GSS Sandwich Year Placements 2027

Job summary

Are you looking for a 12-month industrial placement as part of your degree?
Want to apply your analytical skills to real-world challenges while gaining valuable professional experience?
Interested in helping shape decisions that affect millions of people across the UK?

If so, a placement with the Government Statistical Service (GSS) could be the perfect opportunity.

Join one of the UK's largest analytical communities and spend your placement year working at the heart of government. You'll gain hands-on experience, develop your technical and professional skills, and contribute to work that informs policy and improves public services.

Depending on your placement, you could be helping to:

• Improve the UK's transport network and infrastructure

• Protect the natural environment and support sustainable economic growth

• Inform decisions on immigration, crime, policing, public safety and national security

• Analyse data that shapes government policy and services across a range of important issues

The Government Statistical Service is a professional community of statisticians and analysts working across more than 30 government departments and agencies, as well as the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Our analysis helps government, businesses and the public understand the UK's economy and society. Whether informing major policy decisions or contributing to headline news stories, our work plays a vital role in improving outcomes for citizens.

As a placement student, you'll work alongside experienced analysts, statisticians and data scientists to tackle complex challenges and provide evidence that supports better decision-making.

Better Statistics, Better Decisions.

By joining the GSS, you'll become part of a community that uses data and evidence to make a meaningful difference while building the foundations for a rewarding future career.

Job description

As a placement student, you will contribute to high-profile analytical projects that support ministers, senior leaders and policymakers across government.

Working as part of an established team, you'll apply the techniques you've developed during your studies to real projects, helping to answer important questions and provide evidence that shapes government decisions.

During your placement, you may have the opportunity to:

• Contribute to analytical projects with real-world impact

• Work alongside statisticians, data scientists, economists, social researchers and policy professionals

• Gain experience across different areas of government, including policy development, frontline service delivery, finance and long-term strategy

• Use a range of data analysis and statistical techniques to support decision-making

• Develop professional skills such as communication, stakeholder management and project delivery

• Join a network of placement students and early career analysts across the GSS

• Work in an inclusive and supportive environment that values learning, development and work-life balance

Placements are typically offered for 12 months, although some opportunities may vary slightly in length depending on business needs.

This placement provides an excellent opportunity to put the skills and knowledge gained during your degree into practice in a professional setting.

You will work with experienced analysts, including Data Scientists and Statisticians, to develop your technical expertise and gain a deeper understanding of how data and evidence are used to inform policy and deliver public services.

Throughout the placement, you will:

• Build practical analytical and data skills

• Develop confidence working in a professional environment

• Strengthen your communication, collaboration and problem-solving abilities

• Gain insight into a wide range of career opportunities within government analysis

The GSS is recognised as one of the UK's leading employers for students and graduates, offering a supportive environment where you can learn, develop and make a meaningful contribution.

Many students choose to continue their careers with us after graduation. Throughout your placement, you'll receive support and guidance to help you explore future opportunities and prepare for related recruitment campaigns.

Many previous placement students have successfully secured permanent roles before completing their studies, providing a valuable head start to their careers.

For details of longer term career development opportunities visit the Analysis Function website

* Candidates who are offered a placement may also be invited to apply for a permanent role as a Statistical Officer in Government. To do this, candidates who are on track to successfully complete their placement will be given a Fast Pass through the application process and invited to undertake the Statistical Officer Assessment. This consists of the GSS online test and if successful, candidates will be offered an interview to assess their suitability for the permanent role via technical and behavioural assessment. Government Statistical Services roles are also advertised to external candidates on Civil Service Jobs.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Experience in collection, manipulation and analysis of data and presenting research results (theoretical or practical understanding of basic statistics.

• IT literate, with experience of working with a variety of software, especially Excel, including experience of or aptitude for statistical software.

• Good communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate analysis to non-specialists

• Ability to work as part of a team to deliver quality statistical advice and analysis, often to tight deadline.

Qualifications

You must be currently studying in your second year of a highly numerate degree that contains taught statistical content (e.g. mathematics, sciences, economics, statistics, data science, psychology, geography, engineering), expecting to achieve a 2:2 or above and seeking a one-year placement for your third year before returning to University for your final year.

