About the job

Job summary

Are you a Senior Java Engineer looking to utilise cutting edge technologies to develop and deliver products?

Do you want to use your skills and experience to help deliver high value applications and processes to a wide variety of stakeholders, supporting DWP’s digital transformation?

If so, this is a fantastic opportunity to join an exciting, high profile team delivering real business value and improving the experience and outcomes for our many customers!

We’re looking for Senior Java Engineers to design, build and maintain our flagship service, Universal Credit and our Working Age Benefits.

Universal Credit is one of the highest profile digital transformation programmes in the world, praised for its fast and flexible response to the Covid-19 pandemic and now in use by over 5 million claimants and 30,000 staff.

We are also recruiting for Java Engineers to work on our Working Age benefits which include Jobseekers’ Allowance, Income Support and Employment Support Allowance. Maintaining and improving the service for the user is integral to ensuring millions of people continue to get the support they require and help people get back into work.

Please note- this role requires you to pass a security clearance check. For further information on this please see Selection Process details.

As part of the application process, you will be required to upload your CV, which must have no reference to your personal details, please see Selection Process details for more information.

Job description

Our Senior Java Engineers lead and set the strategy as well as build our products and applications - with researchers, testers, architects, analysts and designers - as part of multi-functional agile delivery teams.

What really excites us is problem-solving. We have a unique opportunity to deliver innovative technology that carries real value for millions of users.

Our teams draw value from collaboration, actively seek input from colleagues and value ideas - from across disciplines, grades and job titles -over hierarchy.

You’ll also be part of a supportive Engineering community of practice, with hundreds of engineering experts from across the UK united by passion and purpose. We’ll give you the tools and time to build your capability, with coaching, mentoring, qualifications and formal learning, meet-ups or whatever else works for you.

You will be a leader in our team, you will coach and mentor Java Engineers.

We are extending our already skilled and creative Java Engineering team.

You’ll share a brilliant environment with colleagues from across DWP and wider government, making it the perfect place to collaborate and build networks.

Check out these blogs from DWP Digital- Meet the Engineer and A day in the life of a Java Engineer.

Person specification

To be successful with this application, you will need to align your application with the following Essential Criteria;

• A proven track record of building Java applications (minimum version 11).

• Experience of building in cloud-based environments like AWS and Azure.

• An Excellent understanding of TDD and BDD.

• SQL and noSQL database applications such as Postgres, MySQL, and MongoDB.

• The skills to build up a useful, robust automated test suite to support a continuous deployment environment.

• Knowledge and experience of APIs, RESTful services and Microservice Architectures.

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

Please note- This vacancy could be extended past the original closing date stated. Please submit your application as soon as possible as Sifting and Interviewing is taking place at regular intervals throughout the campaign being live. 

Benefits

• An employer pension contribution of up to 27% 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.

Location

Applicants should apply for suitable posts where they can travel to and from their home office location daily within a reasonable time.   

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.

Hybrid Working

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post. 

Salary Information

National Pay for this role is from £52,412 to £78,517.

The maximum national salary for the grade is £63,517, however a Digital Allowance of up to £15,000 per annum is available for exceptional candidates, based on our assessment of your skills and experience.

London Pay for this role is from £57,631 to £78,517.

The maximum salary for the grade is £68,918, however a Digital Allowance of up to £9,599 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

Stage 1: Application

Applications must include:

1. A completed Personal Details application form.

2. A curriculum vitae including education, professional qualifications and full employment history, giving details of key achievements. 

When uploading your CV, do not include personal information or links to any webpages or profiles that identifies you. This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity. Take out references to your name/title, educational institutions, age, sex, email address, postal address, telephone number or nationality/immigration status.

When giving details in your CV you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria listed in Person Specification.

When giving details of your CV, you should therefore include details of the work and projects that you have been involved in, and your role therein.

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

Important information

• Please attach your redacted CV as a separate additional document in either PDF or word format.
• If your CV contains any personal details your application may be withdrawn.

Stage 2: Coding Test 

If you are successful with Stage 1, you will be invited to complete a coding exercise. You will have 5 working days to complete this activity. Further information will be given if you are invited to the coding test.

Stage 3: 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.

Applications will be sifted and interviews will take place at regular intervals from the date the posts are advertised. Candidates will not receive the results of their interviews until all interviews have concluded. 

Further information:

Find out more about Working for DWP

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

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

Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location. 

You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security 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, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers. 

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

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.

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.