Job summary
Job title - Platform Engineer
Profession- Digital Data & Technology
Directorate - Data Operations
Full Time equivalent - 37.5 hours
No of Roles - 5
Contract Type - Permanent
Location - Home Working
Working Pattern - Full Time / Part Time / Job Share / Flexible Working / Hybrid Working
Grade & Salary - Grade 7. National banding - £49,592 - £58,769 per annum. Outer London -£51,494- £60,528 per annum. Inner London - £53,396 - £62,286 per annum.
This role comes with a Market Pay Supplement of up to £10,000
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment
This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C's are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/.
Closing Date - 06/08/2023. 23:55pm. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered
Interview Date - 16/08/2023 - 18/08/2023 Please note, these dates are subject to change.
Main duties of the job
COVID-19 has reinforced the impact that threats to health can have on society and the economy and driven health security as a critical component of our national security architecture. The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
UKHSA's remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation's expert national health security agency UKHSA will:
- Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation's readiness, defences and health security
- Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
- Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
- Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
About us
UKHSA mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. To achieve our objectives effectively and fairly, we commit to representing modern Britain and all its diversity. UKHSA recognises that diversity of background and life experience brings different insights, creates challenge and encourages change and innovation. This in turn produces more accountable and trusted public services and better decisions; better because they are more attuned to the needs and interests of all our communities. Differences of thought and outlook are not only respected but expected. We want all our employees to feel that they can be themselves at work and that they are valued.
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be a team player, empowered as a vital member of the team, but doing their best to enable others success recognising the bigger picture, and willing to go that extra mile to ensure high quality delivery and that they are playing their part in a high performing delivery organisation.
- You can encourage and develop a diverse range of people. You promote the business and its objective. You role model the behaviours and standards expected of an experienced member of the civil service.
- You can work with other technologists and analysts to integrate and separate data feeds in order to map, produce, transform and test new scalable data products that meet user needs. You have a demonstrable understanding of how to expose data from systems (for example, through APIs), link data from multiple systems and deliver streaming services. You know how to work with other technologists and analysts to understand and make use of different types of data models. You understand and can make use of different data engineering tools for repeatable data processing; you can compare between different data models.
- You can design, write and iterate code from prototype to production ready. You understand security, accessibility and version control. You can use a range of coding tools and languages. An understanding and previous experience of Microsoft Azure and AWS services are desirable for this post.
- You know about the specific technologies that underpin your ability to deliver the responsibilities and tasks of the role. You can apply the required breadth and depth of technical knowledge.
- You can plan, design, manage, execute and report tests, using appropriate tools and techniques, and work within regulations. You know how to ensure that risks associated with deployment are adequately understood and documented.
You understand the different phases of product delivery and can plan and run the analysis for these. You can contribute to decision-making throughout the product life cycle. You know how to work in collaboration with user researchers, developers and staff in other roles throughout the product life cycle. You understand the value of analysis, how to contribute with impact and what data sources, analytical techniques and tools can be used at each point throughout.
Essential Criteria
- Strong at python, unit testing (pytest) and pep8 standards
- Writing robust data pipeline code that can run unattended
- Pandas data validation, manipulation, merging, joining and at times visualisation
- Experience of designing and developing CI/CD pipelines and provisioning resources using infrastructure as code, including DevOps tooling such as: Gitlab, AWS CodeCommit and CloudFormation, Terraform, Ansible, Vagrant, Docker, Kubernets.
- Ability to troubleshoot and solve numerical and technical problems
- Excellent communication and facilitation skills evidenced through verbal and written means to a wide range of stakeholders
- Experience with Agile delivery
- Technically proficient expert in MS Azure, Data Bricks, Data Factory, SQL, Python.
- Experience with publishing data sets for visualisation and analysis and supporting design of data models / data flows
- Ability to work as part of a team to develop and deliver end-to-end data warehouse solutions
- Analytical skill set with an ability to understand data requirements and support the development of data solutions
- Ability to manage in an ambiguous environment, clarifying strategies and plans, giving a sense of direction and purpose for self and team.
