membership of an analytical profession.
For Further Information:
If you have any queries about the role, or wish to discuss, please contact George Kelly (george.kelly@digital.justice.gov.uk).
Working Arrangements & Further Information
For nationally advertised campaigns, candidates will be appointed to their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) on the completion of pre-employment checks.
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits,retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
Complaint Procedure
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
· To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
· To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-manaegement-office@justice.gov.uk);
· To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
Grading Structure Review
The Ministry of Justice is currently undergoing a review of posts which are currently graded at Band A to realign our grading structure with the majority of the wider Civil Service.
Posts advertised at Band A may be graded at either Grade 6 or Grade 7 once the review has taken place.
01/11/2021, 23:55 hours.
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Please quote the job reference - 47979
If you have any queries about the role, or wish to discuss, please contact George Kelly (george.kelly@digital.justice.gov.uk).
To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.
For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:
- You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
- You were studying abroad
- You were living overseas with parents
In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.
We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.
Application form stage assessments
Interview stage assessments
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
· UK nationals
· nationals of the Republic of Ireland
· nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
· individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
· Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
This Vacancy is closed to applications.