About the job

Job summary

Are you an experienced Cloud Engineer looking for an inspiring new challenge in Scotland? We have an exciting opportunity at the Scottish Government where your extensive knowledge and expertise of AWS or Azure will allow you to contribute to the success of the Cloud Platform Service and its customers. 

At the Scottish Government, we strive to be a world-leader in the use of technology. The cloud platform service is a core to the wider Digital Strategy of the Scottish Government helping valuable public services to be delivered securely, efficiently in an accessible way to millions of people across Scotland.  

Our enthusiastic team is at the forefront of innovation, and you will be part of this journey. We also offer unbeatable career progression opportunities, strong training and development plans, and a supportive culture. 

If you're looking for an employer who values its people, with an impactful role where you can make a real difference - then look no further!  

Our Approach 

Our success is based on trusting and empowering our teams - encouraging flexibility and freedom that you may find surprising in a public sector setting.  

For example, teams are encouraged to assess and select the best tools for their work. Working with a modern, industry standard tech stack on both AWS and Azure this provides access to Kubernetes, Terraform, Bicep, Ansible, Tech Stacks, Docker Runtime and more. 

We adopt an Agile, User First approach continually improving through iteration. We are innovative - committing to changes in established practice which can improve outcomes. And we’re highly collaborative - working in multi-disciplinary teams, learning from, and supporting each other; debating constructively and committing to solutions. Your perspective and work will be valued; you’ll be supported and support others learning from the diverse range of perspectives we bring to our work and colleagues who we work with. 

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO WORK HERE?  

** Cloud Architect ** 

“Work with new technologies to deliver benefits to people in Scotland. Opportunities to work with a wide range of people with different skills.  Learning and development is a core value of SG and there are opportunities to develop.” 

Hear from colleagues discussing Digital Careers at Scottish Government.

Job description

HOW WILL I SPEND MY TIME? 

The Senior Cloud Engineer role is an integral part of a growing engineering team developing and operating this service, working alongside other Cloud Engineers and technical professionals, practicing a DevOps first approach to delivering digital services. 

This key role will support the Scottish Government’s goal to deliver innovative technology capabilities and as such would suit a motivated and conscientious individual with good problem-solving skills. You will enjoy working in a supportive team atmosphere, be a self-motivated learner, and be committed to maintaining high standards. 

You will typically report to a Lead Cloud Engineer and will possess leadership qualities and mentoring abilities to support the development of the Cloud Engineers and Junior Cloud Engineers within the team. 

Key responsibilities include: - 

Specialising in Amazon Web Services (AWS) and/or Microsoft Azure resources and solutions, Cloud Engineers are part of a multi-disciplined and dynamic team responsible for the delivery, maintenance, and ongoing improvement of the Scottish Government Cloud Platform services, provisioned using Infrastructure as Code solutions.  

Senior Cloud Engineers:   

• Are integral members of a team of cloud engineering specialists who ensure AWS and/or Azure services are integrated, delivered, and operated to a high standard. 
• Work with technical architects and security professionals to translate architectural designs into robust and secure technical solutions. 
• Undertake line management responsibilities, acting as a technical escalation point and mentor to Cloud Engineers. 
• Are involved with the on-going build and maintenance of the Scottish Government Cloud Platform services and solutions. 

• Assist in the maintenance and improvement of the Scottish Government Cloud Platform services, utilising appropriate tools and technologies to identify, troubleshoot, and remedy complex issues where necessary.  
• Work with wider Scottish Government digital/technical professionals to ensure the cloud platform is secure and protected from vulnerabilities. 
• Plan, schedule, test, deploy, and control code releases whilst maintaining the integrity of the production environment, in accordance with release and change management procedures. 
• Assist with the management and development of GitHub based DevOps pipelines and associated tooling required to support the Scottish Government’s Cloud Platform’s Infrastructure as Code practices. 
• Maintain a good working knowledge of the cloud platform and associated services, enabling them to suggest appropriate performance enhancements, modernisation, and efficiencies.  
• Will be expected to keep their skills current, and to demonstrate an innovative approach to the development of other areas of technology which have a bearing on the provision of services for the Scottish Government Cloud Platform. 
• Have working experience with Landing Zone architectures and concepts in either AWS or Azure and in supporting associated services. 
• Demonstrate excellent communication and collaboration skills in liaising with vendors, customers, and partners to identify solutions to complex issues where appropriate. 

WHAT IMPACT WILL I HAVE? 

Over a successful year you will take pride in the continuing success of the Cloud Platform Service and play a key role in the wider adoption of cloud services within the public sector. You will investigate and provision leading edge technologies to facilitate the transformation of digital public services for the benefit of the people of Scotland. Alongside other Senior Cloud Engineers you will influence the development of colleagues in the Cloud Engineering team, contributing to best practices in the engineering discipline. 

GROWTH & OPPORTUNITIES 

As the team are on the forefront of enabling digital change there is opportunity to develop existing skills and knowledge, as well as gain new ones, and as such we provide the opportunity to build skills and knowledge through direct experience with real world deployments. You will also be supported through training and mentoring. 

