Senior AWS DevOps Engineer

Job description

Job summary

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

Are you an experienced AWS DevOps Engineer looking for a role where your work has real national impact?

Do you want to help shape the future of digital public services used by millions of people across the UK?

Are you ready to lead, inspire and develop DevOps capability within a growing engineering community?

If so, we'd love to invite you to one of our face-to-face assessment days in Leeds.

DWP Digital is looking for skilledSenior AWS DevOps Engineersto join our organisation and help deliver some of the UK's most important digital services.You'llwork on large-scale, business-critical platforms that support millions of citizens, using modern cloud technologies and DevOps practices to drive continuous improvement and service excellence.

The services we design, and deliver are transforming how people interact with government, providing reliable,accessibleand efficient digital experiences that make a real difference to people's lives.

Successful candidates will join one of the following teams:

Health and Disability Digital Policy Service
Delivering digital services that support citizens accessing health and disability-related support.

Digital Channels
Building and supporting the digital communication channels that connect citizens with DWP services.

Bereavement and Care Live Support
Supporting digital services that help citizens access essential support during significant life events and caring responsibilities.

Core Digital Services, Shared Citizen Information Services
Providing the shared platforms and citizen information services that underpin DWP's digital ecosystem.

Job description

As aSenior AWS DevOps Engineer,you'llplay a key role in delivering and evolving the cloud platforms, tools and engineering practices that support DWP's digital services.

You'lluse modern tooling to build andmaintainCI/CD pipelines and DevOps toolchains, placing automation at the centre of your approach. Working within AWS cloud environments,you'lldesign and implement solutions that arehighly available, resilient, scalable,extensibleand maintainable.

You'llcollaborate closely with product-focused teams across the organisation to understand requirements, evaluate tools and technologies, provision environments, implement solutions and support operational activities. Through this work,you'llhelp teams deliver services efficiently whilemaintaininga strong focus on reliability and long-term sustainability.

As a senior member of the DevOps community,you'llpromote a culture of engineering ownership and reinforce the importance of service integrity,resilienceand ongoing maintenance.You'llalso provide leadership and line management to DevOps Engineers, supporting their development and helping to strengthen capability,standardsand best practices across the organisation.

You'llcontribute to the wider DevOps community, sharing knowledge and helping ensure our tools, practices and approaches continue to evolve alongside advances in technology.

Key Responsibilities

• Build,maintainand enhance CI/CD pipelines and DevOps toolchains, with automation at the heart of delivery.
• Design and implementhighly available, resilient, scalable,extensibleand maintainable solutions within AWS cloud environments.
• Promote engineering ownership and support best practices that improve service integrity and long-term maintainability.
• Work with product-focused teams to gather requirements, evaluate tools and technologies, provisionenvironmentsand implement solutions.
• Support operational activities and contribute to the ongoing reliability and performance of services.
• Lead, mentor and line manage DevOps Engineers, helping to develop capability across teams.
• Strengthen DevOps standards,practicesand ways of working across the organisation.
• Contribute to the wider DevOps community and support the continuous evolution of engineering approaches and tooling.

Person specification

See selection process for further details.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact [email protected]

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Technical Breadth

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 57,946, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 16,786 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Salary Information

Pay for this role is from 57,946 to 80,664.

The maximum salary for the grade is 68,205, however a Digital Allowance of up to 12,459 per annum is available for exceptional candidates. Digital Allowance is non-salary, and non-pensionable, and is classed as a temporary allowance. It is reviewed annually where it could beretained, amended, or removed.

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience asdemonstratedat interview.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer willmaintaintheir current substantive salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater.

Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation todetermineyour pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, 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 1000 words. This statement should be used to provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria below:

• Demonstrable knowledge of writing andmaintainingInfrastructure, and Configuration as Code.
• Demonstrable experience of using Unix/Linux in a support and/or development environment including scripting languages.
• Demonstrable experience of working in a DevOps environment Continuous Integration & Deployment, Deliverymethodsand techniques, including agile scrum experience.
• Demonstrable knowledge of implementing andmaintainingCI/CD pipelines.
• Experience of supporting, guiding, and developing Engineers across multi-disciplinary teams in an agile environment.

4. Technical statement (up to 250 words). The following statement is aligned to the required technical skill of: Technical Breadth. This statement should be used to provide one or more examples of how you meet the criterion below:

• Demonstrable experience of developing and supporting AWS cloud-based applications.

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: Coding Test

If you are successful at the sift stage, we will send you a coding test to complete remotely.

Pleaseadd [email protected] to your safe senders list ormonitoryour spam folder to make sure you can receive the coding test email.

The test will focus on the technical elements listed in the essential criteria in this advert.You must not use any AI or generative tools when completing the test.

You will have 7daysto complete the test from the date we send it.

If you pass the coding test, we will invite you to the face-to-face assessment centre.

Stage 3: Face-to-Face Assessment Centre

If you pass the coding test, you will be invited to a face-to-face assessment centre at our Leeds Digital hub (Quarry House) from 02/11/26 to 6/11/26. You will be required to attend on only one of these dates.

These dates are fixed and cannot be altered. No alternative dates will be provided.The assessment centre will lastapproximately 3 to 4 hours and will feature three main components:

• Coding Pairing Exercise - this will assess your performance against the essential criteria listed for the role.
• Group Exercise - this activity is designed to evaluate the two Behaviours outlined in the advert above.
• Interview - the interview will test you against the essential criteria.

We will send you further details if you pass the sift and coding test.

Recruitment Timeline

The recruitment process will adhere strictly to the following schedule.Please ensure you are available for all stages before applying.These dates are fixed and cannot be altered. No alternative dates will be provided.

• The advert will close on Tuesday 29/09/26 at 11:55pm.
• We will send the coding test on 07/10/26.
• The coding test submission deadline is 14/10/26 at 11:55pm.
• The Leeds Assessment Centre will be 02/11/26 to 06/11/26.
• We will contact you to tell you whether you have been successful or not from mid November 2026.

Near Miss Criteria

Following the assessment centre stage, if you do not reach the required standard for the advertised Grade 7 role, we may be able to offer you a role whichwould be a grade below the advertised post under our Near Miss process. If you fallinto this category, we will contact you once the interview results have been released.

Visa Sponsorship

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 .

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

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 [email protected] 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 youre 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 [email protected] 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 applicants 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 DWPs 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 .

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window) .

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window) .

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants
Job contact :

• Name : Richard Hanley
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB) DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB)