Senior Digital Forensic Specialist

Job summary

The Digital Forensic Unit (DFU) is responsible for the processing and analysis of digital evidence seized by or provided to the Serious Fraud Office. This includes the triage of items during searches, forensic extraction and the processing of these items into a medium that Case Teams can access through the SFO eDiscovery System. The DFU works closely with the Case Teams to ensure that required material is delivered in a timely and appropriate manner.

Senior Digital Forensic Specialists are required to undertake complex processing, analysis and interpretation of digital evidence and take the lead on a range of digital forensic matters. You will act as subject matter experts, giving guidance to DFU and investigative colleagues and providing insights and reporting into Case Teams and the Criminal Justice System.

You will have responsibility for the management and delivery of day to day tasks undertaken by analysts and specialists on a variety of digital media, providing clear and concise details of progress and findings. You will be required to provide reports and updates to the Head of Unit in a timely manner, including presenting findings, developments and recommendations regarding digital material. You will also manage, mentor and develop colleagues and the capabilities of the unit.

Job description

As a Senior Digital Forensic Specialist you will be responsible for:

• Ensuring systems are in place and your work practices follow approved standards (ISO 17025 and the FSR Code of Conduct) through regular Quality Assurance checks and adhering to (and developing) the SFO DFU Quality Management System.
• Lead, support and guide Digital Forensic Investigators and Analysts with complex technological/ Digital Forensic/ eDiscovery issues by sharing knowledge to help build capability and work in collaboration to resolve issues.
• Manage workflows to ensure that all digital material is prioritised according to wider office needs and processed in a reliable, cost effective and timely manner. Monitoring resources and making evidenced based recommendations to the Head of DFU when additional resources are needed.
• Provide regular reports and updates to the Head of Unit and internal stakeholders, including presenting findings, developments and recommendations regarding digital material.
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders on Digital Forensic related matters to provide creative, compliant solutions to technical and evidential issues and ensure these are in line with case deadlines and processing timescales.

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
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,312, Serious Fraud Office contributes £13,126 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

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 and Experience.

Application stage

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

• A personal statement of no more than 500 words that explains how your skills and experience meet each of the essential experience criteria as listed below:
  • Computer and Digital Forensics degree AND/OR extensive experience as a Digital Forensic Investigator/Examiner.
  • Experience of casework and delivering data to customers.
• A supporting CV outlining your job history and qualifications, including how you meet the essential technical criteria for the role.

"Computer and Digital Forensics degree AND/OR extensive experience as a Digital Forensic Investigator/Examiner" is a lead criteria; this will be assessed first and candidates who do not meet the required standard will not have the remainder of their application considered.

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

Interview stage

Behaviours and experience criteria as outlined in the job pack will be tested at interview.

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 13 March 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 23 March 2026.

All dates are indicative and subject to change.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. To be eligible you must meet the following residency requirements dependent of the level of security vetting required:

• SC: 5 years residency in the United Kingdom preceding this application.

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

Security

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 and Culture
• Email : People@sfo.gov.uk

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

Job Description - Senior Digital Forensic Specialist - 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 285kB)