About the job

Job summary

Are you considering a career in Digital Forensics? Do you want to work for an organisation that is making a positive difference to the UK? What if you could achieve a qualification at the same time?

The Serious Fraud Office is a specialist prosecuting authority tackling the top level of serious or complex fraud, bribery and corruption. We have an exciting opportunity for up to two enthusiastic apprentices to join our Digital Forensics team.The Digital Forensic Unit (DFU) possess specialist Digital Forensic, IT and eDiscovery knowledge which is regularly called upon by our case teams and is a service that is provided office wide across all SFO cases.

In its most basic form data stored on storage media, such as hard disk drives, floppy disks, CDs/ DVDs, USB, or solid state devices, is not understood by the human eye. The data on most digital storage devices can be easily changed, corrupted or deleted. Conventionally accessing these devices as a normal user, will almost certainly change the state of any data and the device. For this reason, DFU utilise forensic tools and techniques which have been developed to prevent such changes. The processes employed by DFU adhere to the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC, formally known as Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)), guidelines for the handling of Digital Evidence.

Other challenges faced by DFU are the speed and frequency in change of technology as well as the exponential growth in volumes of data encountered. This necessitates a constant need to ensure that the tools and resources available are able to meet the business demands and requirements. Some of the latest potential evidence sources include Smartphone technology, Cloud Computing, Social Networking and even virtualisation of computers.

We are looking for a self-motivated and driven individual, with an inquisitive and enquiring mind. You will need to be ready to research and fault find utilising root cause analysis to develop alternate methods, necessary to developing solutions to problems encountered on a daily basis. There is often more than one solution to a problem.

If you feel you are up for a new challenge, have the requisites we are looking for and want to be part of a dynamic team and having input into SFO investigations, apply today!

Job description

As a Digital Forensic Apprentice you will:

• Enter into a new cutting edge, nationally recognised paid Digital Forensic Apprenticeship with on the job training.
• Complete the learning for formal theory and practical based training to gain industry recognised professional qualifications which include:
  • ADF Certificated Tool Training
  • Cellebrite Certification – CCO and Reader
  • BCS Chartered to Member status

Working under the supervision of experienced DFU staff at all times, the successful candidate will also have the opportunity to gain on the job practical experience of the following:

• Imaging and acquisition of digital evidence in accordance with SFO procedures.
• Processing, preparation of acquired data for ingestion into the SFO eDiscovery Digital Review System.
• Attend SFO search operations to observe and assist Digital Examiners in the seizure and acquisition of digital devices.
• The validation and use of a range of forensic tools and software.

Person specification

See above and attached Candidate Pack.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,182, Serious Fraud Office contributes £7,069 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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Strengths.

Application stage

You will first need to successfully complete the Civil Service Verbal test.

Following this, as part of the application process you will be required to provide:

• A 250 word example of how you meet the behaviour Working Together for the role at the required level.

The behaviour Working Together is a lead behaviour; this behaviour will be assessed first and candidates who do not meet the required standard will not have the remainder of their application considered.

• A response to a question asking about your motivation to apply to the apprenticeship to achieve success. 

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

Interview stage

Behaviours as outlined in the Candidate Pack will be tested at interview. You will also be asked Strength based questions.

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

Sift to take place from 6 February 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 19 February 2024.

All dates are indicative and subject to change.

Fixed Term Appointment

This is a fixed-term appointment for 24 months with a possibility of extension (subject to business need).

For permanent civil servants joining the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) on a Fixed-term Appointment:

Please note if you accept a Fixed-term Appointment with the SFO the preferred option is for you to transfer from your home department on a loan basis to ensure you can return to your home department at the end of the Fixed-term Appointment. Exceptionally, if a transfer on a loan basis cannot be agreed by your home department, you would transfer to the SFO on the basis that you would lose your permanent Civil Service status but retain your continuity of employment. However, if you face a redundancy situation at the end of the Fixed-term Appointment you will be treated as a permanent civil servant for redundancy and redeployment purposes only. You must have two years’ service to be eligible for redundancy benefits under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

Therefore you should be aware that when your Fixed-term Appointment at the SFO comes to an end, your employment in the Civil Service will end, unless:

• an extension to your Fixed-term Appointment has been agreed by the SFO.
• a conversion to permanent status has been agreed by the SFO.
• you are successfully redeployed into a suitable alternative post
• you secure another Civil Service post through a recruitment process.

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.