- Design, build, maintain, test and deploy data pipelines including quality assurance
- Extract, transform and load data from multiple source systems
- +5 years as a Senior Data Engineer / Data Engineer
Desirable Criteria
Skills, knowledge or equivalent experience in:
- Machine learning for engineering practices, such as meta driven intelligent ETL and pipeline processes
- Experience of working with JIRA (or Azure DevOps or similar tools) within an Agile/Scrum environment
- Experience/understanding of software and data lifecycle management
- Educated to degree level (not essential, experience is key). Relevant numerate, technical or computer science discipline would be an advantage
- Have 3 5 years experience of working as a platform engineer on business as usual and projects which address complex data processing and advanced analytic problems.
- Will have a technology background including software development and a detailed understanding of DevOps practices
- Experience of working within agile teams, using collaboration tools like Confluence and Jira
- Hands on ETL development experience utilizing Microsoft enterprise stack / Azure and AWS Glue
Qualifications required: Educated to higher degree level. Relevant numerate, technical or computer science discipline would be an advantage.
Other Skills Required:
- Programming and build (data engineering). You can design, write and iterate code from prototype to production ready.
- You understand security, accessibility and version control. You can use a range of coding tools and languages such python and R.
- Technical understanding (data engineering). You know about the specific technologies that underpin your ability to deliver the responsibilities and tasks of the role. You can apply the required breadth and depth of technical knowledge. AWS services knowledge is desirable for this post.
- Data development process. You can integrate and separate data feeds in order to map, produce, transform and test new data products.
- Data integration design. You can develop fit-for-purpose, resilient, scalable and future-proof data services to meet user needs. You have a demonstrable understanding of how to expose data from systems (for example, through APIs), link data from multiple systems and deliver streaming services.
- Problem resolution (data). You know how to log, analyse and manage problems in order to identify and implement the appropriate solution. You can ensure that the problem is fixed.
Selection Process
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Strengths
This part of the selection process should outline how you consider your skills, experience and achievements, and provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria outlined.
You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history. This will be used in sifting process and will be scored.
Stage 1: Application & SiftAs part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Statement of Suitability in no more than 750 words regarding the following behaviours:
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering At Pace
- Managing a quality Service
providing examples of how you meet the essential criteria. It should also detail what you and your experience can bring to the role. We suggest using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method to demonstrate real-life examples for the specified essential criteria. Please note, only information provided within the stated word count will be considered.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview
Stage 2: Panel Interview
All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single video interview AND a written technical skill test
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a quality service
Benefits
- Alongside your salary of £49,592, UK Health Security Agency contributes £13,390 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
- Range of health and wellbeing support
DBS - People working with government systems must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks which includes a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed for this role is BPSS however there may be a requirement for this role to be SC cleared and you should familiarise yourself with the criteria of security clearance.
This role is Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants. Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction.
Its important to note that there are currently exceptions to applications being considered if your conviction relates to any of the following:
- life sentences
- arson
- sexual offences
- hate and terror offences
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be a team player, empowered as a vital member of the team, but doing their best to enable others success recognising the bigger picture, and willing to go that extra mile to ensure high quality delivery and that they are playing their part in a high performing delivery organisation.
- You can encourage and develop a diverse range of people. You promote the business and its objective. You role model the behaviours and standards expected of an experienced member of the civil service.
- You can work with other technologists and analysts to integrate and separate data feeds in order to map, produce, transform and test new scalable data products that meet user needs. You have a demonstrable understanding of how to expose data from systems (for example, through APIs), link data from multiple systems and deliver streaming services. You know how to work with other technologists and analysts to understand and make use of different types of data models. You understand and can make use of different data engineering tools for repeatable data processing; you can compare between different data models.
- You can design, write and iterate code from prototype to production ready. You understand security, accessibility and version control. You can use a range of coding tools and languages. An understanding and previous experience of Microsoft Azure and AWS services are desirable for this post.
- You know about the specific technologies that underpin your ability to deliver the responsibilities and tasks of the role. You can apply the required breadth and depth of technical knowledge.
- You can plan, design, manage, execute and report tests, using appropriate tools and techniques, and work within regulations. You know how to ensure that risks associated with deployment are adequately understood and documented.
You understand the different phases of product delivery and can plan and run the analysis for these. You can contribute to decision-making throughout the product life cycle. You know how to work in collaboration with user researchers, developers and staff in other roles throughout the product life cycle. You understand the value of analysis, how to contribute with impact and what data sources, analytical techniques and tools can be used at each point throughout.
