Joining the Universal Credit (UC) team, youll apply data science on a massive scale and help influence outcomes that affect millions of UK citizens.
UC Data Scientists are part of multidisciplinary development teams that design and deliver new features for the Universal Credit digital service. We use our expertise in datasets and data science techniques to ensure the development of the service is supported by data, helping to improve outcomes for UC claimants and DWP staff.
UC Data Scientists collaborate with colleagues from a range of different digital professions to promote the use of data. Your primary stakeholders will include the Design & Build and Strategy teams that support the Universal Credit programme, but youll also work closely with members of the Data Practice across DWP.
Data Science requests include feature discovery & prioritisation, hypothesis testing, trial & feature evaluation, natural language processing & machine learning, and success measures. Youll also contribute to the delivery of cross-cutting Data Science projects, aiming to develop our technical capabilities in areas such as machine learning, visualisation and experimentation.
Person specification
When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:
- Academic background in Data Science, Maths, Statistics or Computer Science or equivalent Data Science-related experience
- Hands-on experience using data science to solve problems or improve established processes
- Stakeholder management skills and experience working with colleagues to understand their requirements and deliver complex analytical projects in a timely manner
- Ability to communicate results to a range of audiences, translating technical concepts into non-technical language where necessary
- Understanding of a range of data science techniques and the ability to apply these to practical situations
- Ability to explore, combine and transform data from across disparate sources
- Experience writing code in R, Python or SQL
If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact .
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Describe a time you used data science to solve a problem or improve an established process.
Benefits
- An employer pension contribution of up to 28.97%
- 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: Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
Salary Information
National Pay for this role is from 35,711 to 44,021.
The maximum salary for the grade is 36,545, however a Digital Allowance of up to 7,476 per annum is available for exceptional candidates, based on our assessment of your skills and experience.
London based Pay for this role is from 40,912 to 44,021.
The maximum salary for the grade is 41,567, however a Digital Allowance of up to 2,454 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 Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
Stage 1: Application
Your application will consist of three parts:
1. A Personal Details application form.
2. Your employment history. Please copy this information into the text box provided. When giving details in your employment history, you should highlight your experience in line with the essential criteria point listed below:
- Academic background in Data Science, Maths, Statistics or Computer Science or equivalent Data Science-related experience.
3. Technical statement up to 250 words:
Describe a time you used data science to solve a problem or improve an established process.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) approach to answer this question.
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 point mentioned above.
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 (such as your academic qualifications 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 and technical statement contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.
Stage 2: Interview
If youre 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 theessential criteria.
You will also be assessed on strengths.
You will be asked to do a 10-minute presentation where you will be asked to demonstrate the following:
- Ability to communicate results to a range of audiences, translating technical concepts into non-technical language where necessary.
- Understanding of a range of data science techniques and the ability to apply these to practical situations.
- Ability to explore, combine and transform data from across disparate sources.
There will be 5 minutes allocated for questions.
There will also be a short technical test where you will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of:
- Experience of writing code in R, Python or SQL.
Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview.
Interviews will take place from Late September 2024 onwards.
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.
Security Clearance Requirement
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.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following pagehttps://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 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 youre 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.
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) .
