At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build automated data flows using cutting-edge cloud technology.
- Company: Join the Ministry of Justice, a leader in public sector data innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a strong pension scheme.
- Other info: Collaborative team culture with excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by putting data at the heart of decision-making.
- Qualifications: Experience with Python, SQL, and a passion for data engineering.
The predicted salary is between 42914 - 53081 £ per year.
Location: Staffordshire, UK; Elgin Ave., London W9 2NR, UK; Scotland; Wales, UK
Salary: 42,914 - 53,081 per year
Employment: Flexible
Category: IT
Posted: 2026-07-03
Valid to: 2026-08-11
Apply: Application Link
Employer: Ministry of Justice
This is a National Role
Job description:
Senior Data Engineer
Location: National
Closing Date: 10/08/2026
Interviews: Rolling – from w/c 13th July – w/c 31st Aug
Grade: SEO
Salary:
- London: 49,325 - 53,081 (which may include an allowance of up to 7440)
- National: 42,914 - 46,182 (which may include an allowance of up to 9424)
Working pattern: full-time, part-time, flexible working
Contract Type: Permanent
Vacancy Number: 19568
We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office.
Please note that unless you are an existing member of staff at Justice Digital, Data and Science, the only London location being recruited to is 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU.
The Role:
This role requires you to pass Security Check clearance.
We’re recruiting for a Senior Data Engineer here at the Ministry of Justice, to be part of our warm and collaborative Data & Analytics Engineering community. This role aligns against Senior Data Engineer from the Government Digital and Data Framework. This is a great opportunity to work with leading cloud technology and help change the way data is used in the public sector. Data engineers at MoJ play a critical role in our mission to put data at the heart of decision-making.
We're looking for people with the drive to develop a deep understanding of data needs and data availability across specific areas of the Ministry of Justice. You will work in a team of Data Engineers, alongside Analytics Engineers, to bridge the gap between data producers and data users, developing analytical pipelines and self-service tools to acquire and transform data, making it available on our Analytical Platform.
A summary of the type of work the teams are involved in can be found in our handbook.
You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:
- A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
- 25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.
- Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work–life balance.
- Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.
- A 1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
- Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!
Key Responsibilities:
As a Senior Data Engineer your work might involve:
- Designing and building robust and scalable automated data flows to connect operational systems, data for analytics and business intelligence (BI) systems.
- Recognising opportunities to reuse and re-engineer data flows to enable scaling and repeatable use.
- Designing and writing ETL (extract, transform, load) scripts and code to ensure the ETL process performs optimally.
- Working with data users to understand and translate their needs into technical requirements.
- Using a range of AWS services to deploy your solutions in a reproducible, sustainable manner.
- Using infrastructure-as-code to deploy AWS cloud infrastructure.
- Developing and optimising code, tools and services that enable people to use data effectively.
You may also be expected to carry out the following day-to-day activities:
- Designing and maintaining technical documentation.
- Creating and promoting best practices within the team and wider.
- Responding to incident reports, ensuring relevant prioritisation and detail to allow for effective investigation.
- Developing novel solutions to fit the needs of a range of stakeholders.
- Supporting the Ministry of Justice's Analytical Platform users to use our data and tools.
- Initiating team-building and development initiatives.
- Line managing a more junior colleague.
We welcome applications from anyone with the skills we consider make a good data engineer. You may not currently be in a data engineering role and that's ok. Many of our team members have a background in analysis, software engineering, data science, and more.
If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!
Person Specification:
Essential:
- Working in a technical team, preferably one that uses Python and SQL, as well as strong technical skills in these languages.
- Understanding of the software development lifecycle, including testing (e.g. pytest), version control (e.g. git) and CI/CD (e.g. GitHub Actions).
- Working with a range of data sources.
- Working with data, such as data wrangling, analysis or manipulation.
- Communicating with stakeholders, and translating user needs into technical requirements.
- Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for SC clearance.
We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. Our values are Purpose, Humanity Openness and Together.
Salary Information:
Base salary for this role is from 42,914 - 46,182 (National) to 49,325 - 53,081 (London).
New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band.
Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.
Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.
Candidates may also be eligible for a non‑pensionable Government Digital & Data Allowance of up to 9424 per year (National) or 7440 (London). This is a temporary allowance, reviewed annually and may be retained, amended, or withdrawn.
The final offer will reflect the skills and experience you demonstrate during the assessment process.
How to Apply:
In Justice Digital, Data and Science, we recruit using a combination of the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability and Success Profiles Frameworks. We shall assess a combination of your Experience, Technical skills and Behaviours during the assessment process.
Stage 1 - Application and sift:
To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application:
- An anonymised CV, setting out your career history, key responsibilities and achievements. Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Person Specification of this advert.
- A Personal Statement (no more than 750 words) which should outline your experience and skills, giving clear examples of work undertaken. It should specifically address the following criteria listed below, using a separate paragraph for each.
Experience of working in a technical team, preferably one using Python and SQL, together with strong technical skills in both languages.
Understanding of the software development lifecycle, including testing (e.g. pytest), version control (e.g. git) and CI/CD (e.g. GitHub Actions).
Working with data, such as data wrangling, analysis or manipulation.
Communicating with stakeholders and translating user needs into technical requirements.
A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement do not include your name or any other identifying details.
Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on working in a technical team, preferably one using Python and SQL, together with strong technical skills in both languages will be conducted before the sift.
If you do not provide a cover letter, we will not be able to consider your application.
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.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard 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)
- 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.
Working for the Civil Service:
The Civil Service Code 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.
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.
Apply and further information:
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction.
Contact point for applicants:
Job contact: Name: SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
Email: moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Telephone: 0345 241 5359
Recruitment team Email: moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Senior Data Engineer (Ref: 19568) in Edinburgh employer: Government Recruitment Service
The DVSA is an excellent employer for those looking to make a meaningful impact on road safety as a Driving Examiner. With a strong commitment to employee well-being, we offer generous benefits including a substantial pension contribution, 25 days of annual leave that increases with service, and flexible working options to promote a healthy work-life balance. Our supportive work culture values diverse backgrounds and provides opportunities for personal growth, making it a rewarding place to develop your career while contributing to saving lives on the road.
Contact Details:
Government Recruitment Service Recruitment Team
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