Senior Data Engineer - Planning Inspectorate - SEO

The Planning Inspectorate is recruiting a Data Engineer to join our growing Digital Services team as we expand to meet growing demands from our colleagues, government, and our customers. Within this role you’ll be working on our Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project Reform programme, helping deliver an understanding of the coming changes to our digital and data services that will change the way the Planning Inspectorate delivers an excellent service for our customers.   

You will work with a smart and talented group of user researchers, product managers, DevOps engineers, testers, business analysts and delivery managers to deliver better public services for communities where they live; to deliver new and updated processes and systems over the next year, for examining applications and providing recommendations to the Secretary of State for major infrastructure projects such as power stations, airport expansions or major roads. 

As the team is a multi-disciplinary team, you will be leading on the data conversations and aiding the team with planning, decision making and problem solving. There will be time spent also focusing on data design, implementation, stakeholder engagement and supporting with any training needed to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

You will be joining a wider team of highly skilled data architects and engineers, providing mentoring and guidance as well as setting the standard for technical excellence. 

The Planning Inspectorate has a long and proud history in ensuring a fair planning system for England. The work we do has a significant impact on people’s lives, the communities where they live and the economy.

We want our colleagues to be able to work more flexibly and more collaboratively, exploring new and innovative ways to improve the way we provide services. 

For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please see the information pack attached. You can also view our careers page at Civil Service Careers

Job description

Adept at problem solving and able to apply critical thinking skills to create effective solutions. 

Able to clearly articulate ideas, project status, and complex technical concepts to a diverse range of stakeholders. 

Able to anticipate problems before they occur. 

Able to adapt quickly to new tools, techniques, and situations. 

A desire for continuous learning and self-improvement. 

Always be looking for new and improved ways of doing things.

Able to work effectively as part of a team, communicate well with others, and contribute to a positive team culture. 

Assist with running and contribute with the Planning Inspectorate’s Data Engineering Community of Practice.

A typical day would involve the following: 

Strategic Planning and Decision Making: Contributing to high-level strategic planning and decision making related to the reform programme. 

Data Design and Implementation: Developing and supporting with the design, implementation, and maintenance of the data requirements from the reform programme. 

Stakeholder Engagement: Communicating with stakeholders across the organization, including non-technical staff, management, and external partners. This could involve presenting updates, explaining complex technical information in a clear and understandable way, and gathering input to inform your strategy and decisions. 

Problem-Solving: Devising effective and innovative solutions, often involving a combination of technical and organisational approaches. 

Training: Oversee knowledge transfer to and from the external partner in preparation for the programme of work being undertaken within the service team. 

For full information on the role and assessment process please refer to the candidate pack attached. 

Office Attendance 

This role is contractually based at Temple Quay House, Bristol which is currently out of use due to undergoing refurbishment work. In the interim, we have the use of alternative office space in very close proximity to Bristol Temple Meads railway station. We recognise and value the mutual benefits of hybrid working and have a flexible approach to in person attendance, which can vary dependent on the requirements of individual business units - the details of which can be discussed with candidates if invited to attend an interview.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Practical experience of data engineering concepts, including modelling, orchestration and quality assurance.  
• Proficiency in working with relational database systems and experience of using Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services and/or Azure Data Factory. 
• Ability to write optimized and maintainable SQL code for data warehousing, integration and transformation. Working knowledge of Python programming 
• Understanding of data warehousing principles.   
• Understanding of data governance principles, data security, and privacy requirements. Knowledge of compliance standards like GDPR and Data Protection Act.  
• Ability to diagnose and resolve data engineering issues, optimize data pipelines, and ensure high performance of data solutions.  

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of the UK Planning System 
• Cloud Platforms: Experience working with cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure. Knowledge of cloud-based data services, such as Azure Data Factory for building scalable and reliable data solutions. 
• DevOps and CI/CD: Experience with DevOps practices, including version control systems (e.g., Git), infrastructure-as-code concepts, and continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes. Knowledge of tools like Azure DevOps, or similar platforms for managing and automating data engineering workflows. 
• Agile Methodologies: Understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban. Ability to work collaboratively in an Agile team environment, participate in sprint planning, and deliver data engineering solutions iteratively.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Data Engineering
• Microsoft Technologies
• Coding and Data Governance