Scientific Developer

Details
Reference number

429692

Salary

£42,665 - £46,060

National: £42,665 - £46,765

London (Weybridge): £46,060 - £50,495

Salary pro-rata for part time or job share

This role attracts a technical specialist pay allowance of up to £6k subject to a skills assessment after 3 months in post.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Senior Executive Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

APHA – Science - Department of Epidemiological Sciences (DES)

Type of role

Science

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share

Number of jobs available

2

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Bristol, Cardiff, Carlisle, Carmarthen, Crewe, Exeter, Leicester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Perth, Preston, Weybridge, Winchester, York

About the job
Job summary

This role will provide business, science, and people leadership driving transformative change, innovation, and science excellence for APHA ? If so, we would love to hear from you

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.

The Data Systems Group (DSG) is a workgroup within the Department of Epidemiological Sciences. The group undertakes the data management function within the Department and wider Science Directorate. It has systems development, data management and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) capability. DSG has experience of the data associated with a wide range of animal health disease areas e.g. bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) and liaises widely with Epidemiologists, Modellers and Statisticians both internally and externally (e.g. University research groups) over their analysis requirements.

You will work as a part of a team building and maintaining bespoke infrastructure and software applications spanning multiple high impact areas including disease management databases, simulation models to inform disease control policy, and specialist scientific computing infrastructure for scientists across the Defra group. Managing delivery on a range of technical science projects by negotiating scope; planning and monitoring delivery; quality assuring outputs; ensuring appropriate maintenance; and supporting effective resource allocation. You will specialise in the development of business applications for the collection and management of corporate data assets but also supporting software development and IT engineering activities of the wider team.

This is a specialised senior role requiring both team and project management skills, software development experience, and understanding of IT systems within the scientific domain. The outputs from this work will support important capabilities concerning animal disease control in the UK.

Job description

• You will work as part of a small team within the Data Systems Group (DSG) responsible for IT systems hosted on the corporate (Windows) environment.
• Technical focus will be on the design, development, delivery and on-going maintenance of data capture solutions both new and existing. You will have a track record of deploying web-form based solutions written in C# or and SQL database skills.
• As the senior developer you will provide an Intelligent Customer Function while liaising with Stakeholders (both internal e.g. Defra and external e.g. University research depts.) Drawing on experience you will advise stakeholder and take a prominent role in leading on aspects relating to product design, typically this will include the capture of data from disparate sets and the automation of current paper-based systems.
• An important element of this role will be to provide consultancy on the data capture and processing; ensuring reliability, consistency and quality are maintained to ISO9001 standards.
• A key element of the design process will be the creation and maintenance of all documentation for systems they are responsible for, including meta-data.
• Meeting customer goals will include the timely delivery of all data outputs either through the automation of existing reporting processes or on an ad-hoc basis to meet specific customer needs. This may require the use of data interrogation tools such as PowerBI, SSRS or SQL queries.
• There will be an expectation of active involvement in the wider initiatives that are of relevance or may impact your work e.g. contributing to the APHA response to the Livestock Information Project (LIP), software and infrastructure modernisation initiatives.
• Line management responsibilities of staff.

Responsibilities include:

• Successful design and delivery of IT systems.
• Management of existing systems.
• Management of guidance documents, risks and issues.
• Provide technical assistance, support data capture, reporting and systems development.
• Utilise your strong interpersonal skills, to establish good working relationships with colleagues, both internal and external customers, and wider stakeholders.
• Assisting in the personal development of less experienced junior developers through sharing of previous work or educational experiences.
• Communicate work outputs via excellent written and oral communication skills.

Person specification

Experience and skills:

You will need to demonstrate the following:

• Demonstrate software development and data processing skills
• Application development capabilities.
• Maintenance and support of existing data systems.
• Ownership and/or architectural role on software development projects.
• Demonstrable hands-on experience of enhancing IT capabilities on Agile delivery projects.
• Development of object-oriented software to interact with database systems.
• Collaboration with a variety of technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• A degree in related area or equivalent experience as detailed.
• Skills in C#, JavaScript, Visual Basic, SQL, SSIS, SSRS.

CTC Clearance - Weybridge Only

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all staff based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK and have at least three years continuous UK residency in order to start the mandatory Counter Terrorist Check security checks that is required to work at APHA Weybridge. If you cannot meet this criteria CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Applicants will be assessed on their technical skills, within the context of scientific software development, during the interview process.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,665, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £12,360 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training as inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employer contributory pension (28.97%), staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time –if accumulated), three paid volunteering day per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role.

Things you need to know
Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process

You will be required to complete the following as part of your application:

• A CV style application submitted through an online tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobs website
• A 500-word Personal Statement of how you match the details in the Personal Specification Section - the written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. We encourage you to use the full word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed it.
• A 250-word Behaviour Statement for the following Behaviour - Delivering at Pace.

For your Behaviour Statement, please ensure you're using the Situation, Task, Action, and Result (STAR) format.

Scoring for all criteria for the application is from 1 to 7 – A score of 4 and above will progress to interview unless there is a large number of applications, if so an initial sift will be conducted using the Behaviour Statement.The panel may agree a benchmark score higher than 4 with a rationale for the decision. Any candidates applying under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme who scores 4 or above on all of the criteria will be offered an interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

For further guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV style application, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV , Civil Service Careers

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on

• Experience as detailed in the Person Specification section - Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK framework.
• Technical skills, within the context of scientific software development, as outlined in the advert following the Success Profiles: Technical - GOV.UK framework
• Behaviours - Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Delivering at Pace, Making Effective Decisions, and Leadership. The Behaviour criteria outlined in the Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK framework for SEO positions
• You will also be required to prepare and deliver a scientific presentation, including slides, of 10 minutes duration, plus 5 minutes for Q&A, this will be assessed under technical skills. Full details of the presentation will be given when you are invited for interview.

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or online. You will be notified of the location of the interview when you are notified of the interview.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Recruitment

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Reserves

In the event of more than one candidate meeting the criteria we may maintain a reserve list should a similar role become available in the subsequent 12 months following interview.

Candidates who do not meet the criteria for appointment at the advertised Grade, but are considered a 'near miss', may be offered a similar post at a Grade lower than the advertised role should one become available.

After the interview

Once all the interviews have been conducted, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. If you are successful at the interview stage, we will be in touch to offer you a role. Offers will be made in merit order.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location (excluding Northern Ireland) and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Where multiple locations are listed, the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra's location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes. Please note that all listed locations are subject to desk availability.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation but not currently based at any of the advertised locations, may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. We would consider honouring current contractual bases subject to capacity and business need, this would be discussed and agreed at offer stage, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s). Regular visits to Weybridge site will be required at least once per month.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations. For most candidates your hours of work will be a blend of working from an APHA workplace (specific to the team location) with working at home.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

Staff maybe required to work weekends, Bank Holidays and occasional evenings in the event of an incident or disease outbreak. In the event of this you may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment. APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements.

Periodic travel within the UK and Europe will be required to attend training courses, conferences and scientific meetings.

Working Pattern

The post is full-time; however, we will accept a minimum of part-time working (30hrs/4 days excluding breaks). We may consider two part-time staff on a job share basis if continuity can be arranged.

Salary

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

This post is eligible for a technical specialist pay allowance of up to £6,000 subject to skills assessment after 3 months in post.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to DEFRA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

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 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.

Accessibility

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

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Criminal Record Check

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 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- stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Higher Security Clearance

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

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

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Internal Fraud Database Check

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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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)
• 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

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .

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 the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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 : Science Directorate HR
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

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 Government Recruitment Services via email:

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here

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