Engineering Technical Support Officer -National Crime Agency
Government Digital & Data -
Engineering Technical Support Officer
National Crime Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 2nd June 2024
Salary
£32,892
Roles based in Gillingham and London will receive an additional London Weighting of £3,847. Roles based in Stevenage will receive an additional South East allowance of £3,078. If applying on Secondment and you are the equivalent grade you will remain on your current salary for the duration of your Secondment. Recruitment and Retention Allowance: This is currently set at £3,000 for this post. The RRA is an enhancement to the role and is reviewed annually.
A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Job grade
Executive Officer
NCA Grade 5 / Police Constable
Contract type
Permanent
Loan
Secondment
Length of employment
If applying for Loan or Secondment - 2 years
Business area
Technical Operations - OCaD/DDaT ES SOS
Type of role
Engineering
Information Technology
Operational Delivery
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time
Number of jobs available
6
Contents
Location
Operational Capability and Development Team - Gillingham (Kent), Leicester, Thirsk, and Warrington. Specialist Operational Services Team - Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Leicester, London*, Stevenage, Wakefield and Warrington. *For London based roles your contractual place of work will be Stratford. However, as that site will not be operational until early 2025 in the interim period you will be required to carry out your contractual duties from Vauxhall, or such other reasonable location, on a temporary basis. For the avoidance of doubt as your contractual place of work is Stratford, the move from any temporary place of work will not give rise to any entitlement to payments for travel time or costs under the Relocation and Excess Travel Policy.
About the job
Job summary
We are currently have some exciting opprtunites within our Operational Capability and Development (OCaD) and Specialist Operational Services (SOS) teams.
Join one of our teams and help us in our mission to protect the public from serious and organised crime.
Would you like to learn more about the role?
If you would like to find out more about the role and the application process, we will be holding virtual open evenings via MS Teams on Tuesday 28th May 2024 18:00 - 19:00.
This event is by invitation only. If you would like to recieve an invite please click through to the link below - you will be asked for your name and email address.
Click here to attend the information session.
Please ensure you register your interest no later that 5pm on Monday 27th May 2024. You will not be able to complete this form after this date and time.
Please see our Privacy Notice within the Important information document attached to this advert for details on how your data is handled.
We are also recruiting for the following roles:
- 349277 - Senior Technical Officer - Technical Support Unit
- 349286 - Data Engineer - Data Lab D&A Hub
- 349396 - Software Engineer - Data Lab D&A Hub / Specialist Operational Services
- 350004 - Senior Infrastructure Engineer
Job description
Operational Capability and Development (OCaD)
Locations Available - Gillingham (Kent), Leicester, Thirsk, and Warrington.
Operational Capability and Development (OCaD) are responsible for the development and delivery of strategic and tactical engineering solutions to operational challenges and emerging technological threats focused on serious and organised crime impacting the UK.
There will be a requirement to work flexibly and alter working hours.
Specialist Operational Services
Locations Available - Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Leicester, London*, Stevenage, Wakefield and Warrington.
The Specialist Operational Services (SOS) is a critical function within the DDaT Enterprise Services (ES) Department. It provisions specialist digital capabilities and technical support to operational officers, assisting them in tackling the highest harm SOC threats.
The function is key to realising the new NCA Strategy by maintaining specialist capabilities as well as developing new cutting-edge tools in fight to keep pace with criminal exploitation of emerging technologies.
The team combines IT professionals and operational law enforcement experts to ensure that specialist services are operationally fit for purpose, legally compliant and delivered 24/7.
Target Intercept Engineering provides technical management of IT infrastructure and systems that underpin the NCA TI capability.
DF.net team are responsible for the Digital Forensics IT network ans support operational applications via their networks.
As a Technical Support Officer you will work within one of the SOS Engineering functions to support and maintain the Agency’s specialist technical capabilities. You will work collaboratively with the infrastructure teams and non-technical user groups to identify issues and support fault resolution. You will play a key part in delivering the specialist services to multiple operational teams.
