About the job

Job summary

It is an exciting time for HM Land Registry (HMLR) as we continue to embark on a major transformation programme. HMLR's ambition is to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data. 

We are looking for a Infrastructure Engineer (Load and Performance testing) to join our Transformation & Technology Directorate.

You will be part of the IT Operations Practice, which is responsible for the performance and delivery of all technical infrastructure which underpins and supports the organisation. 

HM Land Registry's existing software systems and services form part of the critical national infrastructure, safeguarding land and property ownership valued at £7 trillion. This enables over £1 trillion worth of personal and commercial lending to be secured against property across England and Wales.

Job description

The Load and Infrastructure Performance Team plays an important role in load testing of Land Registry Services, providing assurance to the business and stakeholders.

As part of your role, you will provide technical support for maintenance of IT Infrastructure and platforms, as part of a wider infrastructure engineering community. You will plan and manage technical changes related to your specialism and implement technology to ensure non-functional requirements and service levels can be achieved, engaging with other technical specialists where appropriate. 

You will take responsibility for the resolution of incidents or escalation, as appropriate and support continuous enhancements to pre-production services and systems to prevent service outage. You will work with the delivery practice to construct and maintain realistic estimates and plans for Infrastructure deliverables, producing and maintaining technical team documentation and work with the Lead Infrastructure Leads in the documentation of designs of new solutions.

There will be frequent travel required to the Plymouth office to work with colleagues and other locations in the UK. Please note that due to the nature of the role, you will be required to work a minimum of 30 hours per week.

HMLR believe that a blended approach to where you work that enables some time working from home, as well as in the office may give you an improved experience and has clear business benefits, therefore we expect everyone to spend at least 60% of their working time in the office. 

Please see attached candidate pack for further information on this role. 

Person specification

To be successful in this role, you will either hold a qualification in Information Technology or a related area (Degree Level or equivalent); or have experience in a performance/load test field. You will also be ISTQB - Foundation in software testing qualified.

You will have an in depth experience of using LoadRunner Professional or Enterprise testing software and working knowledge of several relevant technologies and software such as Jenkins, Openshift, Kabana, Post Gres databases and mainframe Supersession.

You will have experience with writing and modifying load testing scripts using programming or scripting languages. You can also demonstrate evidence of gathering and analysing non-functional requirements, planning load tests and reporting to stakeholders.

The role may require occasional planned out of hours working in order to deal with IT changes and maintenance. If needed to undertake on-call activities an additional payment is made based on the size of the on-call team.

This post requires Security Clearance and could be subject to further background checks. You will require a minimum of 5 years residence in the UK.

Further details of the process and checks can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels

For applicants applying to our Coventry office, please note that our office will be moving to our new location, Cheylesmore House, 5 Quinton Road, Coventry CV1 2WT. The move from our current location (CV1 3BH) will happen in phases, with all staff due to have moved to Cheylesmore House by July 2024.

Where an individual taking up the responsibility will be based in Swansea Office, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,206, HM Land Registry contributes £9,881 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, Strengths and Experience.

Please cut and paste an anonymous CV into the online application form when prompted and include your qualifications and career history.

You will then be asked to complete the Personal Statement section (in no more than 750 words). This should be used to provide details of how you meet the essential experience criteria listed below:

• Evidence of gathering and analysing non-functional requirements, planning load tests and reporting to stakeholders.
• In depth experience of using LoadRunner Professional or Enterprise testing software
• Experience with writing and modifying load testing scripts using programming or scripting languages.

In the event of a high volume of applications, we reserve the right to assess against the leading essential experience criteria:

• Evidence of gathering and analysing non-functional requirements, planning load tests and reporting to stakeholders.

Please review your application form before clicking ‘submit’ – once you have submitted, you will not be able to amend your application. Ensure your application form is received by the closing date for receipt of applications – this is 23:55pm on the advertised date.

The sift will take place once we have received your application and if successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a blended interview which will take place in person at our Plymouth HM Land Registry office, Seaton Court, 2 William Prance Road, Plymouth, PL6 5WS. 

Interviews are due to take place week commencing Monday 20 May 2024.

The blended interview will assess the behaviours and experience listed in the candidate pack, as well as the strengths associated with the role. We want to hear your first, unrehearsed, natural response to the strength questions, and so we don’t advertise which strengths are being tested. The best way to prepare for strengths questions is to reflect on what you identify as your own personal strengths, and your preferred ways of working.

Candidates may refer to notes within their video interview but they should be used as a prompt only.

HMLR is accredited to the Disability Confidence Scheme, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria at the shortlisting stage are guaranteed an invitation to interview.  If any candidate requires the panel to consider a reasonable adjustment or there is anything else they would like the panel to take into consideration they are asked to notify us of this at application stage where possible or during the process as soon as it becomes a requirement.

You can find more information on how we use your personal data on our website

Please note, the Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expect all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure all examples provided throughout the entire recruitment process are of your own experience.

HM Land Registry take any incidences of cheating very seriously. Any detected instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating, including the use of artificial intelligence, will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant applications will be withdrawn from the process.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.