Software Developer

Job summary

We’re seeking a Software Developer experienced in back end (with focus on data pipelines) as well as wider technologies.

You can code in Python and have experience of ETL systems e.g., Apache Spark or similar. During the interview, it will be beneficial to share and walk the panel through any historic code you have written.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team, supporting project in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Automation and Data analysis

The ideal candidate will be proactive and collaborative, with a passion for clean, maintainable code and modern development practices. They are familiar with AGILE methodology, but are equally able to take ownership for key deliverables and can deliver autonomously.

Knowledge working with AI solution implementation is advantageous but not essential.

Job description

You will join the Cabinet Office Digital, Data, Insights and AI team as a Software Developer in a multidisciplinary Agile team, delivering services for a large data warehouse and analytics platform (GRID).

As a software engineer, you will initially have a core focus on back-end development.

You will:

• Lead development of data engineering requirements from requirement through to live support.
• Complete information assurance activities for data transfers containing sensitive data (e.g., Data Protection Impact Assessments, Privacy Notices).
• Carry out performance and incident monitoring to ensure the smooth running of data services.
• Support the wider team with broader priorities, including front-end design.
• Coach and mentor junior developers, sharing good engineering practices.

The role responsibility may slowly change over time.

Your main focus will be:

1. Python and Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) processes.
   

You will require knowledge of:

• PySpark (AWS Glue) to build scalable data pipelines.
• AWS Lake Formation to implement Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC).
• Apache Iceberg to store data and optimise query performance.
  

Key broader technologies used by the wider team:

• Python as the primary programming language for general tasks.
• TypeScript to design front-end services using React.
• JavaScript/Node.js for backend services.
• YAML/JSON (CloudFormation) and Terraform (HCL) for infrastructure as code.
• Terraform, CodePipeline, and GitHub Actions for infrastructure deployment.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) for hosting digital services.
• Kubernetes and Docker for containerisation.
• Apache Iceberg, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and Redis as databases.
• OpenSearch for vector stores used for storing and querying high-dimensional embeddings.
• Knowledge graphs, including the use of triplestores for storing and querying RDF data.
• Amazon Bedrock for hosting LLMs.
• GOV.UK Design System for interface design.

Person specification

This role is aligned with the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework, Software Developer role:

https://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/role/software-developer#developer

Availability and capacity management

You can (working knowledge):

• Manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Development process optimisation

You can (awareness):

• Explain the importance of developing process efficiency and the common ways in which processes are optimised
• Support specific activities to improve development processes
• Identify obvious deficiencies.

Information security

You can (practitioner):

• Design solutions and services with security controls included, specifically engineered to mitigate security threats.

Modern development standards

You can (practitioner):

• Apply modern development standards and support others in applying them.

Programming and build (software engineering)

You can (practitioner):

• Collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications
• Use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools.

Prototyping:

You can (practitioner):

• Approach prototyping as a team activity, actively soliciting prototypes and testing with others
• Establish design patterns and iterate them
• Use a variety of prototyping methods and choose the most appropriate.

Service support

You can (working knowledge):

• Help fix service faults following agreed procedures
• Carry out maintenance tasks on service support infrastructure.

Systems design

You can (working knowledge):

• Translate logical designs into physical designs
• Produce detailed designs
• Effectively document all work using required standards, methods and tools, including prototyping tools where appropriate
• Design systems characterised by managed levels of risk, manageable business and technical complexity, and meaningful impact
• Work with well understood technology and identify appropriate patterns.

Systems integration

You can (working knowledge):

• Build and test simple interfaces between systems
• Work on more complex integration as part of a wider team.

User focus

You can (practitioner):

• Collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
• Explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
• Champion user research to focus on all users
• Prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
• Offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use.

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Modern development standards
• Prototyping

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,760, Cabinet Office contributes £12,677 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

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.

Application process

The application process requires a CV, Statement of Suitability and two behaviours, Making Effective Decisions and Communicating & Influencing.

Please provide a personal statement of no more than 000 words. It should to explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience and provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification section of the job advert. Please provide examples of historic work you have done, including challenges, your actions and steps you took to achieve a positive outcome. Where you have used technology quote software, framework and programming language used - you will be interviewed by a panel of technical experts and it is important you can demonstrate your depth of knowledge. Information is available on the application process (including what Civil Service Success Profiles is) and how to write your personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Applications will be sifted on CV, Statement of Suitability and the behaviours.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift will take place which will be assessed by reviewing your Statement of Suitability (max: 1000 words). Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

For interview

The format of the interview will be on behaviours and technical skills.

You will be asked to present a 20 minute presentation at interview to demonstrate your technical ability.

Details for this will be sent to candidates which pass the initial sift stage.

After the interview, you will be asked to send a copy of your presentation to the interview panel.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – week commencing 18th May 2026

Expected interview date/s – TBC

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further information

Please note that this role requires BPSS, with expectation to undergo SC clearance, which would normally need 5-years UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to Cabinet 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.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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

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 : codigitalrecruitment
• Email : codigitalrecruitment@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing

Attachments

Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)