Data Engineer Level I

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details'.

Are you a Data Engineer with experience in SQL-based data transformation, ETL pipeline development, and building user-facing dashboards and reports?

At DWP Digital, we design and build services that make a real difference to people's lives. As part of the UK's largest government department, we support over 22 million people each day, from helping them find work to supporting them through some of life's most difficult moments. Our work is central to delivering the Government's "Get Britain Working" vision. Few organisations in the world offer the same opportunity to use technology and design thinking at this scale, with real impact.

Debt Solutions is responsible for DWP's Debt Management, Compensation Recovery and Management Information systems. Thousands of agents and citizens use these systems to recover approximately £3 billion of debt per annum while protecting the most vulnerable in our society.

Step into a role at the cutting edge of data transformation. This is your chance to help shape the future of MI and data services as we modernise long-standing processes and build innovative solutions on our new, cloud powered MI and data platform.

As a Data Engineer, you will be responsible for development and maintenance activities for the delivery of data products and services that meet customer needs to agreed timescales. You will work within the overall product development lifecycle, learning and applying agreed data architecture and data engineering principles and standards to ensure systems are fit for purpose.

You will design, build, and operate repeatable ETL data pipelines within distributed processing and cloud environments, implementing data flows that connect operational systems to analytics and business intelligence platforms. Working with senior team members, you will integrate a variety of source data, apply data modelling techniques, and contribute to metadata management and technical documentation to ensure data assets are well understood and properly governed.

You will apply your knowledge of SQL and related tooling to deliver production-ready code and data transformation processes that meet organisational standards. You will use Git and related version control tools to manage and collaborate on code effectively across the team. A key part of this role involves developing user-facing dashboards and analytical reports, working with senior colleagues to ensure these meet customer requirements and are kept up to date.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary agile team, collaborating with data analysts, data scientists, and other technical and non-technical colleagues to understand requirements and deliver high-quality data products. You will support the growth of the team by sharing knowledge and experience, and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement across the data engineering community.

Occasional line management of apprentices or placement students may be required.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, build, and operate simple, repeatable ETL data pipelines within distributed processing environments and cloud platforms.
• Implement data flows to connect operational systems, supporting analytics and business intelligence and management information systems, working with senior team members.
• Review business requirements to ensure they are clear and robust, and transform requirements into reusable, production-ready code and effective data models.
• Undertake data analysis for data profiling, quality assurance, and problem resolution, communicating findings clearly to colleagues of different specialisms.
• Conduct proof of concept and discovery work to provide information, advice, and recommended courses of action within your own work area.
• Integrate a variety of source data, using judgement and guidance to determine the appropriate approach, and contribute to metadata management and documentation.
• Support the growth of the team by keeping abreast of market and industry trends and sharing knowledge and experience with colleagues.

As a Data Engineer it would be beneficial to have experience in the following areas, however this is not essential to the role.

• Experience of data profiling and source system analysis, applying a range of profiling techniques, and communicating findings clearly to support data use across the team.
• Familiarity with Power BI for dashboard development and MI/BI reporting, including experience of Power BI development practices.

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 Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application

Your application will consist of four parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. Employment history - this should contain your work experience and any skills, qualifications and accomplishments relevant to the jobs you have completed.

3. Personal statement - up to 750 words. This statement should be used to provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria below:

• Programming And Build (Data Engineering) (WORKING) — Ability to design and operate basic ETL pipelines and data transformation processes to an agreed standard.
• Data Integration Design (WORKING) — Ability to support the delivery of basic data solutions in accordance with agreed organisational standards.
• Data Development Process (WORKING) — Ability to create and implement simple, repeatable and reusable data or code products, including structured documentation of coding flows and processes.
• Technical (WORKING) — Experience using SQL at intermediate level, with working knowledge of database principles and experience using MI/BI tooling to develop user-facing dashboards and reports.
• Data Modelling (WORKING) — Ability to produce and maintain data models to meet organisational needs using industry-recognised modelling patterns.
• Metadata Management (WORKING) — Experience using Git for version control to pull, push, and review merge requests across team and own code.

4. Technical statement (up to 250 words). The following statement is aligned to the required technical skill of Programming And Build (Data Engineering) (WORKING) . This statement should be used to provide example(s) of how you meet the criterion below:

• Ability to design and operate basic ETL pipelines and data transformation processes to an agreed standard.

Ensure that all examples provided in your statements are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statements, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide.

The sift panel will use the information in your employment history, personal statement, and technical statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge.

An initial sift will be conducted using the technical statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.

If you do progress to a full sift, you will be provided with one combined overall assessment score for both your employment history and Personal Statement.

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

Important Information

• You will be asked to complete your employment history. Any information that you would customarily share on a CV 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, personal statement or technical statement contain any personal details your application will be withdrawn.

Stage 2: Interview

If you’re successful at the sift stage, you’ll be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. During the interview, you’ll be assessed against the experience criteria listed under both the essential criteria and technical skill.

Interviews will take place from the end of September 2026. Interview dates to be confirmed.

Other information:

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location.

For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.

Security Clearance Requirement

You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

You must have resided continuously in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years, 2 of which must have been the immediately preceding years from the point of applying for this job.

Further Information​

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

Reserve List

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

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

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 the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.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.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Integrity, plagiarism and Civil Service Principles

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.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

• Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.

Important

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP’s Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP 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 the Childcare Choices Website.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

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.