Data Engineer
Office for National Statistics
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 14th November 2024
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Location
ONS operates a flexible hybrid working model across the UK, with colleagues linked to one of our contractual locations in Newport, Titchfield (Fareham), Manchester, London or Edinburgh and working between office and remote throughout the week.
As part of the hybrid working arrangement there is a 40% minimum office attendance requirement. Attendance is typically at your contractual office, with occasional travel to alternative locations. Due to estates constraints, there are currently temporary exceptions to this for colleagues based at Edinburgh, Manchester and London who are required to attend the office for a minimum of 20% of their work time.
About the job
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join one of several Data Engineering teams within the Office for National Statistics (ONS). We're looking for Data Engineers to build cutting edge data products and pipelines that provide high quality data for analysts at the ONS in a timely, consistent, auditable, and reproducible way.
This role will deliver standardised and engineered external and internal key strategic data sources needed for national statistics. Also, at times delivering rich and timely datasets, at ONS and across government in response to national events; for example, having a key role in providing COBR and the Cabinet Office key data insights during COVID and enabling cost of living crisis experimental statistics, and building cross-government Integrated Data Sharing platform (IDS), which form a pillar of the current national infrastructure priorities.
Job description
Our tech stack is Python, PySpark and SQL. On the cloud we work with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) cloud or Amazon Web Services (AWS) with Cloudera.
We’re looking for someone with technical skills but also a great attitude, who is proactive, takes pride in the quality of their work and has an eagerness to develop their technical skills to the next level. We welcome applications from varied technical backgrounds including but not limited to: data analysis, data science, software engineering or related technical disciplines.
As well as day-to-day processing and delivery we work as a team to develop the capability of the organisation – developing reusable and increasingly automated code, tools, and best practice so that we and others across the organisation can build the data pipelines needed to support the growing work of a changing organisation. Your work will include data cleansing, validation, and enhancement processes to refine the quality and integrity of the data and prepare this for onward linkage.
We continue to invest in the development of our staff with internal and external training opportunities and encourage training and development so that we can stay on top of changing technology.
You will receive training & support in learning any aspects of our tech stack you are unfamiliar or less skilled in. This will include peer working with an experienced member of the team who is experienced in that tech stack and the way in which we work.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Designing and building robust data pipelines, ETL processes and contributing to a data validation package.
- Working with a diverse team to achieve common goals but also working independently and planning own work.
- Upholding a high standard of work, using established Data Engineering best practices agreed at the team level for coding, peer reviewing, testing and documentation, but also actively seeking and suggesting improvements.
- Investigating and resolving data quality issues by implementing appropriate solutions.
- Identifying areas of innovation and keeping up with the latest best practices and tools from across the industry.
- Proactively using self-development time to grow your own technical and non-technical skillsets.
- Learning and becoming an expert in at least one of our tools of your choosing, which aligns with the needs of the project.
- Contributing to both the immediate team and the wider Data Engineering team. This could look like: sharing relevant knowledge, contributing to team-wide projects, or leading a session on a new process or technology.
Person specification
Essential Skills Criteria:
- Programming and Build: You know how to use agreed standards and tools to design, code, test, correct and document moderate-to-complex programs and scripts from agreed specifications and subsequent iterations. You can collaborate with others to review specifications where appropriate. Although strong demonstration of technical abilities with other tools will be considered, experience in Python, PySpark, SQL and GIT are preferred.
- Data Development Process: You can design, build and test data products that are complex or large-scale. You know how to build teams to complete data integration services.
- Problem Resolution: You know how to respond to problems in databases, data processes, data products and services as they occur. You can initiate actions, monitor services and identify trends to resolve problems. You can determine the appropriate remedy and assist with implementation of it as well as preventative measures.
- Communicating between the technical and non-technical: You know how to communicate to and between technical and non-technical stakeholders as well as facilitate discussions within a multidisciplinary team, with potentially difficult dynamics. You can advocate for the team externally. You know how to manage different perspectives.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Programming and Build
- Problem Resolution
- Data Development Process
Benefits
The Office for National Statistics is part of the Civil Service, and as such we share a number of key benefits with other departments, whilst also having our own unique offerings to support our 5400 valued colleagues across the business.
This role is part of the cross-government Government Digital and Data (formerly DDaT) profession framework. As a role within Government Digital and Data (formerly DDaT) at the ONS, we also offer benefits such as:
• Protected Learning Time to spend on your personal development and side-projects.
• A supportive and active Community of Practice which you will be expected to contribute to, helping ensure you and your colleagues get the training, development and opportunities you need to progress your careers.
ONS are committed to flexible ways of working that support a healthy work-life balance. ONS has already considered how this job could be right sized for applicants working flexibly and we are happy to explore options with you about working part time, in a job share or flexibly, in line with our hybrid working policies.
Whether you are hearing about us for the first time or already know a bit about our organisation, we hope that the benefits pack attached (bottom of page) will give you a great insight into the benefits and facilities available to our colleagues and our fantastic working culture.
Inclusion & Accessibility
At ONS we are always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer. As a member of the Business Disability Forum and a Disability Confident Leader we’re committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.
As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance.
If you would like an accessible version of any of the attachments or recruitment documents below or linked to in this advert, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Security Clearance
The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for 3 consecutive years immediately prior to applying.
A lack of UK residency in itself is not always a bar to security clearance, but the Department will need to consider eligibility by exception on a case-by-case basis. You will be asked to provide information regarding your UK residency during your application, and failure to provide this will result in your application being rejected.
If you are unsure that you meet the eligibility above, please read the information available on Gov.uk on this link, or contact the recruitment email on the advert before applying to discuss, as failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected and any offer of employment being withdrawn.
At the point of SC application, you will need to provide or give access to the following evidence:
- Departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
- UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
- Your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
- Security Services records
Please note that in the future the security level of these roles may need to be increased to Developed Vetting (DV). This will be dependent on the nature of the work being carried out and will be discussed with you in advance should this be required.
We may also reach out to you mid-campaign to confirm eligibility for this role.
Applicant support
Applicants may utilise AI resources in their submissions; ensuring all information provided is factually accurate, truthful, and original, avoiding any form of plagiarism to maintain the authenticity and credibility of the application process.
Stage 1 – Application & Sift
Assessment at application stage will be based on your CV, work history, skills, experience and the responses you provide to the two questions in the application form.
The two questions in the application form will have a limit of 500 word limit for each response.
Your CV should be tailored to demonstrate any skills, knowledge and experience that are relevant to the content of the role detailed in the essential skills. More details are found in the role profile which is attached.
In cases where there is a high number of applications the sift pass mark may be adjusted and candidates will be invited to interview in merit order, i.e. those scoring the highest.
Stage 2 – Interview
Should you be invited to interview, you will be assessed using various assessment techniques aligned to the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, where you'll be assessed against all the behaviours outlined in this advert.
Interviews will be conducted by Video Conference.
A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made.
We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same behaviours and essential skills.
Important Dates:
Sift date: From 18/11/2024
Interview dates: From 02/12/2024
For the full terms and conditions of the post, please see attachment below.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Government Digital and Data Recruitment Team
- Email : Government-Digital-and-Data-Recruitment@ons.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : Government-Digital-and-Data-Recruitment@ons.gov.uk
Further information