Essential Criteria
- Strong at python, unit testing (pytest) and pep8 standards
- Writing robust data pipeline code that can run unattended
- Pandas data validation, manipulation, merging, joining and at times visualisation
- Experience of designing and developing CI/CD pipelines and provisioning resources using infrastructure as code, including DevOps tooling such as: Gitlab, AWS CodeCommit and CloudFormation, Terraform, Ansible, Vagrant, Docker, Kubernets.
- Ability to troubleshoot and solve numerical and technical problems
- Excellent communication and facilitation skills evidenced through verbal and written means to a wide range of stakeholders
- Experience with Agile delivery
- Technically proficient expert in MS Azure, Data Bricks, Data Factory, SQL, Python.
- Experience with publishing data sets for visualisation and analysis and supporting design of data models / data flows
- Ability to work as part of a team to develop and deliver end-to-end data warehouse solutions
- Analytical skill set with an ability to understand data requirements and support the development of data solutions
- Ability to manage in an ambiguous environment, clarifying strategies and plans, giving a sense of direction and purpose for self and team.
- Design, build, maintain, test and deploy data pipelines including quality assurance
- Extract, transform and load data from multiple source systems
- +5 years as a Senior Data Engineer / Data Engineer
Desirable Criteria
Skills, knowledge or equivalent experience in:
- Machine learning for engineering practices, such as meta driven intelligent ETL and pipeline processes
- Experience of working with JIRA (or Azure DevOps or similar tools) within an Agile/Scrum environment
- Experience/understanding of software and data lifecycle management
- Educated to degree level (not essential, experience is key). Relevant numerate, technical or computer science discipline would be an advantage
- Have 3 5 years experience of working as a platform engineer on business as usual and projects which address complex data processing and advanced analytic problems.
- Will have a technology background including software development and a detailed understanding of DevOps practices
- Experience of working within agile teams, using collaboration tools like Confluence and Jira
- Hands on ETL development experience utilizing Microsoft enterprise stack / Azure and AWS Glue
Qualifications required: Educated to higher degree level. Relevant numerate, technical or computer science discipline would be an advantage.
Other Skills Required:
- Programming and build (data engineering). You can design, write and iterate code from prototype to production ready.
- You understand security, accessibility and version control. You can use a range of coding tools and languages such python and R.
- Technical understanding (data engineering). You know about the specific technologies that underpin your ability to deliver the responsibilities and tasks of the role. You can apply the required breadth and depth of technical knowledge. AWS services knowledge is desirable for this post.
- Data development process. You can integrate and separate data feeds in order to map, produce, transform and test new data products.
- Data integration design. You can develop fit-for-purpose, resilient, scalable and future-proof data services to meet user needs. You have a demonstrable understanding of how to expose data from systems (for example, through APIs), link data from multiple systems and deliver streaming services.
- Problem resolution (data). You know how to log, analyse and manage problems in order to identify and implement the appropriate solution. You can ensure that the problem is fixed.
Selection Process
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Strengths
This part of the selection process should outline how you consider your skills, experience and achievements, and provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria outlined.
You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history. This will be used in sifting process and will be scored.
Stage 1: Application & SiftAs part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Statement of Suitability in no more than 750 words regarding the following behaviours:
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering At Pace
- Managing a quality Service
providing examples of how you meet the essential criteria. It should also detail what you and your experience can bring to the role. We suggest using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method to demonstrate real-life examples for the specified essential criteria. Please note, only information provided within the stated word count will be considered.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview
Stage 2: Panel Interview
All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single video interview AND a written technical skill test
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a quality service
Benefits
- Alongside your salary of £49,592, UK Health Security Agency contributes £13,390 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
- Range of health and wellbeing support
DBS - People working with government systems must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks which includes a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed for this role is BPSS however there may be a requirement for this role to be SC cleared and you should familiarise yourself with the criteria of security clearance.
This role is Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants. Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction.
Its important to note that there are currently exceptions to applications being considered if your conviction relates to any of the following:
- life sentences
- arson
- sexual offences
- hate and terror offences
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Strong at python, unit testing (pytest) and pep8 standards
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Strong at python, unit testing (pytest) and pep8 standards
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
