Associate Developer
Home Office
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 1st January 2025
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About the job
Job summary
The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, fire, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.
Home Office Digital, Data and Technology Home Office Digital, Data and Technology designs, builds and develops services for the rest of the department and for government. Every year our systems support up to 3 million visa applications, checks on 100 million border crossings, up to 8 million passport applications and deliver 140 million police checks on people, vehicles and property.
The Associate Developer will be paired with an engineering colleague to learn on the job whilst designing, running and improving software components. You can expect to benefit from training, coaching and mentoring to help you develop in this role.
You will be learning to work to our technical standards writing clean and secure code. Your work will be relatively procedural and guided by your team.
By joining Data Services and Analytics now, you can help drive forward our aim to become recognised as the leading provider of data insight services in Government.
Job description
Within DDaT, the Data Services and Analytics (DSA) team find innovative uses for Home Office data and contains one of the most advanced data analytics centres in Government. We strive to lead the way in appropriate and proportionate use of data and analytics to deliver joined-up, intelligent services that unlock the value from data and improve decision making, policy and operations.
What this means is a daily opportunity to work with teams across the Home Office’s areas of responsibility, from borders, visas and passports to policing and national security, with some of the largest and most varied datasets and in support of critical national initiatives.
Data Services and Analytics consist of technical and non-technical professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds, we are the hub of data expertise within the department. We support our teams with structured learning, both formal and on-the-job, mentoring and feedback.
Your main day to day responsibilities will be:
- Completing basic development/test tasks on your own initiative, and more advanced tasks under the supervision of others.
- Proposing solutions that fit within the overall models and patterns set by more senior developers.
- Identifying and resolving issues with one of our systems, using established methods.
- Supporting the definition and delivery of new services.
- Learning more advanced software development and delivery skills to advance as an engineer.
All our engineers will be expected to embody an open and positive approach, supporting the Home Office in:
- Progressing the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession, understanding all roles and helping to build our community.
- Working and assessing to appropriate standards: for instance, accessibility, the GDS service standard and our own community practices.
- Improving our skills and approaches as well as keeping up to speed with the technology landscape.
Working Pattern
This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours.
Person specification
Essential criteria
You will have a demonstrable passion for implementing scalable, resilient data pipelines and analytical products, with strong experience in:
- Software development, writing clean, maintainable code and using testing frameworks (such as pytest) to assure your work.
- Software development best practices such as coding standards, code reviews, version control, CI/CD and agile ways of working.
- The full software development lifecycle, taking data products from design through development to production.
- Monitoring, maintaining & optimising production services.
- Containerising applications.
The essential skills listed above are reflective of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession Career Framework (based on the industry standard SFIA framework - Use the levels of responsibility to understand what would be expected for each technical skill listed). Please see below for the relevant skills for your role:
Development and Implementation
- Systems Development
o Software design (SWDN) - Level 2
o Programming/software development (PROG) - Level 2
o Testing (TEST) - Level 2
o Systems integration and build (SINT) - Level 2
- Data and Analytics
o Data management (DATM) - Level 3
Delivery and Operation
- Technology Management
o Application support (ASUP) - Level 3
Desirable criteria
Ideally you will also have the following skills or some experience in:
- Describing and communicating solutions through visual modelling techniques.
- Developing & deploying products on AWS (or other cloud platform) & Kubernetes.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Software design (SWDN) - Level 2
- Programming/software development (PROG) - Level 2
- Testing (TEST) - Level 2
- Systems integration and build (SINT) - Level 2
- Data management (DATM) - Level 3
- Application support (ASUP) - Level 3
Benefits
In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
- 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
- Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
- Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
- See more of our benefits on our careers website.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.
1. Application – by 1st January 2025.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- CV
- Personal Statement (maximum 750 words).
Your CV should consist of your career history, qualifications and skills/experience including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be used to provide further context on your personal statement and scored against the essential criteria.
The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.
For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV and Personal Statement), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.
2. Sift – week commencing 6th January 2025
The sift will be held on the Personal Statement and CV.
Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift which will include the CV.
3. Interview – week commencing 27th January 2025
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Technical Skills based questions
The interview will take place via Microsoft Teams.
For guidance on the Technical skills, please refer to the SFIA 8 Framework website.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is not guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.
Candidates judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has the same Success Profiles elements and essential skills. There is no guarantee that further such vacancies will arise.
Standards
All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.
Additional Security Checks
As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.
For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.
Problems during the application process
If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.
Further information
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.
If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
If you are invited to an interview, you will be required to bring documentation for the purposes of establishing your identity.
You will need to meet the nationality requirements for this role and obtain the necessary security clearance to take it up.
For meaningful security checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. Learn more on our website. Security Checks - Home Office Careers
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Visa sponsorship
We do not sponsor individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas.
Reasonable Adjustments
If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
- Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Feedback
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 : Home Office Resourcing Centre
- Email : HORCCampaignTeamDDAT@homeoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance
HORecruitment.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.
