Emerging Technologies Technical Lead

Job summary

As new technologies become more embedded in the energy sector, Ofgem is focused on ensuring they are used safely, responsibly and in the interests of consumers. We’re seeking an Emerging Technologies Technical Lead to support this work across areas such as AI and quantum computing.

Ofgem is Great Britain’s independent energy regulator. We’re at the forefront of change across the sector, driving toward Net Zero whilst protecting consumers, especially vulnerable people.

We’re offering a permanent opportunity within our Emerging Technologies team where you’ll play an important role in how AI and other emerging technologies are understood and applied within Britain’s energy sector.

You’ll work on real, cutting-edge applications of emerging technologies, applying your expertise to use cases that are actively being deployed across the sector. This is an opportunity to influence how these technologies are used in practice, contributing to decisions that affect critical national infrastructure.

Working alongside specialists across policy, regulation and delivery, this role offers the chance to build a broad and valuable understanding of how technical insight feeds into regulatory and strategic decisions at scale.

You’ll bring strong technical expertise in AI or related digital technologies, with experience designing, assessing or assuring AI, data, digital or cyber-related systems. You’ll be capable of producing technical analysis and possess an understanding of AI governance and safety, data governance, cybersecurity or digital systems risk. You’ll be an effective collaborator and communicator, engaging constructively and able to explain technical concepts to a wide range of audiences.

In return, you’ll have the opportunity to build your technical expertise while working on high-profile and fast-moving areas. You’ll be part of a supportive and collaborative team, contributing to work that helps ensure emerging technologies are used responsibly across the energy sector.

We have a critical purpose to ensure the energy system works in the interests of consumers, now and in the future. Join us and help shape how emerging technologies are applied in a safe, effective and future-ready energy system.

Read on and find out more.

Job description

SC is required for this role. Information and eligibility guidance can be found here: SC - Guidance Pack for Applicants - GOV.UK

Key Responsibilities

• Lead specific technical work packages within Ofgem’s emerging technologies programme, with an initial focus on AI (and exposure to quantum or other emerging technologies).
• Produce robust technical analysis to inform regulatory guidance, tools and policy development, ensuring alignment with engineering, cybersecurity and data governance considerations.
• Translate high-level technical direction into well scoped technical tasks, identifying assumptions, dependencies, risks and evidence gaps.
• Support technical horizon scanning activities by researching emerging trends, risks and opportunities, and feeding these into team-level documentation.
• Assess technical proposals and use cases from regulated companies and their innovation partners, identifying risks, limitations and mitigation options.
• Contribute to the drafting of technical analysis of guidance, frameworks and standards, using appropriate approaches, methodologies and tooling.
• Ensure outputs are clear, proportionate and usable for policy teams, stakeholders and regulated companies.

Key Outputs and Deliverables

• High-quality technical documentation, analyses and reviews explaining how AI and quantum are used within the energy sector, with a particular focus on safety, security and resilience.
• Technical sections of guidance, standards, frameworks and regulatory tools that are accurate, clearly reasoned and evidence based.
• Input to technology roadmaps, outlining emerging risks and opportunities.
• Clear internal and external technical communication for policy, legal, economics, leadership, and wider government stakeholders.
• Effective contributions to cross-government or other technical working groups, supported by senior colleagues.
• Maintain high standards of technical analysis, documentation and assurance.
• Support knowledge sharing and peer review within the Emerging Technologies team.
• Act as a role model for inclusive working and continuous professional development.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Technical expertise in AI or digital technologies demonstrated through experience designing, assessing, or assuring AI, data, digital or cyber-related systems. (Lead Criteria)
• Ability to produce technical analysis including breaking down complex technical issues and explaining risks, limitations and trade-offs. (Lead Criteria)
• Understanding of AI governance, safety, data governance, cybersecurity or digital systems risk with evidence of applying these concepts in real‑world or regulatory contexts.
• Strong collaboration skills experience working with multidisciplinary teams and engaging constructively with technical and non-technical colleagues.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills able to explain technical material clearly to policy and other specialist audiences.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working in a regulated environment particularly in energy, digital regulation, cyber security, or sectors with significant AI or data‑governance requirements.
• Familiarity with technical standards such as BSI, ISO, NIST, IEEE, or other relevant AI, data, cybersecurity or emerging‑tech standards bodies.
• Exposure to quantum or emerging technologies particularly where these intersect with AI, system security, or regulatory oversight.
• Experience supporting work delivered by external technical consultants such as AI model evaluations, cyber‑risk assessments, or technical reviews conducted by external experts.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• You will be asked to prepare a presentation. Full details of the presentation will be included in the invitation to interview.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,452, OFGEM contributes £14,326 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Ofgem can offer you a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes; 30 days annual leave after 2 years; Excellent training and development opportunities; The opportunity to join the generous Civil Service pension which also includes a valuable range of benefits; hybrid working (currently 1 day a week in the office but this is kept under review), flexible working hours and family friendly policies. Plus lots of other benefits including clean and bright offices based centrally, engaged networks and teams and an opportunity to contribute to our ambitious and important targets of establishing a Net Zero energy system by 2050. This exciting blend of professional challenge and personal reward identifies career opportunities at Ofgem as something to get excited about.

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 Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

When you press the ‘Apply now’ button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the sift panel) and upload a copy of your CV anonymising all personal details such as name/age/contact details. Please do not remove names of previous employers.

You will also be asked to provide a 1250 word ‘supporting statement’ evidencing how your experience meets the essential and desirable criteria on the attached role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly how you meet each of the person specification criteria.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by [https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn].

At Ofgem, we expect our staff to carry out their roles with honesty, fairness and openness. They should follow the Civil Service code and be free from any influence or bias. We are committed to making sure interests are recognised, declared and managed appropriately so that we can fulfil our duties as an energy regulator. Our Conflicts of Interest policy outlines the types of interests Ofgem staff must declare before onboarding, and the rules they must follow throughout employment so that we can clearly demonstrate that our decisions are not influenced by private interests.

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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Lewis Buckley
• Email : recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of these Recruitment Principles.

In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website.

Attachments

Emerging Technologies Technical Lead, Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 187kB)Emerging Technologies Technical Lead, Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 853kB)Terms and Conditions April 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 366kB)