Digital Forensic Placement

Job summary

Please ensure to read this advert thoroughly before applying, it is open to 2nd year undergraduate students, enrolled on a Digital Forensic related course. Students studying for a Master's degree are not eligible.

If you wish to apply for this placement, in the first instance, please speak to your university contact to determine if your course is relevant. If you or your university contact are unsure regarding eligibility, please contact people@sfo.gov.uk.

The Digital Forensic Unit (DFU) is responsible for the handling of all digital evidence seized by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). This includes the collection of evidence on site, forensic processing of any items seized or received, and the processing of these items into a medium that Case Teams can access through the SFO Digital Review System (DRS). The team works closely with the Case Support Team and third party suppliers to ensure that required material is delivered in a timely and appropriate manner.

The Serious Fraud Office is pleased to offer a work placement opportunity within their Digital Forensic Unit (DFU) in London. This will be open for applications from undergraduate students enrolled on a Digital Forensic related course. Candidates will need to be in full time education at the time of the placement. This placement will be to observe and support the members of the DFU and gain hands on experience of on-going investigations.

Any successful candidate will be subjected to security vetting and will be required to sign official documents such as the Data Protection Act and the Official Secrets Act. All candidates will be expected to maintain strict confidentiality in regards to any case related information due to the nature of the work.

Upon successful completion of their placement, students will have gained knowledge and experience in the following:

• The examination of a range of digital devices (For Example: Computers, Mobile Devices & Removable media)
• ISO 17025/FSR through the adherence to and review of in-house policies and procedures
• SFO Search Operations (Depending on Operational Requirements)
• Identification and Decryption of Encrypted Material
• Report writing

Job description

Working under the supervision of experienced DFU staff at all times, successful candidate(s) will have the opportunity to experience some/all of the following:

• The acquisition of digital evidence adhering to SFO Policy along with the Forensic Science Regulator Codes of Practice and ISO 17025
• Decryption of Encrypted Material
• The processing of acquired data for ingestion into the SFO eDiscovery platform.
• Attend SFO search operations to observe and assist Digital Forensic Examiners in the triage, seizure and acquisition of digital devices (Depending on Operational Requirements)
• The validation and use of a range of forensic tools and software
• Working with various Case Teams and develop an understanding of the investigation of Serious and Complex Fraud and Bribery

For more information about the role and for a full list of key responsibilities, please see attached Job Pack.

Person specification

See above and attached Job Pack.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,409, Serious Fraud Office contributes £7,071 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Option to join the Civil Service pension scheme. For further details, click here http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions

Generous annual leave provision of 25 days which increases to 30 days after five years’ service plus an additional day in recognition of the King’s Birthday and the option to buy or sell up to five days’ leave per year. Different terms may apply if you are already a Civil Servant.

Discretionary performance-related bonus scheme.

Interest-free season travel ticket, bicycle loan and cycle to work scheme.

Access to the Rental Deposit Salary Advance Scheme which assists employees in meeting the costs of deposits for privately rented homes.

Opportunities for learning and development.

Flexible working arrangements and family-friendly policies.

Voucher for eye care and discounted spectacles.

Access to a range of discounts through membership of the Civil Service Sports and Social Club, CSSC Sports and Leisure. http://www.cssc.co.uk/

Maternity and paternity leave provision over and above the statutory entitlements.

Access to My CPS Rewards Gateway. My CPS Rewards offers staff a range of rewards and savings including:

• Discounts with high street retailers
• Savings on grocery shopping at a range of supermarkets
• Special salary sacrifice and recognition schemes
• Reloadable gift cards and e-cards
• Instant vouchers

Any move to the Serious Fraud 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/

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Application stage

Essential Experience and Technical criteria as outlined in the job pack will be assessed during the application process.

As part of the application process you will be required to provide:

• A personal statement of no more than 500 words that outlines your strongest area within Digital Forensics and how you feel this can benefit the SFO.
• A supporting CV outlining your job history and qualifications, including degree modules undertaken to date.

In the event of a large volume of applications, please note that the criteria ‘Strongest area of Digital Forensics’ on the personal statement will be a lead criteria. Only those who meet the standard will have the rest of their application assessed.

It will not be possible to provide feedback to applicants who are unsuccessful at the application stage.

Interview stage

Behaviours, experience and technical criteria as outlined in the job pack will be tested at interview. You will also be asked Strength based questions.

Candidates invited to interview will also be required to complete an assessment.

Full details of the interview process will be made available to shortlisted candidates in the invite to interview.

Sift to take place from 3 February 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 2 March 2026.

All dates are indicative and subject to change.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

This is a fixed-term appointment for 12 months with a possibility of extension (subject to business need).

For permanent civil servants joining the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) on a Fixed-term Appointment:

Please note if you accept a Fixed-term Appointment with the SFO the preferred option is for you to transfer from your home department on a loan basis to ensure you can return to your home department at the end of the Fixed-term Appointment. Exceptionally, if a transfer on a loan basis cannot be agreed by your home department, you would transfer to the SFO on the basis that you would lose your permanent Civil Service status but retain your continuity of employment. However, if you face a redundancy situation at the end of the Fixed-term Appointment you will be treated as a permanent civil servant for redundancy and redeployment purposes only. You must have two years’ service to be eligible for redundancy benefits under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

Therefore you should be aware that when your Fixed-term Appointment at the SFO comes to an end, your employment in the Civil Service will end, unless:

• an extension to your Fixed-term Appointment has been agreed by the SFO.
• a conversion to permanent status has been agreed by the SFO.
• you are successfully redeployed into a suitable alternative post
• you secure another Civil Service post through a recruitment process.

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 : People & Culture
• Email : people@sfo.gov.uk
• Telephone : 02073628100

Recruitment team

• Email : people@sfo.gov.uk

Further information

For external competitions there is no appeal against the selection decision. However, individuals have a right to appeal if they feel that the principle of appointment on merit through fair and open competition and the Civil Service Commissioners’ recruitment principles have not been met. Individuals who want to appeal should do this by setting out their grounds for appeal in an email for the attention of Head of People to People@sfo.gov.uk. If, after an internal appeal, you still believe that the Civil Service Commissioners’ Principles have not been met, then you can contact the Commission directly: Complaints should be sent in writing to: Civil Service Commission, Room G08 ,1 Horse Guards Road, London SW1A 2HQ. Email info@csc.gov.uk

Attachments

Digital Forensic Placement - Job Pack FINAL (1) Opens in new window (docx, 151kB)