GSS Summer Student Placements 2027

Job summary

Are you studying a numerate degree and looking for a meaningful summer placement?
Interested in using data and statistics to tackle real-world challenges?
Want to gain valuable experience while exploring a career in government analysis?

If so, the Government Statistical Service (GSS) could offer the perfect opportunity.

Join us for a summer placement and spend up to three months working in a government department at the heart of decision-making. You will apply the skills you have developed during your studies to support work that informs policies and services that affect millions of people across the UK.

Depending on your placement, you could be helping to:

• Improve transport networks and infrastructure to keep the country moving

• Protect the environment and support sustainable economic growth

• Inform policies on immigration, crime, public safety, health, education and much more

This is a unique opportunity to see how statistics and data help shape government decisions while gaining practical experience in a professional analytical environment.

Job description

As a summer placement student, you will become part of a team delivering high-profile work that supports ministers, senior leaders and policy makers across government.

You will contribute to research and analytical projects, using your statistical knowledge to help answer important questions and provide evidence for decision-making. Along the way, you will gain insight into how government operates and how analysis contributes to solving some of the UK's most complex challenges.

During your placement, you will have the opportunity to:

• Work on real projects with genuine impact

• Collaborate with statisticians, data scientists, economists, social researchers and policy professionals

• Gain exposure to different areas of government, from policy development and frontline service delivery to finance and long-term strategy

• Develop valuable workplace skills, including communication, stakeholder engagement and project management

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

• Benefit from a supportive and inclusive working environment that promotes learning, development and a healthy work-life balance

Placements are available for a continuous period of up to three months between June and August 2027.

Person specification

This placement is designed to help you build on the knowledge and techniques you have gained during your studies by applying them in a professional setting.

You will work alongside experienced analysts and data professionals, developing your technical skills while gaining a deeper understanding of how evidence and statistics influence government policy and public services.

The placement also provides an excellent opportunity to develop broader professional skills and gain experience that will support your future career aspirations.

The Government Statistical Service is one of the UK's largest analytical communities and offers exciting career opportunities across a wide range of government departments.

For many students, a summer placement is just the beginning. If you enjoy your experience with us, we would be delighted to see you pursue a long-term career within the GSS. Throughout your placement, you will receive guidance and support to help you explore future opportunities and prepare for related recruitment campaigns.

Many previous placement students have successfully secured permanent roles with the GSS following graduation, making this an excellent opportunity to gain experience, develop your skills and kickstart a rewarding career in government analysis.

For details of longer term career development opportunities - https://gss.civilservice.gov.uk/

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 for a highly numerate degree (e.g. mathematics, engineering, chemistry, physics) and expecting to achieve a 2:2 or above.

Please note this vacancy is open to those returning to their Undergraduate Degree following their placement. Please do not apply if you are in your final year

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

Failure to provide this information may result in your application being sifted out.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

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.

Working in the GSS means you
• Contribute to society with a unique chance to work on a breadth of projects and issues that make a real difference for the public good.
• Challenge and stretch yourself to develop your career and reach your full potential
• Have opportunities to maintain your Continuous Professional Development (CPD) through a statistical learning and development programme
• Earn a competitive salary
• Flexible working hours

We take the well-being of employees seriously and we consider everyone, in whatever department or location in the country to 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 500, 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 2nd November 2026

Interviews will be conducted from W/C 16th 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.

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_Summer_Placement2027_Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 603kB)T&Cs_Summer_Placements (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 130kB)