About the job

Job summary

Keeping people safe and healthy matters and that’s what we do at the Health and Safety Executive. Every day, everyone on the team contributes to protecting lives and we apply our expertise to help influence change in mindsets about health and safety throughout industry. We undertake world-class science to build our knowledge about safe working practices, and then apply that understanding to the workplace, guiding every part of the economy to function safely. And when accidents happen, we investigate and hold those at fault to account whilst ensuring that lessons are learnt across industries. We are a modern, independent, data drive Regulator and we are proud to have made Great Britain one of the safest places to work in the world.

Technology, data, and digital services underpins everything that HSE does. We are a knowledge organisation, with a wealth of experience in keeping people safe. It is the responsibility of the Information and Technology Services (ITS) Division to ensure that everyone in the organisation can access our data and information, to share it and to use it to make effective decisions. We support over 3000 colleagues working in a hybrid style at home and in 26 offices across Great Britain. Our services keep inspectors functioning effectively and efficiently on industrial sites nationwide, from oil platforms in the North Sea to our deepest mines and quarries.

We strive to constantly improve the technologies and services supporting the organisation. Our end user computing devices are leading edge, and we are making significant progress in delivering new cloud-based services.  Our service management and information management services are very highly regarded within the organisation and pride themselves on excellent customer service. Our commercial team has built strong relationships with suppliers and our project management team is embedded in our corporate change programme, transforming the older legacy systems that have underpinned the organisation for a long time.

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours per week.

Job description

We have an opportunity to recruit for a QA Test apprentice to join the ITS Division to undergo Software Tester, Level 4. For more information on the apprenticeship on offer please see below:

Software tester (level 4) - apprenticeship training course (education.gov.uk)

Software Tester Apprenticeship , Estio 

You will be supported from day one for your learning and development into this role, ensuring you are supported every step of the way in completing your apprenticeship and getting the experience you need to excel in your new role. Overtime, you will grow into your skill-set and role and be able to take ownership and responsibility for certain business processes in-line with your development.

As a QA Test Apprentice, you will thrive and enjoy working openly, collaboratively and as part of a multidisciplinary team focused on one or many projects.

You will be supporting existing systems, assisting in the testing, design, and delivery of new features as we expand HSE’s digital footprint, adhering to GDS principles and using Agile principles ensuring timely production of goals and approvals through constructive collaboration with all relevant parties contributing to innovation of all products.

Travel

Occasional travel to our Bootle HQ office may be required.

Qualification requirements

A level 2 in English and Maths (GCSE grade 9 - 4/ A* - C). Apprentices without level 2 English and Maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment.

Responsibilities

• Engage with users, supporting their needs and ensuring that a high-quality customer-focused service is delivered.
• Work on various technologies such as Dynamics 365 and other services and web applications
• Collaborate with software developers to assist in the development and implementation of quality solutions.
• Utilise Agile processes to support team requirements.
• Assist in the overall change and release cycles for new and existing implementations across the Dynamics 365 and other relevant services.
• Support the raising of digital literacy of all HSE colleagues, demonstrating how the products can be used and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of working practices.
• Assist in the documentation of all workloads, maintaining the accuracy of documentation to reflect changes and fixes, ensuring that code is understandable and structured to ease root cause analysis.

Person specification

Essential Skills and Criteria

• Effective communication Skills
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Interest in Quality Assurance practices
• Interest in application maintenance and support practices.
• Interest in, or willingness to learn Dynamics 365 and modern test practices.

This is a development role so to be eligible to apply, the training and development you receive must provide you with significant new skills and learning. This is an essential requirement for apprenticeship funding and means you must not already hold a similar or higher qualification, be working towards a similar or higher qualification, or be significantly experienced in the Software Tester modules. 

Please note: If you hold a similar or higher qualification, or are currently working towards a similar or higher qualification in the Software Tester modules,  any offer of employment will be withdrawn.

In addition you must:
• Be aged 16 or over (there is no upper age limit)
• Have the right to work in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK/EU/EA for 3 consecutive years before starting the apprenticeship

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,316, Health and Safety Executive contributes £7,648 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.

Application Information

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete the following:

• CV
• Personal statement of up to 500 words which demonstrates how you meet the essential skills and criteria of the job advert.
• 250 words detailing an example relating to the behaviour 'Managing a Quality Service.'

Please note - The CV will be used for information purposes only and will not be marked at sift

Application Guidance 

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/   

Sift information

At sift, you will be assessed on your personal statement and 250 words detailing an example relating to the behaviour 'Managing a Quality Service.'

In the event of a high level of applications, we will just assess your 250 words detailing an example relating to the behaviour 'Managing a Quality Service.'

The sift will take place week commencing 24th June 2024.

Interviews

At interview, you will be assessed on experience detailed within your CV & Personal Statement, Strengths and the Behaviours listed in the advert.

Interviews will take place week commencing 15th July 2024

Please note that these dates could be subject to change.

AI Tools & Platforms

During the application process candidates are allowed to utilise AI (artificial intelligence) platforms and Tools to support them in writing their Behaviours, CV’s and Personal Statements. However, all information submitted must be factually accurate. This includes presenting the ideas and experience of others, or those generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. All presented information will be assessed at the Interview Stage.

Further information

Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return

Due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and, Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.

Sponsorship

This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached HSE Terms and Conditions document.

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 D&I Strategy.

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all disabled applicants who provide evidence of meeting the minimum requirements necessary for the post.

If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk

If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.

Any move to HSE 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

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further;
Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action. 

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.