Senior DevOps Engineer

Job summary

The UKHSA Development and Operations team leads the digital transformation of UKHSA to make it a more data driven, customer focused, digital organisation. We do this by delivering services which meet and maintain the Government Digital Service (GDS) Digital by Default Service Standard - https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/service-standard

DevOps Engineers at UKHSA work collaboratively with developers and stakeholders such as Data Scientists and Public Health officials to deliver software which helps to drive forward the mission of the agency. We employ modern best practices to deliver projects quickly, safely, and cost-effectively.

This role attracts a Market Pay Supplement (MPS) of up to £5000 per annum, pro rata, to 31st March 2027. A capability assessment will be required to determine the amount given.

Working for your organisation

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Job description

DevOps Engineers at UKHSA are responsible for:

• Designing, implementing, and supporting automated continuous integration and continuous deployment(CI/CD) pipelines across a wide range of digital applications and services.
• Working collaboratively with developers, platform engineers, and stakeholders to deliver secure, scalable, and reliable cloud-based solutions using DevOps and agile best practices.
• Developing Infrastructure as Code using tools such as Terraform and Ansible, automating cloud platform deployments, and supporting containerised application delivery.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues within deployment pipelines, perform root cause analysis, and work closely with development teams to improve application reliability and operational efficiency.
• Reviewing and advising on the migration of applications to cloud environments, supporting automation initiatives, and helping teams adopt modern DevOps methodologies aligned to GDS Digital Service Standards.
• Working within multidisciplinary scrum teams, collaborating with Delivery Managers, Product Owners, and technical colleagues to translate business requirements into technical solutions and user stories.
• Continuously developing their technical knowledge, promoting DevOps best practices across teams, and contributing to delivering projects effectively within agreed timescales and budgets.

This list is not exhaustive

As a DevOps Engineer, you will have experience of designing and architecting highly-available services on a cloud platform such as AWS, and of implementing continuous integration technologies such as Jenkins, and orchestration tools such as Ansible or Terraform.

As a DevOps Engineer, you will work to optimise our development processes and identify process optimisation opportunities and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions. You will initially work mostly with AWS and Azure, developing and supporting systems and infrastructure through to production using modern continuous integration/deployment (CI/CD) techniques and supporting analysis, identification, prioritisation and implementation of incremental improvements to our services currently running.

You will be a good technical communicator, able to improve developer experience through tools and technologies in collaboration with the development teams throughout the development lifecycle to live service and decommissioning. You will maintain the security, confidentiality and integrity of our cloud services by implementing relevant information security standards and ensure compliance with relevant legislations and regulations.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Educated to degree level in relevant subject such as computer science with core development element or equivalent level qualification or experience of working at a similar level in a DevOps specialist area
• Proficiency/experience with DevOps approaches to application testing and deployment
• Experience of automated deployment of applications and services to AWS or Azure
• Design, development and support of CI/CD pipelines in a microservice architecture
• Experience of implementing a continuous integration platform (such as Gitlab CI, Github Actions or Jenkins) using repeatable deployment patterns
• Knowledge/experience of appropriate standards, methods and tools to design systems using DevOps principles
• Knowledge/experience of cloud automation technologies such as Terraform
• Genuine passion and interest in DevOps and cloud automation technologies and version control software (Git)
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and workloads
• Able to identify opportunities to optimise application development/deployment and lifecycle processes and contribute to their implementation using DevOps and Agile approaches
• Able to defines the continuous integration build, co-ordinate build activities across systems and understand how to undertake and support integration testing activities
• Able to work with business and technology stakeholders to translate business problems into technical designs, specifying and designing systems using appropriate standards and tools
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of containerisation or microservices technologies
• Good understanding of RESTful Web Services
• Good understanding of user needs and the difference between user needs and desires
• Experience of Agile principles, practices and tools such as Jira

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,983, UK Health Security Agency contributes £12,162 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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 and will assess your Behaviours, Ability, Experience & Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 13 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)

• 1000 word supporting statement.

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 words. We will not consider any words over 1000 words.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

1. Meets all essential criteria
2. Meets some essential criteria
3. Meets no essential criteria

If used, the pile ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

• Proficiency/experience with DevOps approaches to application testing and deployment
• Experience of implementing a continuous integration platform (such as Gitlab CI, Github Actions or Jenkins) using repeatable deployment patterns
• Experience of automated deployment of applications and services to AWS or Azure

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of of applications/large amount of successful candidates

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be invited to a single face to face interview UK Health Security Agency, 5th floor, 10 South Colonnade, London, E14 4PU

If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview. (However, there may be a 2nd face-to-face interview which must be attended)

Behaviours, Ability, Experience and Technical skills will be tested at interview.

You will be asked to carry out a technical assessment/test, any preparation details will be sent to you prior to the day of the interview. The technical assessment/test will assess your ability to analyse and review cloud infrastructure and DevOps architectures against industry best practices and organisational requirements. This will include identifying gaps, risks, technical debt, and areas for improvement, justifying recommendations, prioritising remediation activities, and considering security, reliability, operational excellence, cost optimisation, sustainability, and deployment automation.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Delivering at Pace (Lead behaviour)
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Interviews dates are to be confirmed.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Qualifications and Registrations

For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQs or Scientific Campuses. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQs (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London) or scientific campus sites (Colindale, Porton or Chilton).

Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport links and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Check.

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) clearance.UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Eligibility Criteria

External: Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see:Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UKhttps://www.gov.uk/government/news/huge-biosecurity-centre-investment-to-boost-pandemic-protection

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs. You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here:Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud Check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub, and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for external candidates to the Civil Service.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information UKHSA Hub , Civil Service Careers

Salary Information

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location

Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
• £41,983- £48,128 (National)
• £44,148- £50,121 (Outer London)
• £46,310- £52,113 (Inner London)

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.

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

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 : Charlene Gwekwerere
• Email : charlene.gwekwerere@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. 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 UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website here.

http://www.healthjobsuk.com/vacancy/8046612