You’ll be working at the cutting edge of law enforcement on next-generation projects to help catch the criminals that pose the biggest threat to the UK.
This role is vital in ensuring our operational staff have the right tools, software, systems and platforms to exploit the latest serious and organised crime threats.
SOS is a fast-paced environment and our teams work collaboratively and creatively to build software that solves exciting, unique and challenging problems.
***To be considered, you will need to successfully complete SC Enhanced clearance before commencing the role and achieve DV clearance within the first 12 months in post.***
Person specification
Responsibilities within Operational Capability and Development (OCaD) team include, but are not limited to:
- The development and delivery of strategic and tactical engineering solutions to operational challenges and emerging technological threats focused on serious and organised crime impacting the UK.
- Deployment of hi-end capabilities in support of live operations, providing NCA with capabilities for 21st century law enforcement.
- Assists in specifying, designing, developing, delivering and supporting new technical operational capabilities in support of operational teams.
- Installation, upgrading and support of technical hardware, operating systems, software and peripherals.
- Provide support of the incident, problem, configuration and change processes which affects all technology.
- Demonstrate applications to the user(s) initiating roll-out following change approval.
- Support staff around use of applications and technical systems as required.
- Conduct application support - to include problem investigation and analysis of application issues to replicate issues on test systems to allow fast paced rectification of problems.
- Maintenance and upgrades: Maintain current technological and user requirements update, repair, modify and expand existing applications as per user change requests.
- Prepare and draft documentation to include User Requirements, Application Design, System Requirements Documents and User Manuals and training guides.
- Provide technical advice and guidance to colleagues on software tools and applications.
- Support of any other technical infrastructure as directed.
Responsibilities within Specialist Operational Services (SOS) team include, but are not limited to:
- Team-working: Work in multi-functional teams to support and maintain specialist systems which enable intelligence-led enforcement activity.
- Service Delivery: Support the development, maintenance and enhancement of technical capabilities.
- Project Delivery: Participate in building new services on multiple platforms, maintaining core functionality and providing technical guidance for colleagues across the Unit.
- Defects: respond to software defects, ensuring the are tracked, investigated and corrected.
- Service Support: Maintain and support SOS services, providing first and second-line support to operational customers for any incidents or issues.
- Communication: Build working relationships with colleagues across the technical community to develop skills and cross-functional working.
- Collaboration: Share and disseminate knowledge and findings across the broader technical and NCA community as appropriate.
Desirable Criteria:
- HND or Degree in a technical / scientific related discipline would be an advantage but not essential
- ITIL
- ICND1 or CCNA
In the event of a tie-break at interview, the panel will progress the candidate with the highest score in the leading technical criteria to determine merit order. If the leading technical criteria scores are still tied, the panel will then assess desirable criteria to determine merit order. If scores are still tied following the review of desirable criteria, then the panel will revert to sift scores to determine merit order.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- A very good understanding of Windows Operating systems
- A good working knowledge of computer networks TCP/IP and internet connectivity, including Firewalls and Switching.
- A good knowledge of Virtual Server environments VMWARE, Physical Servers, installation and configuration.
- Good problem solving skills.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £32,892, National Crime Agency contributes £8,880 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
All officers in the NCA are members of the UK Civil Service. You will be eligible for:
- Civil Service pension scheme
- 26 days annual leave rising to 31 on completion of 5 years continuous service
- If qualifying criteria is met new joiners to the NCA from UK Police Forces or UKIC will have service with those employers taken into account for continuous service purposes for Annual Leave entitlement only, this will be up to a maximum of 31 days leave (including 1 privilege day).
- Training and development opportunities
- Special leave
- Flexible working and family friendly policies
- Cycle to work scheme
- Blue Light scheme
For further details on benefits please visit https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/careers/benefits-and-support
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
If you wish to apply for this vacancy, you must submit your application by 23:55 on Sunday 2nd June 2024.