COMPETENCIES  

• Communications and Engagement 
• Improving Performance 
• Analysis and Use of Evidence 
• Leading Others 

If invited to any interview or assessment the panel will be looking for evidence of how you meet the above competencies. More details on these are available in the Person_Specification_Band_C Updated Aug23 (V2)  

Person specification

No formal qualifications are required for this role. We would love you to apply if you meet the following essential criteria. If you would like to chat first, please get in touch  

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA  

1. Your experience with GitHub, Infrastructure as Code, and automation solutions such as Terraform, Bicep, Ansible, and Cloud Formation enables you to independently design, code, test, deploy and document AWS or Azure cloud service deployments.  
2. Your experience with complex AWS or Azure deployments enables you to collaborate with Technical Architects and Cloud Engineers to assess, guide and implement availability and capacity requirements, cost-effectively and with a high degree of autonomy.  
3. Your expertise of AWS or Azure enables you to demonstrate advanced knowledge of cloud services and to understand complex system designs including cloud native network, compute, and storage services.  
4. Your experience of security standards, threat models and security controls enable you to collaborate with Cyber Security experts to assess security risks, and independently deploy effectively secured services.  
5. Acting as an escalation point and mentor for Cloud Engineers, your experience enables you to independently identify patterns and research robust solutions to prevent problem re-occurrence in line with agreed processes and governance.  
6. Your experience with complex deployments enables you to collaborate with Technical Architects and Cloud Engineers to understand, assess, guide, and implement changes to system configuration with a high degree of autonomy and in line with agreed processes. 

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU 

A meaningful and rewarding career, a collaborative culture and support for your career goals, while promoting a healthy work-life balance. We offer a valuable range of benefits to attract, develop and retain the best talent. These include:  

• Salary between £56,020 to £69,846 
• £5000 Digital (DDaT) Pay Supplement after a 3-month qualifying period *** 
• Generous Pension Scheme with employer contributions ranging from 26.6% to 30.3%. 
• Flexible working arrangements including compressed hours and flexi time, with potential to accrue up to 4 days off a month. 
• 36.5 Days Annual Leave - including public and privilege holidays.  This increases to 41.5 days after 4 year service.   

*** Digital (DDaT) Pay Supplement: 

This post attracts a £5000 DDAT pay supplement after a 3 months DDaT competency qualifying period. Pay supplements are temporary payments and are subject to regular review.  

To learn more about our full range of benefits, please visit our careers page  

REMOTE WORKING 

We operate a flexible location policy, with a contractual named base in Scotland of either Atlantic Quay (Glasgow), Saughton House (Edinburgh), or Victoria Quay (Edinburgh). 

The team currently works on a hybrid basis and are fully flexible. We meet in person when it is useful to do so, such as a divisional away day. If you wish, you can work throughout the week at the base office (or another Scottish Government office subject to availability). Commuting costs to the named base office are not reimbursed. 

While staff are assigned to the base office, there may be a need for travel to other Scottish Government offices/other locations depending on assigned work. 

HOW TO APPLY  

The Closing Date for applications is 02/04/2024 

To apply please submit the following using our online application process: - 

• A CV (no longer than two A4 pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements, with particular reference to the essential criteria 
• A Personal Statement (no longer than 750 words) explaining why you consider your personal skills, qualities, and experience suitable for this role, with particular reference to the essential criteria. 

When reviewing your application, we will be assessing your career history and achievements against the essential criteria for the role. We are looking for examples of things you have previously achieved or your knowledge in a particular field which are relevant to the role. Please review and download links below for further guidance and support with your application. 

USEFUL LINKS 

How to Apply - Digital Jobs 

DDaT_Recruitment_-_Further_Information 

Any questions or issues during the process please email digitalcareers@gov.scot 

We are unable to progress applications which fail to provide clear evidence of meeting the essential criteria in their CV and Personal Statement. 

Diversity and Inclusion  

Delivering a successful national service for Scotland is impossible without ensuring we consider the diverse needs, perspectives, and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland in our work.  

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, and work to ensure a positive recruitment experience where everyone is treated fairly, and with respect regardless of the outcome.  

It’s not essential to be in a similar role right now. You may be working in another field or returning from a career break - the experiences you have gained through this can bring fresh perspectives to our teams and work. 

If you are considering applying and feel it would be helpful to discuss this initially, please contact digitalcareers@gov.scot 

What happens if I am unsuccessful?  

We greatly value the time and effort taken in applying to Scottish Government. If following interview and completing our full assessment process, you are not successful we may be able to offer alternative positions. 

Firstly, candidates meeting all criteria but scoring lower than appointed candidate(s) are placed on a reserve list for 12 months. If a matching role is identified, we are able to offer this position without the need for further assessment.  

Secondly, on occasion a lower grade post may be offered to suitable candidates. Any offers are made in merit order and in line with Civil Service Commission principles on the basis of fair and open competition. 

The Scottish Government is a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. If you require any adjustments to our recruitment process, please let us know via  ScottishGovernmentrecruitment@gov.scot  

As part of any recruitment process, Scottish Government and associated public bodies collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants and applicants for public appointments. 

Personal information you provide in the recruitment process will be made available to Scottish Government and our additional data processors. 

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)  
• 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  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,020, Scottish Government contributes £15,125 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

Sift and Interview dates TBC

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.