Associate Developer

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

Home Office Digital designs, builds and develops services for the rest of the department and for government. Every year our systems support up to 3 million visa applications, checks on 100 million border crossings, up to 8 million passport applications and deliver 140 million police checks on people, vehicles and property.

We are looking for people who are passionate about Engineering to join our community led team in Shared Applications Service (SAS).

You will work in agile multidisciplinary teams with over 200 engineers in a modern cloud environment using the latest technologies. Our purpose as a team is to bring technical understanding in-house for over 600 Home Office applications.

You could be creating and maintaining some of the most critical public services in the United Kingdom and transforming how we use data and technology to improve these. We are responsible for designing, building and supporting solutions to help people prove their identity or apply for visas. You could also be working on critical IT systems that support policing and counterterrorism, which helps protect UK borders.

Job description

The Associate Developer will be paired with an engineering colleague to learn on the job whilst designing, running and improving software components. You can expect to benefit from training, coaching and mentoring to help you develop in this role.

You will be learning to work to our technical standards writing clean and secure code. Your work will be relatively procedural and guided by your team.

Tools and Technologies we use:
We are keen for Engineers to continue learning new technologies, we have a large range in the Home Office including:
Backend: SQL ,PL/SQL, Java, Node.js, C#, Python, PHP, Scala, Power platform, Logic Apps
Frontend: React, JavaScript, Typescript, Angular
Data: Oracle RDBMS, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Mongodb, Apache Cassandra
DevOps: OCI, AWS, Kubernetes, Azure, Azure Service Fabric, Docker, Ansible, Terraform, Azure
DevOps.

Key responsibilities

Your main day to day responsibilities will be:

• Completing basic automation, Application Programming Interface (API) and general development and test tasks on your own initiative, and more advanced tasks under the supervision of others.
• Proposing automations and changes that fit within the overall models and patterns set by senior developers.
• Identifying and resolving issues with one of our systems, using established methods.
• Supporting the definition and delivery of new services.
• Learning more advanced software development and delivery skills to advance as an engineer.

All our engineers will be expected to embody an open and positive approach, supporting the Home Office in:

• Progressing the Home Office Digital Profession, understanding all roles and helping to build our community.
• Working and assessing to appropriate standards: for instance, accessibility, the Government Digital Service (GDS) service standard and our own community practices.
• Improving our skills and approaches as well as keeping up to speed with the technology landscape.

Working pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 30 hours per week due to business requirements.

Person specification

Essential criteria

You’ll have demonstrable knowledge of automation, with the following skills or some experience of:

• Contributing towards high quality documentation, and resolving issues and incidents in live services.
• Experience of using modern database systems (at least one of Oracle RDBMS, MySQL, NoSQL, Dataverse, or PostgreSQL), and securely storing sensitive information.
• Experience of software development in at least one of C#, Python, JavaScript, or Java.
• Experience of using Git and an awareness of Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment practices, as well as Agile ways of working.
• Experience contributing to the design of simple components for cloud platforms (such as OCI, Azure, Power Platform, or AWS).
• Experience of testing software including at least one of: defining test cases, creating test scripts, executing automated tests, or recording manual tests.

The skills listed above are reflective of the Home Office DDaT Profession Skills and Competency Model (based on the industry standard SFIA framework). Please see below for the relevant skills for your role:

Strategy and Architecture

• Technical Strategy and Planning
• Data Management (DATM) - Level 3

Development and Implementation

• Systems Development
• Software Design (SWDN) - Level 2
• Programming/Software Development (PROG) - Level 2
• Testing (TEST) - Level 2

Installation and Integration

• Systems Integration and Build (SINT) – Level 2

Delivery and Operation

• Service Operation
• Application Support (ASUP) - Level 3

Desirable criteria:

• Experience writing SQL and or PL/SQL
• Familiarity with UNIX operating system and shell scripting

Technical skills

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

• Data Management (DATM) - Level 3
• Software Design (SWDN) - Level 2
• Programming/Software Development (PROG) - Level 2
• Testing (TEST) - Level 2
• Systems Integration and Build (SINT) – Level 2
• Application Support (ASUP) - Level 3

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
• The advertised role is eligible for a Digital Capability Allowance. Successful candidates with exceptional skills and experience may apply for a Recruitment and Retention Allowance. The allowance values are set by the Home Office, subject to remaining in a qualifying role. This allowance is non-contractual, subject to an annual review and could be withdrawn at any time. Please see the Home Office Digital Recruitment and Retention Allowance Careers page for more information. ​For both new entrants and existing civil servants, the total compensation offer is a combination of base salary and, if applicable, a capability-based allowance.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

Sign-up on our website to receive emails with information about careers at the Home Office.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

1. Application – by 7th April 2026

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• CV
• Personal Statement (maximum 5437 words)

Your CV should consist of your career history and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

2. Sift – from 9th April 2026

The sift will be held on the CV and Personal Statement.

3. Interview – week commencing 4th May 2026

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Technical Skills based questions.

For guidance on the Technical skills, please refer to the SFIA framework - Levels of responsibility — English.

The interview will take place via video using MS Teams.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Location preferences

You can select up to threelocations in order of preference. Please ensure that these are locations you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at one of your preferred location(s) and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Reserve lists will be held for each location. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location.

Candidates judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has the same Success Profiles elements and essential skills. There is no guarantee that further such vacancies will arise.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. The level of Criminal Record Check required for this role is Basic. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Further Information

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 circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.

If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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

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 theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Home Office Resourcing Centre
• Email : HORCCampaignTeamHSGPSGandMBG@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

candidate_information_v16_January_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 429kB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)