Job description
Details
Reference number
Salary
Grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Information Technology
Working pattern
Number of posts
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Summary
Are you someone who would enjoy collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams to drive how data can inform ongoing improvements?
If so, click that apply button now and join us as a Senior Data Scientist.
DWP Digital offers uniquely challenging and fulfilling career opportunities for people passionate about making a genuine difference to society.
We are the UK’s biggest government department: few other organisations globally provide the same opportunity to apply data science on a massive scale to issues which affect so many.
You will join the Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service (IRIS), which is a collaboration between DWP Digital, Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt (CFCD) and Cyber Resilience Centre (CRC).
IRIS is central to the DWP fraud and error strategy and is radically transforming how the welfare system and those that use it are protected.
Job description
- Lead multiple data science projects and influence the business case for delivery to proactively address specific business needs, applying machine learning and using the most appropriate techniques, data sources and technologies.
- Define and role-model analytics development best practices, commitment to quality assurance of predictive models and demonstrate ethical considerations such as unintended biases.
- Influence decisions on the design and implementation of counter fraud and debt capabilities through accurate, expert and professional advice.
- Build relationships with a wide group of business and technical stakeholders, seeking and learning from feedback to drive continuous improvement.
- Communicate data-driven insights set within a business context clearly and with impact to a range of technical and non-technical stakeholders, choosing appropriate styles to ensure understanding and influencing outcomes.
- Drive technical leadership and capability development (e.g. through code sharing and ‘show and tells’) to help make DWP a leader in data science, keeping abreast of the wider data science landscape and emerging technologies across Government and industry.
Check out these blogs about Data careers in DWP Digital
Responsibilities
If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Clare.Hennessy@dwp.gov.uk.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Data Analysis and Synthesis
Benefits
- An employer pension contribution of up to 27% For further information please click here.
- Annual leave rising up to 30 days, (based on your working pattern).
- Family friendly flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
- Learning and development tailored to your role this could include industry recognised qualifications, coaching and mentoring.
- An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join staff networks including: Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
Salary Information
Salary for this role is from:-
National: £50,155 (Band min) to £60,781 (Band max).
London: £55,149 (Band min) to £65,950 (Band max).
Where the maximum salary is offered, a Digital Allowance (DA) of up to £12,656 per annum is available for National locations and up to £7,396 is available for London. The Digital Allowance is available for exceptional candidates, based on our assessment of your skills and experience.
Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.
Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.
Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the next grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.
This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.
Things you need to know
Security
See our vetting charter.
Selection process details
Your application will consist of three parts:
1. A Personal Details application form.
2. Your employment history detailing your responsibilities, skills, accomplishments, plus your qualifications and relevant training. Please copy this information into the box field provided.
3. Personal statement up to 1000 words.
When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:
- Practical experience of leading innovative data-driven solutions on large or complex datasets, including gathering and manipulating disparate data, applying analytical techniques and visualising results.
- Experience with a range of data science techniques (e.g. classification, natural language processing and clustering) and associated limitations, with expertise in a number of techniques including theoretical basis and application.
- Must have SQL and Python (or similar query-based or high level programming) experience to an advanced level.
- Excellent written and oral communication, with ability to present complex analysis clearly and concisely to a variety of audiences, explain the implications of analytical evidence and provide recommendations.
- Strong stakeholder management skills and experience working with a range of people and teams to deliver results, and influencing decision-making.
- Delivery focused to create working solutions often and iteratively, applying Agile methodology and working in agile teams.
The sift panel will use the information in your employment history and personal statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria above.
For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit our blog Getting Hired at DWP Digital .
Important Information
- You will be asked to complete your employment history any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
- Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
- If your employment history/personal statement contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.
Stage 2: Interview
If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours and Technical Skill:
Behaviours
- Seeing the Big Picture.
- Changing and Improving.
- Working Together.
- Delivering at Pace.
Technical Skill
- Data Analysis and Synthesis.
Understands and can help teams apply a range of techniques for data profiling and source system analysis from a complex single source. Able to bring multiple data sources together in a conformed model for analysis.
You will be asked to do a short (5 -10 minutes) presentation on a specific topic. Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview.
Interviews will take place from mid-August. Sift and Interview dates to be confirmed
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to DWP 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 here
Reasonable Adjustment
At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.
We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via digitalrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.
Successful candidates will be expected to undertake national security vetting up to Security Check level.
For meaningful checks to be carried out individuals you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.
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 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.
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.
Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team :
Further information
you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission <a here</a> to visit Civil Service Commission
