Junior Software Engineer

Office for National Statistics

Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 26th September 2024

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Details

Reference number

369679

Salary

£25,954 - £33,634

(National minimum-maximum £25,954-£30,395) & (London minimum-maximum £28,942-£33,634)

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade

Executive Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

ONS - Digital and Technology - Digital Services and Technology (DST)

Type of role

Digital
Information Technology

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Compressed hours

Number of jobs available

5

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

ONS operates a flexible hybrid working model across the UK, with colleagues linked to one of our contractual locations in Newport or London working between office and remote throughout the week.

As part of the hybrid working arrangement there is 40% a minimum office attendance requirement. Attendance is typically at your contractual office, with occasional travel to alternative locations. Due to estates constraints, there are currently temporary exceptions to this for colleagues based at London who are required to attend the office for a minimum of 20% of their work time.

About the job

Job summary

Calling all Junior Software Engineers…

Would you like to progress your software career in an organisation that invests in the development of every colleague?

We are looking for Junior Software Engineers to come and join our expanding community here at The Office for National Statistics .

Now is the time to come onboard and join our forward-thinking teams, during this period of expansion we are continuing to develop and invest in all of our software engineering teams and are recruiting a number of engineers to join our existing innovative teams across the business.

Job description

We have 5 opportunities across the ONS in the following teams:

Vacancy 1- Statistical Production Platform (SPP)

The Statistical Production Platform (SPP) is building new technology capabilities to migrate a wide range of surveys of national importance from legacy platforms. Our multi-disciplinary teams cover software engineering, system design, requirement analysis, user research, delivery management and product management, allowing us to both evolve the SPP as a product whilst meeting organisational goals through new development. We interface with both change programmes at the ONS and the wider Digital Services & Technology directorate we are part of.

As a cloud based platform, we want to work with people who have interest or experience of working in the cloud (we use AWS), and we use Python as our main language.

Programming Languages and Tools- Terraform, Concourse, Javascript, CSS, Dock/Containers, Python, Pyspark, Flask

Vacancy 2- Collection and Dissemination 

We are looking for Junior Software Engineer with a experience in Python and/or Javascript in a cloud environment. You will be working in the recently combined eQ Author & eQ Runner team, focusing initially on the Author product, and will play a pivotal role in ensuring operational needs are met and existing service standards are maintained. Working in the Survey Data Collection service, within Collection and Dissemination, you will thrive using agile methods and enjoy working openly and collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams.   

Programming Languages and Tools- Python, Javascript, React/Apollo, GraphQL, Cloud Platform (eg, GCP, AWS, Azure), Docker/Kubernetes , CI/CD, Terraform, Github, Automation and testing, Monitoring tools 

Vacancy 3 Survey Data Collection Service

The Common ONS Repository for Data (CORD) team provides BAU DevOps support. It is a Timeseries processing system used to produce the governments national accounts/ Economical stats for England and Wales/ Critical factors/ GDP/ inflation and Trade. You will work alongside a large team of junior and senior engineers: the team works in an agile environment and is incredibly supportive to help develop your skills.

Programme Languages and Tools: Python, R, Oracle, Java, C#, React, Go, Flask, Cucumber, Jinja, Jquery, HTML, CSS and Javascript

Vacancy 4 Integrated Data Service

We are looking for Junior Software Engineer with experience in a cloud environment using one or more of these languages; CRAFT, Python and JavaScript.
Our team are responsible for the building of the user interfaces for the Integrated Data Service. We are building user interfaces for the external users and the internal customer support team. The service is made up of several products, designed and built from scratch, that will allow us to move into the future of collaborative research and support a UK wide approach to accessing and analysing data.

Programming Languages and Tools: Craft, Python, Nunjucks, Jinja, Google Cloud, Flask, CI/CD, Terraform, Github

Vacancy 5 Innovation Team

 Our team operates across various work streams, with a particular emphasis on enhancing the Software Development Practices through initiatives such as the Software Developer Portal and GitHub API-based Dashboards for compliance and policy implementation. We are passionate about creating templates and promoting automation in software development, streamlining processes, and fostering efficiency. Additionally, we are at the forefront of exploring new technologies, including GenerativeAI Agent Builder, where we develop proofs of concept to demonstrate the potential and applicability of these advancements. Join us to be part of a team that not only embraces change but drives it, shaping the future of technology within ONS.

