Location

This role will be based in Swansea and we will be operating a hybrid working model that allows you to work between home and on-site giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work, subject to business needs and also allows for ongoing support, development and collaboration with colleagues. We would encourage you to discuss the working arrangements for this role with us during the recruitment process.

About the job Summary

At DVLA, we encourage applications from everyone, particularly groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. We pride ourselves on the positive impact diversity has and promote inclusivity and equality of opportunity for all. Our recruitment process is anonymised, which means that your name, date of birth and other personal details will not be seen by the sift panel.

Salary: £30,734

Location: Swansea

Do you have experience of automation development and Continuous Integration?

Would you like to work with leading serverless and cloud-based technologies?

If so, we would love to hear from you!

Job description

At the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), we take testing very seriously and we automate as much as we can. Our Software Development Engineer in Test (SDETs) are building best-in-class test automation software so that we can build products quickly and safely.

We will look to you to build and execute test automation for our brand new or newly transformed services. You will be a critical part of a squad following a behaviour-driven design approach (ATDD) making sure our software is tested and testable and continually driving all aspects of quality improvements.

This is a fantastic opportunity to build upon your skills and experience while helping to build world class digital services that pave the way for future business transformation. If you love to test and code and want to work with cutting edge cloud-first technologies, we encourage you to apply.

Responsibilities

Include but not limited to:

• Developing and executing test automated frameworks.

• Working in an agile environment with product development teams.

• Ensuring good engineering practices and knowledge sharing within your team.

• Working closely with business analysts and agile delivery managers to prepare and review user stories and tasks.

• Helping ensure that our services are resilient and supported.

For an in-depth insight into the role please click here to see the Role Profile.

About You

We are looking for experienced developers who are proficient in Automation Testing, able to use modern programming language and to programmatically test any software product and develop automation for it.

You will have experience of improving QA efficiency through test automation and tools and will proactively look to implement Continuous Testing principles to speed up the feedback cycle for all elements of quality using automation by default.

You will have a high attention to detail and not be afraid to challenge when needs be and will enjoy working as part of a team in a fast-paced Agile delivery environment.

We strive to ensure that DVLA is a great place to work where everybody can be their true self, be treated with dignity and respect, and according to their individual needs. We have 6 staff network groups run by staff to support their colleagues: Freedom (LGBT), Ability (Disabilities), Gender Equality, Unity (Ethnicity), Mental Health Network and Carers Support Network.

Working for the DVLA Digital Team

At the DVLA our work matters. We’re at the forefront of digital within government, providing new and improved services that are reliable, easy to use and offer value for money for our customers. With over 49 million driver records and over 40 million vehicle records, the opportunity to work at this scale is unrivalled across the region. Our services generate billions in revenue and make a difference to the lives of 9 out of 10 households in the UK.

If you would like to read more about the great opportunities with the DVLA Digital Team then click here.

Our people are transforming our digital services, head over to our DVLA Digital Services Blog to read about what we have been up to.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• SFIA 6 - Programming/Software Development (PROG) - Level 4
• SFIA 6 - Testing (TEST) - Level 2

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension
• We encourage a great work-life balance
• Best in class Learning & Development
• Digital communities
• Generous salary and pension
• On-site gym
• On-site nursery
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays), increasing by 1 each year (up to 30) & 1 extra day for the Queen’s birthday
• Range of staff groups to support all our colleagues
• Free parking
• Buy and sell annual leave

To find out more about the great opportunities and benefits of working at DVLA, click here or read our blogs.

Things you need to know Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

We are closely monitoring the situation regarding the coronavirus, and will be following central Government advice as it is issued. There is therefore a risk that recruitment to this post may be subject to change at short notice. In addition, where appropriate, you may be invited to attend a video interview.

Please continue to follow the application process as normal and ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

How to Apply

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your CV and Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following:

• Experience in automation development using recognised programming languages.

• Demonstrable experience of automation in all aspects of test.

• Practical experience of CI (Continuous Integration).

Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 750 words.

Sift & Interview Dates

The sift is due to take place the week commencing 4th July 2022.

Interviews are likely to be held the week commencing 18th July 2022.

This interview could be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

We will try to meet the dates and locations set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates and locations will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates and locations.

Please note that any part of the Role Profile could be tested at sift/interview.

If invited to interview, this may consist of a range of question types. These could include questions around behaviours and how you would respond in any situation as well as specific examples of things you have done.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview

• A coding exercise and presentation

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

Please see attached candidate notes for further information about our recruitment process.

The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

You can read more about Success Profiles here.

Please take note that DVLA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

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

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website.

Before submitting your application, we encourage you to visit our Recruitment in Detail page of the DfT Careers website. You will find detailed information about the entire recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role in the Civil Service.

Throughout this job advert there are links to the DfT Careers website, which provides you further information to support your application. Should you be unable to access the information on our website, please email [email protected] for assistance.

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

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.