About the job

Job summary

TO APPLY

If you wish to apply for this placement, in the first instance, please speak to your university contact to determine if your course is relevant and to obtain an application form. If you or your university contact are unsure regarding eligibility or require a copy of the application form, please contact HumanResources@sfo.gov.uk.

The Digital Forensic Unit (DFU) is responsible for the handling of all digital evidence seized by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). This includes the collection of evidence on site, forensic processing of any items seized or received, and the processing of these items into a medium that Case Teams can access through the SFO Digital Review System (DRS). The team works closely with the Case Support Team and third party suppliers to ensure that required material is delivered in a timely and appropriate manner.

The Serious Fraud Office is pleased to offer a work placement opportunity within their Digital Forensic Unit (DFU) in London. This will be open for applications from undergraduate students enrolled on a Computer Forensic Degree course. Candidates will need to be in full time education at the time of the placement. This placement will be to observe and support the members of the DFU and gain hands on experience of on-going investigations.

Upon successful completion of their placement, students will have gained knowledge and experience in the following:

• The examination of a range of digital devices (For Example: Computers, Mobile Devices & Removable media)
• ISO 17025/FSR through the adherence to and review of in house policies and procedures
• SFO Search Operations (Depending on Operational Requirements)
• Identification and Decryption of Encrypted Material

Any successful candidate will be subjected to security vetting and will be required to sign official documents such as the Data Protection Act and the Official Secrets Act. All candidates will be expected to maintain strict confidentiality in regards to any case related information due to the nature of the work.

Job description

Working under the supervision of experienced DFU staff at all times, successful candidate(s) will have the opportunity to experience some/all of the following:

• The acquisition of digital evidence adhering to SFO Policy along with the Forensic Science Regulator Codes of Practice and ISO 17025
• The processing of acquired data for ingestion into the SFO eDiscovery platform
• Attend SFO search operations to observe and assist Digital Forensic Examiners in the triage, seizure and acquisition of digital devices (Depending on Operational Requirements)
• The validation and use of a range of forensic tools and software
• Working with various Case Teams and develop an understanding of the investigation of Serious and Complex Fraud and Bribery. 

Person specification

See above and attached Job Pack.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £22,141, Serious Fraud Office contributes £5,978 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

TO APPLY

If you wish to apply for this placement, in the first instance, please speak to your university contact to determine if your course is relevant and to obtain an application form. If you or your university contact are unsure regarding eligibility or require a copy of the application form, please contact HumanResources@sfo.gov.uk.

Further information on what to expect at the application and interview stages can be found below.

Application stage

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

• A personal statement of no more than 500 words that outlines your strongest area within Digital Forensics and how you feel this can benefit the SFO.
• A supporting CV outlining your degree modules undertaken to date.

In the event of a large volume of applications, please note that the criteria ‘Strongest area of Digital Forensics’ on the personal statement will be a lead criteria. Only those who meet the standard will have the rest of their application assessed.

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

Interview stage

Full details of the interview process will be made available to shortlisted candidates in the invite to interview.

Sift to take place from 01 February 2023.

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 19 February 2023.

All dates are indicative and subject to change.

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.