Data Engineer - DfE - HEO

Job summary

Our Data Engineers innovate and industrialise the delivery of data products and services into systems and business processes within the agency. You will use your technical skills to design and implement new data solutions that support the creation of data products. You will work with internal and external partners to understand and meet business requirements. 

We work with SQL Server systems and Databricks in addressing performance and maintenance of data processing to underpin routine reporting. You will design, build, test and maintain data management systems and models, making sure they meet business requirements and user needs. You will work to deliver automated services that are reliable and secure, working with data architects and data scientists.

Job description

As a Data Engineer, you will:

• Develop fit for purpose, resilient, scalable and future-proof data services to meet user needs.
• Collaborate and implement data management systems that link data from multiple systems and platforms.
• Implement appropriate technologies to deliver resilient, scalable and future-proof data solutions.
• Design, write and iterate code from prototype to production-ready, managing relationships with subject matter experts to make sure content is accurate.
• Collaborate with others to review and challenge specifications and where appropriate promoting the best solution design.
• Use agreed standards and tools to design, code, test, correct and document moderate to complex programs and scripts from agreed specifications and subsequent iterations.
• Implement industry recognised data modelling techniques including dimensional modelling and standards and where necessary reverse engineer data models from a live system.
• Effectively translate and accurately communicate across technical and non-technical stakeholders as well as facilitating discussions within a multidisciplinary team.
• Helping and guiding more junior members of the team.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

It is essential that you have experience of:

• Advanced SQL queries, SQL stored procedures and optimisation of SQL queries.
• SQL-Server Integration Services (SSIS).
• Proven strong experience with Transact-SQL (T-SQL).
• Ability to handle data - Extract, Transform, Load with strong SQL skills.
• Data analysis.
• SQL 2012 or later, server tools such as SSIS and SSAS.
• Some exposure to Databricks, Spark SLQ.
• Use of concepts such as, metadata, indexing, data modelling and master data management.
• Design, write and iterate code through to deployment.
• Taking complex language and processes and making them simple to understand.
• Using metrics and user feedback to define and improve data management systems.

 Desirable Criteria:

It is desirable that you have experience of:

• Working with Azure SQL databases.
• Knowledge of DAX to use in conjunction with SSAS, Tabular data Modelling, Data Presentation.
• SSAS you will have the opportunity to gain exposure to SSAS, Data Warehousing, cubes analysis and Dimensional Modelling.
• Understanding of agile approaches and experience of working in agile teams.
• Ideally Certification in data management or similar industry professional certification.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed at interview, in the event of a tie break situation, to make an informed decision.

Technical skills

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

• Communication skills (data)
• Data development process
• Data modelling
• Data integration and design
• Data analysis and synthesis
• Programming and build (data engineering)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £33,834, Department for Education contributes £9,801 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. 

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

Application

To apply for this role, you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement, which we will assess your experience against the essential criteria.

Your CV should set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role and how they align with the essential criteria/technical skills. There is no word limit for this section. Please start with your most current employment details first and please format as follows:

• Name of Employer - Job Title - Dates Worked
• Responsibilities:
• Key Achievements:

For the Personal Statement (max 1250 words) please refer to the essential and desirable criteria listed in this job advertisement, whilst giving relevant examples based on your past work experience. This is not intended to be a cover letter, instead please work through each essential criteria in turn. You may wish to follow the STAR technique. The key things we are looking for are what you did, how you did it and the outcome.

To confirm, the maximum word count for the personal statement is 1250 words. Please adhere to this limit as anything over 1250 words will not be taken into account. 

This criterion will be used as the basis for assessing your suitability for the role, with desirable criteria being used at interview, in the event of a tie-break decision.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Stage 2: Interview

We will invite candidates successful at sift to a video interview.

At the interview, we will ask you questions covering the technical skills and experience of the essential criteria needed for the role.

Other Information 

In your application, please don’t include personal information that identifies you. 

This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - it's called name blind recruitment (opens in a new window). 

Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your: 

• name/title
• educational institutions
• age
• gender
• email address
• postal address
• phone number
• nationality/immigration status 

We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own. 

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates. 

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas. 

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.    

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

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 circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated. 

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. 

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location. 

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. 

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs 

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum. 

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual. 

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information. 

Reasonable adjustment 

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. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk 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. 

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming 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/ 

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) (opens in a new window)
• 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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).