Programming Languages and Tools: Python, GitHub, and GitHub APIs, as well as Python Flask, StreamLit, Docker, and AWS. Backstage (Internal Developers Portal), Terraform, CI/CD (Concourse), Node.js, and PostgreSQL.

Responsibilities

As a junior developer you will learn on the job by delivering discrete simple software components. Your responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Develop skills whilst working under supervision to deliver software solutions for stories in a multidisciplinary team
• Understand and are proficient in different types of testing
• Aware of but not responsible for security
• Run and manage appropriate tests
• Able to work independently

We expect that you will have experience of using some of these technologies and be keen to learn others. You would be given full support and development with technologies you are unfamiliar with.

Person specification

Essential Skills Criteria

• Understands key principles of modern standards approach and how they apply to the work they are undertaking, and will apply under guidance. Designs, codes, tests, corrects and documents programs of suitable complexity or scripts under the direction of others initially using the right standards and tools.
• Contributes to code reviews Able to help fix faults following agreed procedures. Carries out agreed infrastructure maintenance tasks.
• Able to remedy common, documented issues and to able to process simple service requests.
• Assists as part of a team on design of components of larger systems.
• Aware of how to integrate components into systems and the challenges of designing, building and testing interfaces between systems.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,954, Office for National Statistics contributes £7,518 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Office for National Statistics is part of the Civil Service, and as such we share a number of key benefits with other departments, whilst also having our own unique offerings to support our 5400 valued colleagues across the business.

This role is part of the cross-government Government Digital and Data (formerly DDaT) profession framework. As a role within Government Digital and Data (formerly DDaT) at the ONS, we also offer benefits such as:

• Protected Learning Time to spend on your personal development and side-projects. 
• A supportive and active Community of Practice which you will be expected to contribute to, helping ensure you and your colleagues get the training, development and opportunities you need to progress your careers.

We are committed to supporting our people’s wellbeing by offering flexible ways of working that support a healthy work life balance. We are happy to explore opportunities with you about working flexibly in line with our hybrid working policies.

Whether you are hearing about us for the first time or already know a bit about our organisation, we hope that the benefits pack attached (bottom of page) will give you a great insight into the benefits and facilities available to our colleagues and our fantastic working culture.

Inclusion & Accessibility

At ONS we are always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer. As a member of the Business Disability Forum and a Disability Confident Leader we’re committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.

As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance.

If you would like an accessible version of any of the attachments or recruitment documents below or linked to in this advert, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist. 

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.

Security Clearance 

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for 3 consecutive years immediately prior to applying.

A lack of UK residency in itself is not always a bar to security clearance but the Department will need to consider eligibility by exception on a case-by-case basis. You will be asked to provide information regarding your UK residency during your application, and failure to provide this will result in your application being rejected. 

If you are unsure that you meet the eligibility above, please contact the recruitment email on the advert before applying to discuss, as failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected and any offer of employment being withdrawn.

At the point of SC application you will need to provide or give access to the following evidence:

• Departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
• UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
• Your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
• Security Services records

Applicant support

Applicants may utilise AI resources in their submissions; ensuring all information provided is factually accurate, truthful, and original, avoiding any form of plagiarism to maintain the authenticity and credibility of the application process.

Stage 1 – Application & Sift Assessment

Assessment at application stage will be based on your CV, work history, skill and experience and personal statement. Your application should be tailored to demonstrate any skills, knowledge and experience that are relevant to the content of the role.

Your personal statement should be no longer than 1250 words. You should use this space to provide evidence for each essential and technical criteria within the person specification. As the criteria are scored, we would recommend that you give clear examples for each including the impact of your actions and set them out using the STAR acronym (Situation, Task, Action, Result).  Success Profiles Behaviour examples are not required at this stage. (Further information about skill levels are available on Government Digital and Data  capability framework) 

Sift stage will be based on your work history, skills and experience and evidence given in your personal statement.

In cases where there is a high number of applications the sift pass mark may be adjusted and candidates will be invited to interview in merit order, i.e. those scoring the highest.

Stage 2 – Interview

Should you be invited to interview, you will be assessed using various assessment techniques aligned to the Civil Service Success Profiles, where you'll be assessed against all the behaviours and technical criteria outlined in the advert.

A presentation may be required at interview. Further information will be provided to successful candidates prior to interview.

Interviews will be conducted by Video.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. Appointments will be made in merit order for each tech stack.

Important Dates:

Sift date: From 27/09/2024
Interview dates: From 14/10/2024

Dates are subject to change 

For the full terms and conditions of the post, please see attachment below. 

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).