Associate Applications Operations Engineer

As an integral member of the IT Operations team, the Associate Applications Operations Engineer is entrusted with a suite of applications, ensuring their optimal performance and availability.

This role involves meticulous management and monitoring of application performance, conducting routine updates, and to resolve any technical issues that arise, collaborating with senior engineers and technical experts when necessary. Additionally, the engineer is responsible for identity management and maintaining strict security administration to protect sensitive information.

Operating in a collaborative environment, the Applications Operations Engineer works alongside suppliers and various teams as part of the application support function. The role includes compiling user queries, identifying system faults, and working within predefined service level agreements, frameworks, and processes. With a focus on the user, the engineer strives to resolve application issues that have been escalated from first-line support teams, ensuring a seamless user experience with a hands-on approach.

This position requires a proactive approach, with the engineer actively participating in the maintenance and strategic improvement of applications. By staying abreast of the latest developments and engaging with other government departments and suppliers, the Applications Operations Engineer maintains a high standard of service.

The role is pivotal in ensuring that applications meet the needs of the CPS and its users, now and in the future.

The Crown Prosecution Service is based in England and Wales. If you’re applying for this role and live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you must let us know when accepting this offer as you need permission to work from your home address if hybrid working is part of your role. There’s no guarantee that we will grant this approval.

You must be aged 16 or over at the point of starting in this role. The expected start date is approximately 8–12 weeks after the application closing date. You are expected to commence employment as soon as possible following the expiry of your notice period. Requests for significantly later start dates may not be accommodated.

Your roles and responsibilities:

• Ensure the availability, performance, and security of critical applications through monitoring, updates, and identity management.
• Collaborate with senior engineers, suppliers, and internal teams to resolve technical issues and support application operations.
• Handle incidents and user queries escalated from first-line support, working within defined service level agreements and processes.
• Contribute to the maintenance and continuous improvement of applications, staying informed on industry developments.
• Engage with stakeholders and government departments to ensure applications meet current and future user needs.

A copy of the full job description is attached.

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)

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

Recruitment process

The recruitment process consists of an online application, assessment and interview.

Personal statement

We ask you to complete a personal statement of no more than 1,000 words. You need to demonstrate the following experience/technical skills required for this role:

• A focus on service and engagement with users and stakeholders.
• Incident management: logging, assessing, troubleshooting and fixing issues, and maintaining ownership until resolution.
• Analytical: problem-solving is needed to investigate systems, processes, and service issues, providing immediate and preventative solutions.
• Process optimisation: Identify inefficiencies and support development improvements.
• IT asset and service management: maintain secure configurations, verifying asset locations, and keeping accurate records.

In addition, you need to demonstrate the Crown Prosecution Service or Civil Service values.

Behaviours

You are asked to complete a statement of no more than 250 words for each of the following behaviours, setting out how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience match the specified behaviours and requirements:

• Managing a Quality Service

The panel has the right to assess the lead behaviour ‘Managing a Quality Service’ first. If the standard on this behaviour isn’t met, the personal statement won’t be considered and your application won’t progress. The panel also has the right to raise the minimum standard pass mark.

CV

You’re not required to upload your CV. However, when submitting your application there is a ‘CV section’. You are required to provide information about your employment and/or academic history for the past three years, skills, and qualification details. The CV section will be assessed.

It’s your responsibility to provide the specified information in the requested format to ensure that you're considered for the post.

If you're unable to cover three years through employment or academic history, you must provide a character reference for clearance purposes.

Interview and Assessment

The interviews and assessments are expected to take place on 1 - 3 December 2026.

Your interview takes place online through Microsoft Teams. A member of our recruitment team will be in touch with guidance. If you have any queries about this, contact dimitra.siakavara@cps.gov.uk

You should keep these dates free or notify us if you're not available. We'll make every effort to accommodate your date preferences but we can't guarantee it.

We ask you to complete an assessment as part of the recruitment process for this role. We will provide details immediately before your interview.

We use behaviours to help us understand your experience, to see if you're a good fit for the role. You are assessed against EO in the Civil Service success profiles behaviours framework. We are assessing 3 behaviours at interview and assessment stage:

• Working Together – interview
• Communicating and Influencing – interview
• Making Effective Decisions – assessment

Strengths

Strengths are tested at interview stage - the strengths tested are not shared before the interview.

Other

This is a full-time post. We do consider requests for flexible, part-time working and job share, always considering the operational needs of the department.

Please note that the CPS is unable to offer visa sponsorship. If you require visa sponsorship to work in the UK, you will not meet the eligibility criteria for this role.

Clearance

If successful, you are required to secure a Security Check clearance, for which you must have a current valid UK address.

If successfully appointed, we ask you to complete a character enquiry form, nationality and immigration questionnaire, and national security vetting form.

If you're a Crown Prosecution Service member of staff, you won’t need to do a Disclosure and Barring Service check as you already hold this clearance.

The job you’re applying for is covered by Article 3(a) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, consequently Section 4(2) of that Act doesn’t apply. You’re required to disclose all previous convictions and cautions including spent convictions. Failing to make a full declaration will result in withdrawing your offer of employment if our checks reveal convictions that haven’t been disclosed.

To be cleared to Security Check clearance level, you have to be able to meet the residency requirement in the Cabinet Office guidance. For the Crown Prosecution Service, this is three years within the last five years.

Reserve list

If you're recommended by the selection panel but not appointed to the current vacancy, you’re put on a reserve list for 12 months. You may be offered another Associate Applications Operations Engineer post in the CPS if a vacancy comes up during this period. We may also approach candidates on the waiting list to fill other roles that require similar knowledge and experience.

Civil Service Commission

If you’re dissatisfied with the recruitment process and wish to make a complaint, please contact Strategic.Resourcing@cps.gov.uk with your concerns.

If you remain dissatisfied and wish to make a further complaint, please click on the following link to the Civil Service Commission complaints page Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission

Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles can be found at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/

Details of the Civil Service Nationality Rules are located at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Candidates are subject to UK immigration requirements. For the most up-to-date information on the requirements of working in the UK, please go to the UK Visas and Immigration website at https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

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