About the job

Job summary

The Digital Forensic Unit (DFU) is responsible for the processing and analysis of digital evidence seized by or provided to the Serious Fraud Office. This includes the triage of items during searches, forensic extraction and the processing of these items into a medium that Case Teams can access through the SFO eDiscovery System. The DFU works closely with the Case Teams to ensure that required material is delivered in a timely and appropriate manner.

Senior Digital Forensic Specialists are required to undertake complex processing, analysis and interpretation of digital evidence and take the lead on a range of digital forensic matters.  You will act as subject matter experts, giving guidance to DFU colleagues & investigative staff and providing insights and reporting into Case Teams and the Criminal Justice System.

You will have responsibility for the management and delivery of day to day tasks undertaken by analysts and specialists on a variety of digital media, providing clear and concise details of progress and findings. You will be required to provide reports and updates to the Head of Unit in a timely manner, including presenting findings, developments and recommendations regarding digital material.  You will also manage, mentor and develop staff and the capabilities of the unit.

Job description

As a Senior Digital Forensic Specialist you will be responsible for:

• Ensuring systems are in place and your work practices follow approved standards (ISO 17025 and the FSR Code of Conduct) through regular Quality Assurance checks and adhering to (and developing) the SFO DFU Quality Management System.
• Lead, support and guide Digital Forensic Specialists and Technicians with complex technological/ Digital Forensic/ eDiscovery issues by sharing knowledge to help build capability and work in collaboration to resolve issues
• Manage workflows to ensure that all digital material is prioritised according to wider office needs and processed in a reliable, cost effective and timely manner. Monitoring resources and making evidenced based recommendations to the Head of DFU when additional resources are needed
• Provide regular reports and updates to the Head of Unit and internal stakeholders, including presenting findings, developments and recommendations regarding digital material
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders on Digital Forensic related matters to provide creative, compliant solutions to technical and evidential issues and ensure these are in line with case deadlines and processing timescales.

For more information about the role and for a full list of key responsibilities, please see attached Job Pack.

Person specification

See above and attached Job Pack.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,796, Serious Fraud Office contributes £11,285 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 and Experience.

Application stage

As part of the application process you will be required to provide:

• A personal statement of no more than 500 words that explains how your skills and experience meet each of the essential experience criteria as listed below:
  • Computer/Digital Forensics degree AND/OR significant relevant experience
  • Experience of casework and delivering data to customers
• A supporting CV outlining your job history and qualifications, including how you meet the essential technical criteria for the role as listed in the job pack.

"Computer/Digital Forensics degree AND/OR significant relevant experience" is a lead criteria; this experience criteria will be assessed first and candidates who do not meet the required standard will not have the remainder of their application considered.

It will not be possible to provide feedback to applicants who are unsuccessful at the application stage.

Interview stage

Behaviours and experience as outlined in the job pack will be tested at interview. 

Candidates invited to interview will also be required to complete an assessment.

Full details of the interview process will be made available to shortlisted candidates in the invite to interview.

Sift to take place from 2 May 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 20 May 2024.

All dates are indicative and subject to change.

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

Security

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.