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About the job
Job summary
Changes are happening at UK Home Office we are not just about entry gates at Airports or issuing passports. We have over 30 different agencies and public bodies, including Policing and Counter Terrorism and with everyone using digital device’s technology is changing massively, we are bringing services in house, and its a big challenge.
You could be designing and building solutions to help people prove their identity or apply for visas or working on the critical IT systems that support policing and counter terrorism and help protect UK borders. Our success in this role depends on our ability to exploit the latest technologies to create leading-edge, world class solutions whilst ensuring they are secure and resilient.
Our work is guided by these fundamental principles:
Put user needs first
Delivery and outcomes over process
Make the most of openness: open standards, open source, open data and open markets
We encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from women, people with disabilities and LGBT+ as they are currently under-represented in the Home Office at this grade level. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. Applicants can discuss any specific questions with the Vacancy Holder.
Job description
Were passionate about building software that solves problems. Were home to some of the most important public services in the United Kingdom and are transforming how we use data and technology to improve these. Our software has been used to stop terrorist attacks, ensure applications and delivery of passports is efficient and developing and supporting a wide variety of GOV.UK services such as getting married or forming a civil partnership or applying for a visa.
As a Senior Developer you will be working with modern technologies in cloud -based environments with other skilled people, collaborating and making things work for our end users, in some cases thats the public and in others our own people who work at the Borders, Immigration or protecting the public.
Our Tech stack
We have an extremely large range of tech and tools used in the Home Office, below are some of the main things we use:
- Backend: Java, Node.js, C#, Python, PHP, Scala, Power platform
- Frontend: React, JavaScript, Typescript, Angular
- Data: PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Mongodb, Apache Cassandra
- DevOps: AWS, Kubernetes, Azure, Jenkins, Docker, Ansible, Terraform
We develop over 560 services which have millions of users worldwide.
Areas of the work which you may need to get involved with (from a software engineering perspective) include:
Building and maintaining wide variety of gov.uk services you may be familiar with, including getting married or forming a civil partnership or applying for a visa
Ensuring that the application and delivery of passports is efficient – completing the build of our award-winning digital application system
Re-developing core policing data systems to ensure they are effective and provide a solid basis for innovation
Updating tools to ensure that our borders are efficient for both passengers and border officials
Ensuring that we have a world-class immigration system which is usable by all
If these types of projects excite you, we’d love for you to join us.
What we offer
We know that great software requires great coding practices. Here are some key practices which we insist upon across our teams that allow us to release with speed and quality.
Agile principles
Test-driven development with a focus on automation
Continuous integration and continuous delivery
Review code via pull requests
Pairing smartly
Infrastructure as code.
Person specification
This is a really exciting opportunity, youll be working on triaging new stuff, as well as leading the implementation of new systems in a number of really critical areas. This work will be delivered in an agile manner, working with multi-disciplinary teams and across a variety of business areas.
As a Senior Developer youll take ownership over the products, features and services your team looks after, being curious at heart with a desire to make things better. Youll prioritise the focus on being one team with a passion for nurturing, coaching and sharing your knowledge with others whilst ensuring high quality code is delivered in line with project goals and delivery cycles and thrive using agile methods.
Your key areas of impact will be
- Delivering secure, reliable and scalable software and supporting your team with technical tasks when needed
- Evaluating and advising on design choices and ensuring that software is high quality and balances technical and business considerations
- Defining and documenting test cases for new systems and maintaining live systems to ensure ongoing performance
- Acting as a digital ambassador, supporting recruitment, identifying good practices for Home Office to adopt and sharing experiences, e.g. through blog posts, tech talks at conferences etc.
- Evolving new approaches/solutions with other professions through discoveries, maintain a focus on development and deployment
- Helping prioritise and direct technical tasks across your team, to balance new and live services
- Like most businesses we need to maintain our services 24/7, therefore, on occasion there may be a requirement to work out of hours, for which you will be paid
Essential criteria
- Experience with Java or C# or JavaScript (and frameworks such as Node or React) or those with a background using another modern programming language like PHP or python who have some understanding of our core tech stack. Alternatively, experience of low-code development is appropriate
- Defining RESTful / SOAP APIs
- Supporting live services and devising ways to improve reliability and performance you will be happy to maintain what you have built
- Modern working practices, such as test driven development (focusing on automation), continuous integration and continuous delivery
- Providing technical guidance to your colleagues and junior developers
- Working within an agile environment
- A cloud-based approach, selecting cloud components and defining infrastructure as code to integrate them (Kubernetes, AWS, Azure, and/or Oracle Cloud/OCI etc.)
