About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting time to join the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). We are a new government department borne out of a merger between the Department for International Trade and the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy. We are the UK government department for economic growth. We support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country.  

DBT is a great place to work – people are enabled and supported to perform to their best and the culture is energetic, collaborative, kind and inclusive with excellent flexible working. 

Job description

CMRR: Office for Product Safety and Standards

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) are here for the purpose of making regulation work to deliver real world impact. Regulation is a powerful Government tool to address market failures, influence behaviour and promote positive action. Crafted and delivered well, regulation can be an enabler of growth, innovation and efficiency. Within OPSS the Analysis Team comprises around 30 analysts and provides analytical support for all the Office’s activity. OPSS is a growing organisation, and we are expanding our data science team to meet increasing demand. Now is an exciting time to get involved and join a rapidly growing team to help craft our thinking around using data to develop new insights into product safety. We have a strong commitment to learning and development and are not afraid to try new and innovative approaches. 

At the OPSS you will lead on scoping and delivery of data science projects, working closely with teams across OPSS to identify opportunities to apply data science methods to deliver evidence, improve processes, and identify product safety risks. You will lead pilot projects to establish where data science can add most value within the organisation, and then build on successful pilots and take them into production. You will co-lead the data science team with another Grade 7 data scientist, providing leadership and line management to junior data scientists in the team. You will report to the Grade 6 head of statistics and data science on projects and will work closely with other OPSS analytical teams and the wider departmental data science community to ensure a joined-up approach.   

Ambition, fresh ideas in the development and use of data, and training in statistical and data science techniques are all actively encouraged. You will help OPSS become a data-led organisation, investigate new data sources and methods, and champion the use of robust coding practices and quality assurance.

DGSI: Analysis 

The Analysis Directorate within DBT exists to make better policy and to ensure that policy delivery has the biggest positive impact on the UK’s economy. We are here to ensure that Ministers and DBT’s leadership can make informed policy and operational decisions, based on the best possible analysis. Data science plays a big and increasing role in this objective and we are looking to significantly expand our Analytical Data Science team. 

As a senior data scientist within the DBT Analysis Directorate, you will lead a team that acts as an internal consultancy to deliver data science projects utilising advanced visualisation techniques, natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to directly support trade, investment, and negotiations. This is a fantastic opportunity to use your data science skills to deliver impactful projects and help shape the data science landscape within a young government department.

As a senior data scientist at DBT/OPSS, you will: 

• Lead a small team, line managing one or two data scientists, to deliver data science solutions by applying your skills to a rich variety of datasets including business, trade, and investment flows, tariffs, business interactions and shipping details taking projects from all areas of business and trade. 
• Harness the benefits of an internal cloud-based platform to develop analysis, statistical and machine learning models, host interactive visualisations, and collaborate on reproducible coding with Git. 
• Analyse and gather insight from messy data using supervised and unsupervised machine learning including regression categorisation and clustering. 
• Call upon natural language processing techniques to extract and model text from free text data using techniques including topic modelling, word embeddings and transformers. 
• Develop both your own and wider coding and data science capability across the department through training and community events. 
• Contribute to analytical efficiency in the department by offering better resource management using automation and web-scraping. 
• Broaden your knowledge of data engineering and data visualisation with the help of our dedicated G7s. 
• Ensure the quality of your team’s work through applying robust quality assurance methods and coding best practice. 
• Disseminate outputs across the organisation to ensure impact. You will present analysis to stakeholders including senior leaders, develop dashboards, and support the organisation in understanding the impact of data science and AI. 
• At the position at the OPSS, you will be co-leading the OPSS data science team with another data science Grade 7, reporting to a G6 statistician.  In the Analysis Directorate, you will be reporting to a G6 Data Science Team leader who will support you with portfolio setting. 

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

•  A membership of any of the following professions Government Operational Research Service, Government Statistics Service, Government Social Research Service, or Government Economic Service. If you are not a member of any of the professions listed above, we will badge you as part of the recruitment process.
• You have natural curiosity to expand your own and others’ data science knowledge and to us it solve problems.
• You have the knowledge and experience of using data science techniques in either R or Python.
• You are experienced in data extraction, cleaning, processing, visualisations, and statistical analysis.
• You have led a team to deliver analytical coding projects and solutions.
• You can identify opportunities where data science can add value through networking and communicating with colleagues across different teams.
• You can clearly communicate findings from analysis to a variety of audiences.

