Lead Database Infrastructure Engineer

Networks and Infrastructure (N&I) within the Home Office are responsible for delivering and maintaining the core infrastructure for all the Home Office. This post sits within the existing Core Infrastructure team.

The team handles a diverse range of systems, concepts, and technologies. This includes Windows and Linux servers, core Windows technologies such as Active Directory, DNS, DHCP and Certificate Authority. They also manage server and service monitoring, Infrastructure as Code, immutable infrastructure, automation and serverless compute as well as public cloud provided services across several major public cloud vendors. The team collaborates extensively with other traditional infrastructure teams for connectivity and services as well as application teams to move legacy workloads to the cloud.

Where business needs allow some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office.

Watch this short video to hear from members of Home Office Digital talking about the projects they work on and their experience of working here: Working for Home Office Digital., As a Lead Infrastructure Engineer, you will provide senior technical leadership across our database platforms, ensuring they are secure, reliable, performant and designed in line with modern engineering standards. You will lead teams in delivering and supporting core database services that underpin critical systems, working across Microsoft SQL Server, Azure SQL (PaaS) and AWS RDS. You will shape engineering best practice, guide architectural decisions, and drive improvement across the full service lifecycle., We are keen for Engineers to continue learning new technologies, we have a large range in the Home Office including:

• Data: Microsoft SQL Server (Both on premises and on AWS/Azure), PostgreSQL, AWS Athena
• Backend: TSQL, C#, Python, Powershell, Java
• DevOps: Kubernetes, Docker, Ansible, Terraform
• AI: Azure ML Studio, Python, Github Copilot, OpenAI, * Lead the design, implementation, transition and support of database infrastructure services across on premises and cloud platforms.
• Oversee SQL Server, Azure SQL (PaaS) and AWS RDS environments, ensuring availability, performance, resilience and security.
• Provide expertise in performance tuning, HA/DR, automation, observability and cost optimisation.
• Review system and solution designs to ensure security, scalability and efficient integration.
• Establish engineering standards, procedures, lifecycle management and quality controls.
• Lead upgrades, patching, vulnerability remediation and platform modernisation.
• Troubleshoot issues across storage, compute, networking and cloud layers.
• Collaborate with architecture, security and operations teams to ensure robust solutions., The allowance values are set by the Home Office, subject to remaining in a qualifying role and are non-pensionable. This allowance is non-contractual, subject to an annual review and could be withdrawn at any time.

For both new entrants and existing civil servants, the total compensation offer is a combination of base salary and, if applicable, a capability-based allowance. The pay ranges for this role are National: £62,109-£68,320 and £66,229-£72,852. New entrants to the Civil Service will start on the pay range minimum. For existing civil servants, our policies on level transfer and promotion will apply.

Working at the Home Office

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people can bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing civil servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

You will need to meet the nationality requirements for this role and obtain the necessary security clearance to take it up.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including tax free childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

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 are 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

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter . People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks., * 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)
• 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

Do you have experience in Terraform?, You’ll have a demonstrable passion for Infrastructure Engineering, with the following skills or strong experience in:

• Leading the technology team to adhere to good engineering principles from architecture through to development. (DESN)
• Providing leadership to the teams responsible for delivery of the service through effective direction and coaching. (OFCL)
• Managing and delivering complex technologies within time, cost and quality targets. (ITOP)
• Different methodologies including Agile, waterfall and continuous integration principles. (TEST)
• Building strong partnerships with diverse teams across multiple locations and technologies. (USUP)
• Advising on future technology changes and innovations and defining best practice for network improvements and information security. (HSIN)

SFIA capability framework

Skills for the Information Age (SFIA) is the technical framework that sets the standard capability and development of all levels in the Home Office. This is a link to the capability framework: All skills A - Z English (sfia-online.org).

We use set SFIA technical skills to form our interview questions and we will assess you against these technical skills during the selection process.

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 SFIA levels of responsibility to understand what would be expected for each technical skills listed below., * Developing Self and Others

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Systems design (DESN) - Level 4
• Testing (TEST) - Level 3
• Systems installation and removal (HSIN) – Level 4
• IT infrastructure (ITOP) – Level 4
• Incident management (USUP) - Level 3
• Organisational facilitation (OFCL) - Level 4, This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement up to 1000 words. Please note your CV and personal statement should include all relevant experience that relates to our essential skills criteria listed in the advert and role description. We recommend that you use the STAR format in your examples and ensure that both components are completed thoroughly., 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.

Please note that this role requires Security Check (SC) clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. Candidates must also hold or be prepared to undergo NPPV3 clearance.

However, in exceptional circumstances security clearance applications for candidates who have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years may be considered. Failure to meet this residency requirement will result in your security clearance application being rejected., We are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas as we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License.

£62,109 National: £62,109 London: £66,229

New entrants to the Civil Service will start their role on the salary band minimum £62,109 for National roles or £66,229 for London roles. You may be eligible for an additional non-pensionable allowance, pending a Capability and Skills Assessment, with a value of up to £18,291. A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% GBP, Alongside your salary of £62,109, Home Office contributes £17,992 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Why work for us...

Find out more information at: benefits - Home Office careers, but some of the primary ones are:

• A competitive starting salary.
• A civil service pension with employer contribution rates of at least 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• The ability to potentially adopt flexible working options that suit your work/life balance, plus the opportunity in future to take a career break.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service.
• Eight days public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• 26 weeks maternity, adoption or shared parental leave at full pay, followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, after qualifying service.
• Maternity and adoption support leave (also known as paternity leave) of two weeks full pay, after qualifying service.
• Paid leave for fostering approval processes, support when a child is substantively placed with you plus a foster to adopt policy.
• Support for guardians and kinship carers.
• Corporate membership of ‘Employers for Carers’ providing additional information and advice for carers, plus a ‘Carer’s Passport’ to discuss workplace needs and underpin supportive conversations.
• Time off to deal with emergencies and certain other unplanned special circumstances.