Developer

Role: Developer

Contract Length: 3 months

Location: Reading

IR35: Out of Scope

Pay Rate to Candidate: Max. pay £450.00 PAYE Umbrella

Security Clearance: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance will be required

CV Deadline: Thursday 15^th November, 9am

Interview Process: Face-to-face

Minimum Requirement:

Person Specification – Competencies and Skills Required

Education Background

To be considered for an ‘Extract, transform, lead’ (ETL) developer position, candidates will most likely need a bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology or another computer-based discipline. To improve their job prospects, there are also training sessions available that can help people with a solid foundation of ETL knowledge improve their knowledge and skills.

Specialist Skills & Requirements

Essential

• Experience building server-side web applications and detailed knowledge of at least one programming language (we use a range of languages including Ruby, Python and Scala) and/or detailed understanding and experience of front-end web development (HTML/CSS/JS).
• In addition to the standard education credentials, candidates must be able to prove they're technically capable with some of the coding languages commonly used in ETL development. These include SQL, Java, XML and several data warehouse architecture techniques such as EDW, ODS, DM, ROLAP and MOLAP. Employers also prefer ETL developer candidates who already have extensive experience troubleshooting and solving complex technical problems.
• ‘Extract, transform, load’ refers to the practice of loading data into a data warehousing environment in a business. This means data need to be copied, or extracted, from a business’s processes and loaded into the data warehouse so all the information is up to date. An ETL developer is responsible for designing the data storage system for the company as well as testing and troubleshooting it before it goes live.
• ETL developers are responsible for designing and creating the data warehouse and all related extraction, transformation and load of data functions in the company. After the groundwork has been laid, developers also must test their designs to ensure the system runs smoothly. Furthermore, developers must be experts at taking a big-picture view of a company's data situation. A skill set that many employers look for is called data modelling. This means developers need to be able to read, analyse and digest what a business wants to accomplish with its data, and design the best possible ETL process around those goals. Database designs take on many forms, including star and snowflake schemas.
• ETL Developer Personality Traits. Though the role of ETL developer requires someone with a broad technical knowledge, it also requires someone with a good set of communication skills and an analytical mind. Since the ETL developer is responsible for leading an IT team as it builds the data warehouse, they must be able to communicate goals and instructions in a clear and efficient manner. In addition, developers frequently work with the business side of the company to determine the best course of action when designing the system. This means the developer needs to be able to listen to and interpret what the business side wants to see accomplished, discuss details in an easy-to-understand way, and then translate it all into nuts-and-bolts technical output.

Desirable

• Knowledge of relational and non-relational database systems.
• System administration and configuration management skills.
• Experience presenting work at user groups and conferences.
• Experience of building and scaling high-traffic websites.
• Understanding of the use of Responsive Web Design.
• Experience of working with JavaScript libraries to produce data visualizations.
• Experience of designing and maintaining public HTTP APIs.
• Experience of handling large data sets and scaling their handling and storage.

In addition to the specialist skills listed above successful candidates will need to demonstrate broad competencies as described in the description below.

Description:

DEFRA want to expand their team of developers to help the UK government build and run great digital services for the people of the UK.  Candidates must have strong skills in frontend or backend web development (or both) and be ready to quickly get to work within a multi-disciplinary team of developers, designers, editors, analysts focussed on one or more products or projects.

Day-to-day the Developer will be responsible for working with the team to design, create and improve new and existing products, platforms and transactions across government.

The main responsibilities of the post are:

• "Extract, transform, load" refers to the practice of loading data into a data warehousing environment in a business. This means data need to be copied, or extracted, from a business’s processes and loaded into the data warehouse so all the information is up to date. An ETL developer is responsible for designing the data storage system for the company as well as testing and troubleshooting it before it goes live.
• Building web and mobile products to serve a variety of citizens' needs.
• Implementing APIs for internal and external use.
• Building up a useful, robust automated test suite to support a Continuous Deployment environment.
• Being involved in the wider web development community, identifying good practices we can adopt and sharing our experiences.
• Sharing knowledge of tools and techniques with the wider team, both developers and non-developers.
• Taking part in 2^nd-line support of applications and platforms, including occasional support outside of office hours.

In addition to the Person Specification given above successful candidates will need to demonstrate the broad competencies below.

Setting Direction:

Changing and Improving

Essential

• Encourage a culture of innovation focused on adding value.
• Spot warning signs of things going wrong and provide a decisive response to significant delivery challenges.

Making Effective Decisions

Essential

• Weigh up data from various sources, recognising when to bring in experts/researchers to add to available information.
• Identify the main issues in complex problems, clarify understanding or stakeholder expectations to seek best option.

Delivering Results:

Managing a Quality Service

Essential

• Ensure the service offer thoroughly considers customers’ needs and a broad range of available methods to meet this, including new technology where relevant.

Delivering at Pace

Essential

• Review, challenge and adjust performance levels to ensure quality outcomes are delivered on time, rewarding success.

Engaging People:

Leading and Communicating

Essential

• Clarify strategies and plans, giving clear sense of direction and purpose for self and team.
• Be visible to staff and stakeholders and regularly undertake activities to engage and build trust with people involved in area of work.
• Confidently engage with stakeholders and colleagues at all levels to generate commitment to goals.

Collaborating and Partnering:

Essential

• Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on objectives and shared interests.

Building Capability for All:

Essential

• Coach and support colleagues to take responsibility for their own development (through giving accountability, varied assignments and on-going feedback).
• Establish and drive intra and inter team discussions to learn from experience and adapt organisational processes and plans.