Desirable Criteria  

• Knowledge of coding best practice guidance and reproducibility.
• Experience on leading a team delivering data science projects.
• Project experience with Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning and developing web applications with frameworks such as Streamlit, R Shiny, or Plotly Dash. 

Personal Attributes & Skills 

Most importantly, you should have a natural curiosity and drive to expand your knowledge and skillset to help solve complex problems. You should also have experience of leading data science projects and engaging stakeholders of different technical capabilities through each phase of a project.  

We are looking for candidates with the experience that matches the responsibilities listed previously. We are keen to promote diversity, and we are not realistically expecting any applicant to have experience of every responsibility. You should apply if you think you have experience related to the majority of the role responsibilities and the skills and experience criteria, and we will support you to fill gaps in experience. 

Find out more about the work that we do at DBT at our LinkedIn pages and our Civil Service Careers page. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,560, Department for Business and Trade contributes £14,461 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception. 

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way. 

After the closing date It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date though this is subject to change. 

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:    

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages. 
• A Personal Statement of up to 750 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.   

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.   

Applicants who want to apply to the GSG will be required to do an online statistical test. Once you have submitted your application and the application has closed, you will be emailed during standard working hours inviting you to complete the GSS online multiple choice test. This is a timed test and must be completed within 48 hours for you to be considered for the next stage of the process. You are encouraged to try the test attached to the advert before attempting the real test. Please ensure you inform us ahead of the test if you require any reasonable adjustments to be considered. If you are an existing member of the GSG you will not be required to do the online test.

In advance of the interview, for candidates wanting to apply to the Government Social Research (GSR) profession, if you are not an existing member of GSR, you will be required to undertake a 45 minute online written “knowledge test”. This test will be supervised and conducted online over MSTeams and involve you responding to a range of exam questions to test your technical knowledge of social research and statistical methods.

Please note: If you are already a member of the GSG, GES, GSR or GORS, you are exempt from sitting the test. To prevent your application being rejected please email resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk as soon as you submit an application to notify us, please include the campaign number in the email title and your membership number. Once confirmed you will be moved onto the next stage by our recruitment team.

• All candidates will need to demonstrate strong data science skills for this role and will be asked to prepare a short presentation (details of which will be included in the interview invitation). The interview will also cover aspects of the “Principal or Senior Data Scientist” role profile in the Capability Framework https://analysisfunction.civilservice.gov.uk/careers/role-profiles-and-career-pathways/role-profile-data-scientist/

  In order to assess analytical professional skills at the interview:

  Existing and prospective GSG candidates will be tested on:

  • Data Analysis
  • Presenting and disseminating data effectively
  • Acquiring data and understanding customer needs

  Please refer to: https://analysisfunction.civilservice.gov.uk/policy-store/competency-framework-for-the-government-statistician-group-gsg/. If not already a member of the GSG profession your presentation will be assessed according to the GSG competency framework.

   

  Existing and prospective GES candidates will be tested on:

  • Data Analysis
  • Effective communication

  See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ges-technical-framework-2022  

   

  Existing and prospective GORS candidates will be tested on:

  • Knowledge and application of OR skills
  • Achieving impact with analysis

  Please refer to: http://www.operational-research.gov.uk/recruitment/competencies/ and https://analysisfunction.civilservice.gov.uk/careers/role-profiles-and-career-pathways/role-profile-operational-researcher/ If not already a member of the GORS profession your presentation will be assessed according to the GORS competency framework.

  
  

  Existing and prospective GSR candidates:

  In the interview, we will also assess your technical social research and data science skills by asking you to present on a pre-prepared title, which will be given to you in advance, for up to 10 minutes. An additional technical question will also be asked as part of the interview. All technical questions will be based on the grade specific skills and knowledge required for the GSR profession set out in the GSR framework – a copy which can be obtained from the link below: 

  Government Social Research (GSR) Technical Expertise Framework: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-government-social-research-competency-framework 

  
  

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment: 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. 

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.  

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Candidate Support

You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.  

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.   
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.  
• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.  
• Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty. Any applicant who has details held on the IFD will be refused employment.   
• A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.  
• Terms and Conditions are attached.  Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk 

Vetting

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.   

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.