About the job

Job summary

This role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see ‘Selection Process’ details. 

Looking for a leadership role where you can use data science to influence, innovate and inspire improvements? Do you think data science can transform how government services work? 

DWP is the UK’s biggest government department: few other organisations globally provide the same opportunity to apply data science on a massive scale to issues which affect so many.

We provide financial assistance worth over £195 billion each year to ensure that the most vulnerable in society are protected.  With 800 locations and 90,000 colleagues, we’re bigger than most retail operations.

We're driving a once-in-a-generation transformation of government services by using fresh ideas and leading-edge technologies to create innovative, scalable and user-centric digital solutions. 

As a Senior Data Scientist, you’ll be applying data science to drive critical public service transformation and influence decisions on issues that affect millions of UK citizens. If you’re looking for a technical and leadership role that brings your data science skills, curiosity and innovation to bear, we’d love to hear from you. 

Job description

You’ll join the Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service (IRIS) team which is a collaboration between DWP Digital, Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt and Cyber Resilience Centre. IRIS is central to DWP’s Fraud and Error Strategy and is radically transforming how the welfare system and those that use it are protected from fraud and error.

Data science is a broad field and this role leans heavily into advanced analytics (e.g. machine learning, network analytics, natural language processing, etc.). As such, there is a strong coding element using SQL and Python with an emphasis on using software development best practice to create re-useable and extensible codebases.

You’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary Agile team to deliver measurable business value, providing technical leadership to ensure the most appropriate data science methods, data sources and technologies are used to meet business needs and mature the application of data science across the team (e.g. improving standardisation and best practice). Our aim is to help make DWP a leader in data science, not just in government, but across industry. 

You’ll also be responsible for the capability development of junior data scientists, so must have a collaborative mindset and be keen to share your knowledge and experience with the team.  

We want to build an increasingly data and AI literate organisation, so you must be confident engaging regularly with non-technical people to explain how data science solutions work and their limitations, as well as showing progress on business priorities. 

Person specification

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with the criteria below:

Essential criteria

• Lead multiple data science projects to address specific business needs, using the most appropriate techniques, data sources and technologies
• Role-model data science development best practice (e.g. quality assurance of code and ethical considerations of unintended biases) with advanced SQL and Python coding skills
• Communicate data-driven insights within a business context clearly and with impact to a range of technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Drive capability development to coach and mentor junior data scientists, keeping abreast of the wider data science landscape and emerging technologies

 Desirable criteria  

• Development of data science solutions and pipelines (e.g. MLOps) using AWS or other cloud providers
• Management and monitoring of multiple data science solutions in production
• Application of data science for fraud prevention and detection
• Delivery of data science solutions in a multidisciplinary team with Agile ways of working

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact caicy.sandford1@dwp.gov.uk.

Benefits

• An employer pension contribution of up to 28.97% For further information please click here.
• Annual leave rising up to 30 days, (based on your working pattern).
• Family friendly flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Learning and development tailored to your role this could include industry recognised qualifications, coaching and mentoring. 
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join staff networks including: Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Salary Information

London pay for this role is from £57,631 to £73,346 .

The maximum London salary for the grade is £68,918, however a Digital Allowance of up to £4,428 per annum is available for exceptional candidates, based on our assessment of your skills and experience.

Regional pay for this role is from £52,412 to £73,346.

The maximum regional salary for the grade is £63,517, however a Digital Allowance of up to £9,829 per annum is available for exceptional candidates, based on our assessment of your skills and experience.

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the next grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application

Your application will consist of three parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. Your employment history detailing your responsibilities, skills, accomplishments, plus your qualifications and relevant training. Please copy this information into the box field provided.

When giving details in your employment history you should highlight your experience in line with the criteria listed in the person specification.

3. Technical statement up to 250 words answering the following questions:

What is the most complex data science project you’ve worked on? What made the project complex? How did you contribute to the project?

 You may use bullet points if it helps clarify your answer and make it more concise.

An initial sift will be conducted using the technical statement.  Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift. The sift panel will use the information in your employment history to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria above.

If your employment history or technical statement contains any personal details, your application will be withdrawn.

The sift panel will use the information in your employment history and personal statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria above.

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

Applications will be sifted at regular intervals from the date the posts are advertised. Please apply as soon as you can, do not wait until the end of the campaign. 

Important Information

• You will be asked to complete your employment history any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
• Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
• If your employment history/technical statement contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.

Stage 2: Interview

If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the experiences listed in the essential criteria.

You will be asked to do a 5-minute presentation.  The topic for the presentation will be provided one hour before your interview.  You will not need to create or present any slides. 

Interviews will take place from late July 2024. Interview dates to be confirmed.

Further information:

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location. 

Security Clearance Requirement

You must meet the security vetting requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security clearance needed is Security Check.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. Whilst a lack of UK residency is not necessarily a bar to Security Check clearance, an expectation of UK residency may range from three to five years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for this role may result in the withdrawal of your offer. 

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via DigitalRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How we recruit page. 

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.