GSS Sandwich Year Placements 2027

Are you looking for a 12-month industrial placement as part of your degree?

Want to apply your analytical skills to real-world challenges while gaining valuable professional experience?

Interested in helping shape decisions that affect millions of people across the UK?

If so, a placement with the Government Statistical Service (GSS) could be the perfect opportunity.

Join one of the UK's largest analytical communities and spend your placement year working at the heart of government. You'll gain hands-on experience, develop your technical and professional skills, and contribute to work that informs policy and improves public services.

Depending on your placement, you could be helping to:

• Improve the UK's transport network and infrastructure
• Protect the natural environment and support sustainable economic growth
• Inform decisions on immigration, crime, policing, public safety and national security
• Analyse data that shapes government policy and services across a range of important issues

The Government Statistical Service is a professional community of statisticians and analysts working across more than 30 government departments and agencies, as well as the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Our analysis helps government, businesses and the public understand the UK's economy and society. Whether informing major policy decisions or contributing to headline news stories, our work plays a vital role in improving outcomes for citizens.

As a placement student, you'll work alongside experienced analysts, statisticians and data scientists to tackle complex challenges and provide evidence that supports better decision-making.

Better Statistics, Better Decisions.

By joining the GSS, you'll become part of a community that uses data and evidence to make a meaningful difference while building the foundations for a rewarding future career.

As a placement student, you will contribute to high-profile analytical projects that support ministers, senior leaders and policymakers across government.

Working as part of an established team, you'll apply the techniques you've developed during your studies to real projects, helping to answer important questions and provide evidence that shapes government decisions.

During your placement, you may have the opportunity to:

• Contribute to analytical projects with real-world impact
• Work alongside statisticians, data scientists, economists, social researchers and policy professionals
• Gain experience across different areas of government, including policy development, frontline service delivery, finance and long-term strategy
• Use a range of data analysis and statistical techniques to support decision-making
• Develop professional skills such as communication, stakeholder management and project delivery
• Join a network of placement students and early career analysts across the GSS
• Work in an inclusive and supportive environment that values learning, development and work-life balance

Placements are typically offered for 12 months, although some opportunities may vary slightly in length depending on business needs.

This placement provides an excellent opportunity to put the skills and knowledge gained during your degree into practice in a professional setting.

You will work with experienced analysts, including Data Scientists and Statisticians, to develop your technical expertise and gain a deeper understanding of how data and evidence are used to inform policy and deliver public services.

Throughout the placement, you will:

• Build practical analytical and data skills
• Develop confidence working in a professional environment
• Strengthen your communication, collaboration and problem-solving abilities
• Gain insight into a wide range of career opportunities within government analysis

The GSS is recognised as one of the UK's leading employers for students and graduates, offering a supportive environment where you can learn, develop and make a meaningful contribution.

Many students choose to continue their careers with us after graduation. Throughout your placement, you'll receive support and guidance to help you explore future opportunities and prepare for related recruitment campaigns.

Many previous placement students have successfully secured permanent roles before completing their studies, providing a valuable head start to their careers.

For details of longer term career development opportunities visit the Analysis Function website

• Candidates who are offered a placement may also be invited to apply for a permanent role as a Statistical Officer in Government. To do this, candidates who are on track to successfully complete their placement will be given a Fast Pass through the application process and invited to undertake the Statistical Officer Assessment. This consists of the GSS online test and if successful, candidates will be offered an interview to assess their suitability for the permanent role via technical and behavioural assessment. Government Statistical Services roles are also advertised to external candidates on Civil Service Jobs.

You must be currently studying in your second year of a highly numerate degree that contains taught statistical content (e.g. mathematics, sciences, economics, statistics, data science, psychology, geography, engineering), expecting to achieve a 2:2 or above and seeking a one-year placement for your third year before returning to University for your final year.

Please note this vacancy is open to Undergraduates and those studying a combined Masters Degree only. Please do not apply if you are graduating in 2028.

In the qualifications section, please ensure you include the following mandatory details;

1. The degree you are studying

2. Your current year of study

3. Your expected graduation year

4. Predicted grade

Failure to provide these details may result in your application being rejected.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Please make sure that you fully complete the qualifications section in the application form. Applications submitted without details of degree studied, predicted grades and year of graduation will be discounted. Failure to provide this information will result in your application being sifted out of the process

Number of Stages: 2 stage process

Stage 1: Application

Stage 2: Interview

Stage 1 – Application

The assessment process at the application stage will be based on your work history, CV, skills, experience, and personal statement. It is important that your application is tailored to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the role.

A personal statement is required at application stage, the maximum wordcount allowed is 750, which should not be exceeded. You should provide evidence for each essential skill criterion listed in the person specification. As these criteria are scored, it is advisable to give clear examples for each one, including the impact of your actions, ideally utilising the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Please note that Success Profiles Behaviour examples are not required at this stage of the application process.

In instances where a high number of applications are received, the sift pass mark may be adjusted, and candidates will be invited to interview based on merit order, i.e., those with the highest scores.

Stage 2 – Interview

If invited to interview, you will be assessed using techniques aligned with the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, covering all behaviours listed in the job advert and any required technical skills.

You will be required to provide a 5 minute presentation at interview. The presentation topic will be emailed to candidates who have passed the initial online application stage, 1 week prior to interview. This presentation will assess candidates against the Success Profiles Behaviour Presenting and Disseminating Data.

Interviews will be via Microsoft Teams.

Important Dates:

The Sift will be conducted from W/C 16thNovember 2026

Interviews will be conducted from W/C 30th November 2026

Dates are subject to change.

For the full terms and conditions of the post, please see attachment.

Please note that all campaigns may be subject to withdrawal at any stage if the internal resource position changes.

The interview will test candidate's knowledge and experience against two technical competencies as well as two Civil Service Behaviours.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-profiles-civil-service-behaviours#administrative-assistant-aa-and-administrative-officer-ao-grade-or-equivalent

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

A reserve list may be held for period of up to 6 months from which further appointments can be made. Candidates should note this is a multi-location campaign and therefore the reserve list is recorded by location in merit order.

• Please note some government departments entry grade is AA rather than AO as advertised. Each participating department operates its own pay scale. Any applicable salary details will be discussed between the recruiting department and the successful candidate once departmental allocations have been confirmed.
• Please also note that some government departments and locations including London may require additional security clearance in addition to the basic personnel security standard checks.

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