Sift Process
You will be asked to complete a CV as part of the application process. Your CV should set out your career history including training and qualifications, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure that each entry of your career history also has a few sentences outlining a description and the key elements of that role, and that you provide reasons for any gaps within the last two years. Please ensure the dates of any accreditations you are relying on are entered onto the CV. Experience criteria can also be assessed from CV.
- CV - Your CV will be used for information purposes only and will not be scored.
- 4x Technical / Experience skills via a 250 word Statement of Suitability per criteria, as listed above (Technical/Experience 1, 2, 3, and 4).
For further application guidance please visit https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/careers/applying-and-onboarding
Once submitted your application will be acknowledged by the Government Recruitment Service.
Please note depending on the volume of applications a Longlist at sift may be conducted on following criteria:
- A very good understanding of Windows Operating systems.
Candidates must pass this criteria for their application to be progressed.
A panel will then assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the Entry Criteria section.
Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application.
Sift results are expected to be released w/c Monday 24th June 2024.
Interview Details
You will then be asked to attend an assessment centre in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence.
The assessment centre will consist of a practical assessment assessing the technical criteria, following by an informal interview to assess behaviour criteria. You will also be required to take part in a substance misuse test which will form part of your pre-employment checks should you be successful. Further details will be provided to the successful shortlisted candidates.
Please note - Assessment centres will take place face to face in Warrington - In line with our policy unfortunately cost incurred will not be reimbursed.
Interviews will take place throughout July 2024 - locations to be confirmed. Please be advised that the type of interview (eg. virtual/face-to-face) may be subject to change and successful candidates will be notified of this prior to attending. However the interview is conducted, the interview criteria will remain as detailed within this advert.
The above sift and interview dates are an indicative timeline.
Should you be successful at sift but cannot attend on the interview date(s) listed the recruitment team cannot guarantee an alternative date. Please contact the recruitment team.
Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.
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. Any instances of plagiarism including copying of examples/answers from internet sources will result in a withdrawal of your application. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving internal candidates. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.
Interview Outcome
Candidates will be alerted of the outcome of their interview via their CS Jobs Portal. We will be retaining a candidate pool of successful applicants to draw from as vacancies arise for up to 12 months.
If your application is successful and we are unable to offer you a post immediately, you will be invited to join our reserve list. If over the next 12 months we are able to offer you a position, we will contact you as soon as possible.
Once we make you an offer you will then go through our vetting and pre-employment checks processes.
All Appointments will be made in location merit order.
The NCA is a law enforcement agency & as such we are part of the Criminal Justice System. Therefore if you are going into an operational role we need to be aware if any of our officers have, either before they join us or afterwards, any of the following:
- Any criminal conviction (including by Court Martial), or caution or fixed penalty notice for disorder or theft;
- Any adverse judicial findings;
- Any charges or summonses where the proceedings are not complete;
- Any misconduct or gross misconduct findings or where proceedings are not complete.
You will be asked to complete a declaration form covering the above if offered a role with the NCA.
Each case will be considered on its merits and a positive declaration does not automatically mean that your application will not be progressed. However, should you fail to disclose a relevant matter then your application or employment will be adversely affected. If in doubt, please declare it at this stage.
Multi-Location
Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.
Please be aware that you can be posted to any location that you put in your preferences. If you would only like to be posted to one location, please confirm one location only. If you are posted to a location that you have requested and you do not accept that location, you may not be offered another role.
Please note, only advertised location can be offered. Notes populated in a free text box will not be taken into consideration.
Near Miss
If you are not found appointable at the advertised grade you may be offered the lower grade role if you are considered to meet the skills, experience and behaviours for the lower level. The benchmark for appointing to the lower grade is set at the start of each campaign. All offers will be made in merit.
If you are found appointable at the higher grade but there are no positions available you may be offered an appointment at the lower grade.
Hybrid Working
Here at the NCA we have a hybrid working arrangement in place enabling officers to work a proportion of their role remotely. Eligibility and the degree of home working will vary depending on the requirements of the role. Further details can be discussed at offer stage.
