About the role

This role sits in the Shared Applications Service department, with over 650 engineers. This is the engineering capability, developing in all areas including policing, Border Force, and migration. It includes the Automation and Innovation portfolio, which this role is focused on.

The Home Office Automation and Innovation portfolio delivers the government’s commitment to “set the standard for excellence in the AI age” – harnessing cutting-edge technology to revolutionise public service delivery. As outlined in the Government’s Generative AI Framework, we’re in “a period of rapid and exciting technological changes, which offers huge potential”, and we’re turning that potential into reality.

Our work spans Home Office mission-critical operations, such as transforming Border Security and immigration processes, to revolutionising asylum case management and enhancing Counter-Terrorism capabilities. Imagine developing technology that helps reunite families, creates safer communities, protects vulnerable people, and ensures smoother journeys for the millions travelling to and from the UK.

Each area presents unique challenges where AI and automation can deliver substantial efficiency savings and improve outcomes for the public and colleagues.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office.  Applicants can raise any queries to the email address at the bottom of the advert.

Watch this short video to hear from members of Home Office Digital talking about the projects they work on and their experience of working here: Working for Home Office Digital.

Job description

The Principal Engineer may be expected to take charge of engineering work across an ensemble of teams, or in a particular area of the business, such as the Automation Centre. You will be responsible for ensuring that engineering work can be done effectively in your area, relying on context provided by your Lead Engineers and peers. You will be expected to line manage or supervise multiple Lead Engineers.

As a Principal Engineer, your work will have an external focus, feeding insights into project/program management to ensure appropriate resourcing decisions are made, including ensuring assurance teams/processes are up to standard. You will be the central point of contact for engineers in your area, ensuring the systems produced are sustainable and meet Digital, Data and Technology strategy.

Along with other Senior, Lead and Principal engineers in your area, you will be responsible for ensuring that all technical approaches are appropriate and endorsed. You will take part in planning with senior stakeholders to ensure product delivery and maintenance is on a firm basis. Your remit will be across the engineering function and working closely with Architects and other professions.

Tools and Technologies we use:

We are keen for Engineers to continue learning new technologies, we have a large range in the Home Office including:

• Backend: C#, Java, Node.js, Python, PHP, Scala, Power Platform.
• Frontend: React, JavaScript, Typescript, Angular.
• Data: PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Mongodb, Apache Cassandra.
• DevOps/Platforms: Azure, AWS, Kubernetes, Azure, Jenkins, Docker, Ansible, Terraform.
• AI: Azure ML Studio, Python, Github Copilot, OpenAI.

Person specification

Main Responsibilities

• Supporting implementation against strategy; leading multiple engineering teams in line with our architecture and professions.
• Planning our workforce and recruiting civil servants, building a strong technical talent pool; coaching and mentoring as necessary.
• Ensuring the engineering activities undertaken in teams under your supervision are following suitable standards.
• Supporting technical decision making, feeding into roadmaps and overall strategy for the Engineering function in your area. Presenting decisions up and down the organisation clearly.
• Coordinating with other engineering leads to form an overall community, acting as the central point of contact in your area and leading collaborative efforts.

Like many organisations we need to maintain our services 24/7, therefore, on occasions there may be a requirement to work out of hours, for which you will be paid an additional allowance.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working.  This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 30 hours per week due to business requirements.

Essential Skills

As a Principal Engineer you will have a demonstrable passion for building and managing teams of engineers and experience of:

• Ensuring projects adhere to agreed standards, methods, architecture and tools, with a focus on security and privacy. (DLMG) (Lead essential criteria)
• Producing complex technical designs in collaboration with architects, whilst ensuring that these are scalable, secure and fit for purpose, and reviewing others’ designs. (SWDN)
• Using appropriate tooling and a modern programming language (such as Python, C# or JavaScript) to code, test and document complex programs/scripts. (PROG)
• Monitoring team performance. Coaching colleagues and teams to develop skills and capabilities in line with their goals. (PEMT)
• Formally defining the need for and/or implementing training plans for engineers to meet the strategic goals of the organisation. (PDSV)
• Controlling, updating and distributing organisational standards including national and international, such as GDPR or OWASP. (QUMG)