DevOps Engineer - HSE - HEO

Job summary

Keeping people safe and healthy matters and that’s what we do at the Health and Safety Executive. Every day, everyone on the team contributes to protecting lives and we apply our expertise to help influence change in mindsets about health and safety throughout industry. We undertake world-class science to build our knowledge about safe working practices, and then apply that understanding to the workplace, guiding every part of the economy to function safely. And when accidents happen, we investigate and hold those at fault to account whilst ensuring that lessons are learnt across industries. We are a modern, independent, data drive Regulator and we are proud to have made Great Britain one of the safest places to work in the world.

Technology, data, and digital services underpins everything that HSE does. We are a knowledge organisation, with a wealth of experience in keeping people safe. It is the responsibility of the Information and Technology Services (ITS) Division to ensure that everyone in the organisation can access our data and information, to share it and to use it to make effective decisions. ITS support over 3000 colleagues working across Great Britain and, our services keep inspectors functioning effectively and efficiently on industrial sites nationwide, from oil platforms in the North Sea to our deepest mines and quarries.

Job description

We have an opportunity for a DevOps Engineer to join the ITS Division.

To deliver Development Operations (DevOps) Engineering for all HSE cloud-infrastructure services ensuring that all technologies (cloud-network, cloud-hosting (IaaS, PaaS and SaaS), cloud-storage and cloud-security) remain available, performant to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and relevant to business requirements. Deliver the DevOps Engineering support to major digital and technology services change programmes transforming HSE, and support the implementation of continuous improvement (CI) and continuous deployment (CD) for services once live. Operate and deliver the processes, architectures, and services that will deliver all of HSE digital and technology services. Ensure that new cloud-based technologies are secure by design and remain secure during operations, protecting HSE’s data and users from cyber-attack and unauthorised loss. This role will engage with users, supporting their needs and ensuring that a high-quality customer-focused service is delivered.

As a DevOps Engineer, you will thrive and enjoy working openly, collaboratively and as part of a multidisciplinary team focused on one or many projects. You will be supporting existing cloud-based services, assisting in the design, and delivery of new cloud-based services as we expand HSE’s digital services in Azure, adhering to GDS principles and using Agile principles.

Main Duties:

• As DevOps Engineer you will help to develop the capability of HSEs newly formed multi-skilled DevOps Engineering team to manage the technologies of a cloud-based IT estate.
• You will help establish and then operate DevOps processes, establishing a regime and culture of continuous integration (CI) and continuous deployment (CD).
• You will work closely with the development and test communities as we strive to automate our processes and implement new tooling.
• You will support the design, implementation and management of solutions that are highly available, resilient, scalable and maintainable within our cloud environment.
• You will deliver the DevOps Engineering support to major digital and technology services change programmes transforming HSE.

Please note -The post can be based in any HSE location (except for our London offices), however attendance at HSE Headquarters in Bootle will be required for Full ITS Meetings at minimum twice per year. - occasional travel to other HSE Offices may be required. For further information about HSE locations please click here.

You are required to work a 37 hour week based on a 5 day working week and 7.4 hours day. The working week is between 07:00 and 19:00 Monday to Friday. There is the possibility of Saturday working between 07:00 and 19:00. As far as possible your Line Manager will agree your working pattern(s) with you including any Saturday working. There may be times when you are required to work additional hours and/or a late shift to accommodate operational needs or unplanned events. Where it is necessary for operational reasons to vary your ‘normal’ working pattern(s) you will be notified by your manager in advance.

You may also be required to be on an on-call rota.

Person specification

Essential Skills and Criteria:

• Experience of implementing and administering cloud-based solutions in Microsoft Azure, utilising IaaS or PaaS based services.
• Experience of building and optimising CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps.
• Knowledge of monitoring of live cloud services.
• Experience using scripting languages (e.g. PowerShell, Bash).
• Experience of creating and maintaining Infrastructure as Code (e.g. Bicep, ARM templates) in a source control management system.
• Effective communication skills.
• Knowledge of managing the technologies of a cloud-based IT estate.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,235, Health and Safety Executive contributes £10,497 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
• Competitive rates of pay
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97%, far more than in the private sector
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
• Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
• 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave
• Parental leave benefits
• As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E-Gift Cards and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Application Information

Within your application you will be asked to complete an anonymised CV. Please ensure you complete your career history, skills relevant to the role, your experience and qualifications.

You will also be asked to complete a Personal Statement, of no more than 500 words, that demonstrates how you meet the essential skills and criteria outlined in the person specification.

Application Guidance

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/  

Sift Information

The sift will take place during week commencing 14th October when you will be assessed on your CV and Personal Statement.

Interview information

Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams during week commencing 28th October when you will be assessed on your experience and the behaviours listed in the advert.

Please note that dependent on numbers of applications received these dates could be subject to change.

Further Information

Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months. There is no guarantee you will be offered a role from our reserve lists so if you see a vacancy on Civil Service Jobs that you are interested in, we recommend you apply.

Due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and, Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.

AI Tools & Platforms

During the application process candidates are allowed to utilise AI (artificial intelligence) platforms and Tools to support them in writing their Behaviours, CV’s and Personal Statements. However, all information submitted must be factually accurate. This includes presenting the ideas and experience of others, or those generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. All presented information will be assessed at the Interview Stage.

Sponsorship

This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached HSE Terms and Conditions document.

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 and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.

We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all disabled applicants who provide evidence of meeting the minimum requirements necessary for the post.

If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk

If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.

Any move to HSE 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 here

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

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 (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

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).