UK Ministry of Defence
Junior Software Developer
UK Ministry of DefenceUnited Kingdom13 days ago
Full-timeEngineering, Information Technology
Hereford

Job Summary

This is an exciting opportunity to work in support of an operational unit with a growing digital, data and technology driven focus. The unit is undergoing a significant digital transformation to better harness the power of data using information age systems, tools, and process. We are looking for someone who is comfortable working in a high tempo environment, a good team player and has a passion for designing, delivering, and managing solutions to solve difficult business problems at the speed of relevance.

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

As a Junior Software Developer, you will be working with modern digital tooling, delivering working solutions early and often to stakeholders and end users.

As a Junior Software Developer You Will:

  • Be responsible for the development of digitally automating business processes for the unit working directly with end users to capture requirements and iterate solutions.
  • Create and maintain documentation to support the development and implementation of process automation.
  • Support deployed apps and solutions, applying fixes and amendments to iterate on current solutions.
  • Work on no-code/low-code tooling including Microsoft Power Platform and Palantir.
  • Follow organisation standard operating procedures and wider Defence policy for app development.
  • Use security controls to develop secure products to safeguard our data and handle information with confidentiality and integrity.
  • Gain experience working in an Agile environment, balancing updates to existing applications as well as new projects in development.
  • Share knowledge of tools and techniques with the wider team and community, both developers and non-developers.
  • Build in performance metrics to apps to measure the success of automation.
  • Help build and maintain a diverse, inclusive culture across the development community, growing awareness, inclusivity, and balance.

As a Junior Software Developer, you will be working with modern digital tooling, delivering working solutions early and often to stakeholders and end users.

As a Junior Software Developer You Will:

  • Be responsible for the development of digitally automating business processes for the unit working directly with end users to capture requirements and iterate solutions.
  • Create and maintain documentation to support the development and implementation of process automation.
  • Support deployed apps and solutions, applying fixes and amendments to iterate on current solutions.
  • Work on no-code/low-code tooling including Microsoft Power Platform and Palantir.
  • Follow organisation standard operating procedures and wider Defence policy for app development.
  • Use security controls to develop secure products to safeguard our data and handle information with confidentiality and integrity.
  • Gain experience working in an Agile environment, balancing updates to existing applications as well as new projects in development.
  • Share knowledge of tools and techniques with the wider team and community, both developers and non-developers.
  • Build in performance metrics to apps to measure the success of automation.
  • Help build and maintain a diverse, inclusive culture across the development community, growing awareness, inclusivity, and balance.

Person specification

We need great people! We're looking for those with:

  • A passion for developing digital solutions to help end users make efficiencies to their day-to-day processes.
  • A natural curiosity and independent drive to research, experiment and understand.
  • Ability to empathise with the customer and diagnose the business problem.
  • Experience programming in modern languages, and a solid understanding of relevant architectures.
  • A drive to design, build, manage, and evaluate the technical solution.
  • An interest in data collection, processing, fusion, and visualisation.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Changing and Improving
  • Working Together
  • Managing a Quality Service

Alongside your salary of £29,580, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,569 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

  • Learning and development tailored to your role
  • An environment with flexible working options
  • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
  • A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
  • 25 days paid annual leave growing (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years' service.
  • Enhanced parental and adoption leave.
  • On-site cafeteria, Gym, Swimming Pool and Parking.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Selection process details

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

Experience:

At sift, you will be assessed against the following:

  • Provide a statement of suitability adhering to the guidance text. (500 words)
  • A CV; details to include job history, qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Please note that both elements must be completed in order for your application to be progressed.

At interview, you will be assessed against your experience, and the following Success Profiles Behaviours:

  • Changing and Improving
  • Working Together
  • Managing a Quality Service

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: [email protected] .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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

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

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 developed vetting (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.

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 developed vetting (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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact :

Recruitment team

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: [email protected].

Key Skills

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