Senior Data Engineer

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. Please click on the link for details., This isa great opportunityto work with leading cloud technology and help change the way data is used in the public sector. Data engineers at MoJ play a critical role in our mission to put data at the heart of decision-making.We’relooking for people with the drive to develop a deep understanding of data needs and data availability across specific areas of the Ministry of Justice.

You will work with other Data Engineers, and alongside Analytics Engineers, to bridge the gap between data producers and data users, exploring cutting edge GenAI/AI tooling, developing analytical pipelines and self-service tools toacquireand transform data, making it available on our Analytical Platform.

The Property domain works with a wide range of structured and unstructured data, including documents and text-based records. As part of ongoing development of the Data and Analytics Engineering capability, we are exploring how emerging technologies, including GenAI, can support the processing and structuring of this data at scale. This includes example use cases such as document enrichment and classification to improve data accessibility for stakeholders., * Designing and building robust,scalable,automatedand genericdata engineer tooling to improve ramp-up time for new pipelines, primarily using Python.

• Designing,writingand maintaining ETL (extract, transform, load) scripts and code to ensure the ETL process performs optimally.
• Designing and building data pipelines that integrate ML and GenAI capabilities (e.g. batch inference, text processing, or enrichment workflows), and evaluating their performance, cost and reliability in production settings.
• Using a range of AWS services to deploy your solutions in a reproducible, sustainable manner, with the core ones being: S3, Glue, Athena, Lambda and LakeFormation.
• Using infrastructure-as-code(Terraform)to deploy pipelines as AWS cloud infrastructure.
• Working with a range of structured and unstructured data, including text-based data, to support analytical and data science use cases.
• Using GitHub Actions to automaterepositoryevents.
• Both ensuring and contributing to standards around engineering.
• Developing and optimising code,toolsand services that enable people to use data effectively,such as cataloguing and metadata.

You may also be expected to carry out the following day to day activities:

• Designing andmaintainingtechnical documentation.
• Creating and promoting best practices within the team and wider.
• Responding to incident reports, ensuring relevant prioritisation and detail to allow for effective investigation.
• Developing novel solutions to fit the needs of a range of stakeholders.
• Initiatingteam buildingand development initiatives. Line managing a more junior colleague. *

If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!, Please review our Terms and Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements.

• Working in a technical team, preferably one that uses Python and SQL, as well as strong technical skills in these languages.
• Understanding of the software development lifecycle, including testing (e.g.pytest), version control (e.g. git)and CI/CD (e.g. GitHub Actions).
• Experience of working with a range of data sources, including data wrangling, analysis and manipulation.
• Communicating with stakeholders, and translating user needs into technical requirements, * Working in a technical team, preferably one that uses Python and SQL, as well as strong technical skills in these languages
• Understanding of the software development lifecycle, including testing (e.g.pytest), version control (e.g. git)and CI/CD (e.g. GitHub Actions).
• Experience of working with a range of data sources, including data wrangling, analysis and manipulation.
• Communicating with stakeholders, and translating user needs into technical requirements

A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement do not include your name or any other identifying details.

Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on ‘Working in a technical team, preferably one that uses Python and SQL, as well as strong technical skills in these languages’ will be conducted before the sift.

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance

Stage 2 - Interviews:

Candidates who successfully meet the required standard will be invited to attend a technical assessment and panel interview, both of which will take place on the same day at our Leeds office on 1st & 2nd December 2026. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements - Experience, Technical and the following Behaviours:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving

Appointments are made strictly in merit order. In the event that two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, the Working in a technical team, preferably one that uses Python and SQL, as well as strong technical skills in these languages will be applied as the primary lead criterion to determine the final merit order.

You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:

• A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
• 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.

• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive worklife balance.

• Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.
• A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
• Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!

You can find more details of the Benefits we offer here. To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital, Data and Science please take a look at our blog., Base salary for this role is from £42,914 - £46,182

• New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band.
• Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.
• Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.
• Candidates may also be eligible for a nonpensionable Government Digital & Data Allowance of up to £9,424 per year This is a temporary allowance, reviewed annually and may be retained, amended, or withdrawn.

The final offer will reflect the skills and experience you demonstrate during the assessment process.