Software Developer

• Existing Civil Servants working in all other departments can work in Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle & York., We?re seeking a Software Developer experienced in back end (with focus on data pipelines) as well as wider technologies.

You can code in Python and have experience of ETL systems e.g., Apache Spark or similar. During the interview, it will be beneficial to share and walk the panel through any historic code you have written.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team, supporting project in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Automation and Data analysis

The ideal candidate will be proactive and collaborative, with a passion for clean, maintainable code and modern development practices. They are familiar with AGILE methodology, but are equally able to take ownership for key deliverables and can deliver autonomously.

Knowledge working with AI solution implementation is advantageous but not essential.Job description

You will join the Cabinet Office Digital, Data, Insights and AI team as a Software Developer in a multidisciplinary Agile team, delivering services for a large data warehouse and analytics platform (GRID).

As a software engineer, you will initially have a core focus on back-end development.

You will:

• Lead development of data engineering requirements from requirement through to live support.
• Complete information assurance activities for data transfers containing sensitive data (e.g., Data Protection Impact Assessments, Privacy Notices).
• Carry out performance and incident monitoring to ensure the smooth running of data services.
• Support the wider team with broader priorities, including front-end design.
• Coach and mentor junior developers, sharing good engineering practices.

The role responsibility may slowly change over time.

Your main focus will be:

• Python and Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) processes.

You will require knowledge of:

• PySpark (AWS Glue) to build scalable data pipelines.
• AWS Lake Formation to implement Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC).
• Apache Iceberg to store data and optimise query performance.

Key broader technologies used by the wider team:

• Python as the primary programming language for general tasks.
• TypeScript to design front-end services using React.
• JavaScript/Node.js for backend services.
• YAML/JSON (CloudFormation) and Terraform (HCL) for infrastructure as code.
• Terraform, CodePipeline, and GitHub Actions for infrastructure deployment.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) for hosting digital services.
• Kubernetes and Docker for containerisation.
• Apache Iceberg, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and Redis as databases.
• OpenSearch for vector stores used for storing and querying high-dimensional embeddings.
• Knowledge graphs, including the use of triplestores for storing and querying RDF data.
• Amazon Bedrock for hosting LLMs.
• GOV.UK Design System for interface design.

Person specification

This role is aligned with the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework, Software Developer role:

https://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/role/software-developer#developer

Availability and capacity management

You can (working knowledge):

• Manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Development process optimisation

You can (awareness):

• Explain the importance of developing process efficiency and the common ways in which processes are optimised
• Support specific activities to improve development processes
• Identify obvious deficiencies.

Information security

You can (practitioner):

• Design solutions and services with security controls included, specifically engineered to mitigate security threats.

Modern development standards

You can (practitioner):

• Apply modern development standards and support others in applying them.

Programming and build (software engineering)

You can (practitioner):

• Collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications
• Use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools.

Prototyping:

You can (practitioner):

• Approach prototyping as a team activity, actively soliciting prototypes and testing with others
• Establish design patterns and iterate them
• Use a variety of prototyping methods and choose the most appropriate.

Service support

You can (working knowledge):

• Help fix service faults following agreed procedures
• Carry out maintenance tasks on service support infrastructure.

Systems design

You can (working knowledge):

• Translate logical designs into physical designs
• Produce detailed designs
• Effectively document all work using required standards, methods and tools, including prototyping tools where appropriate
• Design systems characterised by managed levels of risk, manageable business and technical complexity, and meaningful impact
• Work with well understood technology and identify appropriate patterns.

Systems integration

You can (working knowledge):

• Build and test simple interfaces between systems
• Work on more complex integration as part of a wider team.

User focus

You can (practitioner):

• Collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
• Explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
• Champion user research to focus on all users
• Prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
• Offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use., Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance. Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Modern development standards
• Prototyping, If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes., Please note that this role requires BPSS, with expectation to undergo SC clearance, which would normally need 5-years UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland 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 stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to Cabinet 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.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

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.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Feedback Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Nationality requirements

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)
• 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

You will be asked to present a 20 minute presentation at interview to demonstrate your technical ability.

Benefits Alongside your salary of £43,760, Cabinet Office contributes £12,677 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.