- Databases and DB technology (RDBMS, NoSQL etc)
We are also looking for experience with Serverless technology such as Azure hostedLogic Apps and Function Apps or AWS hosted Lambdas.
The skills listed below are reflective of the Home Office DDaT Profession Skills and Competency Model (based on the industry standard SFIA framework), please review the attached Role Description which highlights the expected technical skills and required levels for this role.
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Application Support (ASUP) – Level 5
- Data Management (DATM) – Level 5
- Programming Software Development (PROG) – Level 4
- Software Design (SWDN) – Level 5
- Systems Integration and Build (SINT) – Level 5
- Testing (TEST) – Level 4
Benefits
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- 25 days annual leave on appointment, plus 8 days public holidays and 1 day for the Kings Birthday, rising further with service
- Flexible working options to enable you to achieve the work life balance that right for you including part-time, flexi time and job sharing
- Training and development opportunities tailored to your role
- An in-year bonus scheme
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
You will also have access to benefits such as:
- Season ticket loans and rental deposit loans
- Cycle to work and payroll giving
- Employee discounts – including a huge number of retailers (via the Edenred platform), Microsoft Home Use programme and gym membership
- A variety of staff recognition schemes including thank you vouchers
- Health and wellbeing initiatives including monthly mindfulness sessions
- Staff support networks
- Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks of statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid
- Maternity and adoption support leave (paternity leave) of 2 weeks full pay
- Up to 5 days paid leave for volunteering
- Study leave and support for studying for a qualification or other accredited development relevant to your role
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement (Max Word Limit: 500).
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Your CV should include all relevant experience that relates to our Essential criteria listed in the advert and role description. Do not just list languages / platforms – do provide context.
Your Personal Statement should be aligned to explain why you are a good fit for the advertised role aligned to the Essential criteria listed in the role description.
Remove information that identifies you (for example your name, age or place of education) so that youll be judged on merit alone and not your background, circumstances, race or gender.
(Do NOT include e-mail addresses or links to online profiles, resumés, or prior work, either personal or business. Active links or e-mail addresses will result in your application being rejected)
The sift will be held on the CV and Personal Statement.
Candidates who pass the sift will be provided with a programming / coding technical exercise to complete, details will be provided prior to the interview.
Technical Exercise stage
This coding test will assess your ability to effectively perform in the advertised role. You will be sent detailed instructions along with an invitation to take the test. Please make us aware if you require any reasonable adjustments in order to participate in the test.
A technical test is a great opportunity for you to show us your technical capability in a structured and transparent way. We have an assortment of tests to assess different skills depending on the role.
The Interview Stage
Candidates reaching the required standard will then be invited to attend a final interview. The interview will assess your Technical Skills (SFIA Framework).
Regrettably, candidates who fail to complete the test and those candidates not reaching the required standard should note that their applications will not be progressed further.
Sift and Interview dates
Sift will take place week commencing Monday 8th January 2024
Interviews will take place from Monday 29th January 2024 (subject to the Panels operational priorities)
Interviews will be held remotely and will be conducted via MS Teams.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.
Further Information
Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement.
If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.
For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
- Higher Security Clearance – This post requires the successful candidate to hold security clearance at minimum SC level (normally requiring a five year UK footprint). Job offers to this post are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.
- Visa Sponsorship Statement – Please take note that the Home Office DDaT are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visa.
This post is eligible for a DDaT Recruitment Retention Allowance this allowance is subject to an initial review within six months of taking up the post and thereafter an annual review in line with the departmental priorities and could be reduced or withdrawn at any time.
A location-based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same behaviours and essential skills.
Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.
We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.
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.
For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.
Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidates responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.
Transfer Terms: Voluntary.
If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.
Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.
Any move to the Home 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
Reasonable Adjustments
If a person with disabilities is 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 Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as 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
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the Contact point for applicants section.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : OptimusACRecruitment
- Email : optimusacrecruitment@homeoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