Please note this vacancy is open to Undergraduates and those studying a combined Masters Degree only. Please do not apply if you are graduating in 2028.

In the qualifications section, please ensure you include the following mandatory details;
1. The degree you are studying
2. Your current year of study
3. Your expected graduation year
4. Predicted grade

Failure to provide these details may result in your application being rejected.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

Technical skills

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

• Presenting and Disseminating Data
• Data Analysis

Benefits

The Government Statistical Service is a community for all civil servants working in the collection, production and communication of official statistics. Our statisticians work across a range of government departments, agencies and other public bodies playing a pivotal role in government decision making. We have some benefits that are relevant across all of our department, and others that are specific to certain departments, to find out more please contact our recruitment team.

As a government statistician, as well as the benefits offered by the department you are allocated to, you will:

• have opportunities to maintain your Continuous Professional Development (CPD) through a statistical learning and development programme
• earn a competitive salary with opportunities for future career progression
• work in a sector that promotes flexible working and work/life balance
• have the ability to join a highly competitive pension scheme
• obtain membership to the Government Statistical Group GSG, a professional community of Statisticians and Data Scientists.
• be part of a diverse and inclusive GSS family.

Inclusion & Accessibility

In GSS we're always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer.

As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance.

If you would like an accessible version of any of the attachments or recruitment documents below or linked to in this advert, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist.
If you need help with any part of the application process or completing your CV or personal statement please contact our Recruitment Team at GSS.Recruitment@ons.gov.uk one of the team will be happy to help you.

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.

Please make sure that you fully complete the qualifications section in the application form. Applications submitted without details of degree studied, predicted grades and year of graduation will be discounted. Failure to provide this information will result in your application being sifted out of the process

Number of Stages: 2 stage process

Stage 1: Application

Stage 2: Interview

Stage 1 – Application

The assessment process at the application stage will be based on your work history, CV, skills, experience, and personal statement. It is important that your application is tailored to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the role.

A personal statement is required at application stage, the maximum wordcount allowed is 750, which should not be exceeded. You should provide evidence for each essential skill criterion listed in the person specification. As these criteria are scored, it is advisable to give clear examples for each one, including the impact of your actions, ideally utilising the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Please note that Success Profiles Behaviour examples are not required at this stage of the application process.

In instances where a high number of applications are received, the sift pass mark may be adjusted, and candidates will be invited to interview based on merit order, i.e., those with the highest scores.

Stage 2 – Interview

If invited to interview, you will be assessed using techniques aligned with the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, covering all behaviours listed in the job advert and any required technical skills.

You will be required to provide a 5 minute presentation at interview. The presentation topic will be emailed to candidates who have passed the initial online application stage, 1 week prior to interview. This presentation will assess candidates against the Success Profiles Behaviour Presenting and Disseminating Data.

Interviews will be via Microsoft Teams.

Important Dates:

The Sift will be conducted from W/C 16thNovember 2026

Interviews will be conducted from W/C 30th November 2026

Dates are subject to change.

For the full terms and conditions of the post, please see attachment.

Please note that all campaigns may be subject to withdrawal at any stage if the internal resource position changes.

The interview will test candidate's knowledge and experience against two technical competencies as well as two Civil Service Behaviours.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-pro…

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

A reserve list may be held for period of up to 6 months from which further appointments can be made. Candidates should note this is a multi-location campaign and therefore the reserve list is recorded by location in merit order.

*Please note some government departments entry grade is AA rather than AO as advertised. Each participating department operates its own pay scale. Any applicable salary details will be discussed between the recruiting department and the successful candidate once departmental allocations have been confirmed.

*Please also note that some government departments and locations including London may require additional security clearance in addition to the basic personnel security standard checks.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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

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 : GSS Recruitment team
• Email : GSS.Recruitment@ONS.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : GSS.Recruitment@ONS.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact recruitment.complaints@ons.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission

Attachments

GSS_Sandwich_Placement2027_Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 680kB)T&Cs_Sandwich_Placements Opens in new window (pdf, 138kB)