Description
The staff engineer role is a senior technical role within the team. With a keen interest in technology, innovation and collaboration they keep their knowledge current, continuously seeking to design, build and deliver better than yesterday. Staff Engineers seek to create industry-leading solutions in a way that moves the products forward. They are keen to explore how advances in technology might support on-going continuous improvement and provide input to the department strategies, practices, toolkits and processes.
Core Responsibilities
SFIA Responsibility Level: 4 - Enable
Autonomy
Works under general direction within a clear framework of accountability. Exercises substantial personal responsibility and autonomy. Uses substantial discretion in identifying and responding to complex issues and assignments as they relate to the deliverable/scope of work. Escalates when issues fall outside their framework of accountability. Plans, schedules and monitors work to meet given objectives and processes to time and quality targets.
Influence
Influences customers, suppliers and partners at account level. Makes decisions which influence the success of projects and team objectives. May have some responsibility for the work of others and for the allocation of resources. Engages with and contributes to the work of cross-functional teams to ensure that customers and user needs are being met throughout the deliverable/scope of work. Facilitates collaboration between stakeholders who share common objectives. Participates in external activities related to own specialism.
Complexity
Work includes a broad range of complex technical or professional activities, in a variety of contexts. Investigates, defines and resolves complex issues. Applies, facilitates and develops creative thinking concepts or finds innovative ways to approach a deliverable.
Business skills
Communicates fluently, orally and in writing, and can present complex information to both technical and non-technical audiences when engaging with colleagues, users/customers, suppliers and partners.
Selects appropriately from, and assesses the impact of change to applicable standards, methods, tools, applications and processes relevant to own specialism.
Demonstrates an awareness of risk and takes an analytical approach to work.
Maximises the capabilities of applications for their role and evaluates and supports the use of new technologies and digital tools.
Contributes specialist expertise to requirements definition in support of proposals.
Shares knowledge and experience in own specialism to help others.
Learning and professional development — maintains an awareness of developing practices and their application and takes responsibility for driving own development. Takes the initiative in identifying and negotiating their own and supporting team members' appropriate development opportunities. Contributes to the development of others.
Security, privacy and ethics — fully understands the importance and application to own work and the operation of the organisation. Engages or works with specialists as necessary.
Knowledge
Has a thorough understanding of recognised generic industry bodies of knowledge and specialist bodies of knowledge as necessary. Has gained a thorough knowledge of the domain of the organisation. Is able to apply the knowledge effectively in unfamiliar situations and actively maintains own knowledge and shares with others. Rapidly absorbs and critically assesses new information and applies it effectively.
Professional Responsibilities
- Ensure you adhere and supporting your Squad in adhering to the over-arching Software Development Lifecycle and Agile TOM aligned to your Home
- Develop and maintain software development processes, standards, and best practices to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality software products
- Promote engineering excellence and quality through appropriate use of analysis tools, control gates and peer reviews by inculcating news ways of thinking to improve design, productivity, and quality
- Be involved with and promote the evaluation of emerging technologies, models, methods etc. on an ongoing basis to enable competitive differentiation and strengthening of existing product technology; drive adoption within your squad as required
- Foster optimisation of the engineering lifecycle through a systematic knowledge management and continuous learning process to better enable the organization to meet market and client needs
- Mentor and guide all engineers within your home and assist with technical challenges as needed
- Show a sense of ownership & pride within your squad and the wider home to deliver high quality work and Institute a self-directed and high-performance culture in the team
- Involve yourself in the development of a strong talent pipeline throughout your wider home by helping the Manger Engineer in hiring, internal movements, succession planning, talent reviews etc.
- Take an interest in and where possible show advocacy for the reduction in technical debt across the estate and mission, supporting the Manager Engineer and Product to prioritise the reduction of technical debt appropriately
- Show an interest in articulating the technical roadmap, the overall vitality of the product, architecture overview documentation and the validation of our platforms in the product pipeline
Technical Responsibilities
SFIA Skill: Level 5
Programming/software development PROG
- Takes technical responsibility across all stages and iterations of software development.
- Plans and drives software construction activities. Adopts and adapts appropriate software development methods, tools and techniques.
- Measures and monitors applications of project/team standards for software construction, including software security.
- Contributes to the development of organisational policies, standards, and guidelines for software development.
