Technical Architect

Job Title: Technical Architect

Salary: The starting salary is £51,196, which includes allowances totalling £2,841.

The salary is broken down as £48,355 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £52,730 Plus, a location allowance of £1,841 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000.

Location: Southwark

Seeing is believing. And that’s the only way you’ll really get to know about our sophisticated technologies and how we’re using them to fight crime in the capital. We don’t say much, for obvious reasons, but suffice to say that we’re leading advancements in emerging technologies to deliver bespoke electronic and IT solutions in specialist areas to make London safer.

Do you want to use your technology skills to directly help the police with the range of challenges they face? Are you the kind of person who likes to “think outside the box”, notice opportunities to solve problems that nobody else may have thought of, or thinks it would be a good idea to build and manage a mesh network of servers attached to a fleet of drones across London? These are the kinds of conversation you could well end up being a part of in this team.

The Technology, Research and Innovation (TRI) team keeps the Met at the cutting-edge of tech. Our work is highly innovative and no two projects are ever the same. The work we do is varied and so is the team we are looking for! As the team is growing, we now have a number of additional roles and positions available for inquisitive technology specialists and generalists who have an interest or background in one of many technology areas.

You will be part of the diversely skilled team that research and develop different practical technology solutions to directly help the Met with the range of unique policing challenges that they face in this rewarding and interesting role. Working closely with an enthusiastic and dedicated team of cross-discipline engineers, you will have the opportunity to become involved with different technical work within the department, depending on your strengths and interests. Some of the work involves horizons scanning for new technology and how it can be used within policing, other work involves hands-on building of servers and small boxes of technology.

This is not a role for somebody who wants to do just one thing. You could have a background or strength in a particular area of development and engineering, or you may instead consider yourself more of a generalist in your career. Maybe you have been a network installation engineer, a cybersecurity specialist or a game developer, but the most important thing is that you have a mindset that looks to solve problems and you are driven to find creative solutions.

Some of the qualities and abilities that our team have can’t easily be put into a job advert, so do let us know what you’ve done before and how you think your skills could be used with us. Human beings will read your CV and personal statement, and you will only need to have one face to face interview with us before we let you know as soon as possible if you have been successful or not!

What you will be doing

This role will facilitate you being able to be involved in the different IT technology activities within the team, and will require you to be able to adapt to different styles of work and requirements. This really is an opportunity to experience a wide range of technology, and some of the tasks that you will be involved in include:

• Working alongside infrastructure engineers and software developers to design and develop technology solutions.
• Supporting existing technology solutions developed within the team.
• Researching, evaluating and documenting new technologies and solutions.
• Contributing to different projects as required, based on your technical expertise.
• Installation and configuration of different hardware and software.

Alongside your technical skills, you may have the opportunity to mentor or lead staff in this innovative and enthusiastic team, and ensuring their skills are current, utilising our generous training budget. At times, you’ll be collaborating with other members of the team, at others you’ll be trusted to work on your own. We give you the time and space to nurture your interests, and you’ll be surrounded by a warm and inclusive team who will share advice, knowledge, and your enthusiasm for technology.

Whilst you’ll need to have worked in a technical job previously, that could be anything from the public sector and academia, to the games industry or banking. We are mostly interested in who you are, as the team you’ll be joining is comprised of people from entirely different places and experiences, and we value the considerate and conscientious culture that our team has managed to cultivate.

Don’t worry if you don’t think you know everything you need to know to do all of the tasks you could be involved with; you are the kind of person who can learn quickly and wants to try new things. You will both be supported by other members of the team for tasks and technologies that you are not familiar with, whilst being able to support and mentor others that can learn from experience that you bring to the role.

Have other IT-related technology skills instead?

If you do not feel your experience entirely matches the role described so far, we do have a range of roles across a range of technology areas that we may be able to match you to when applying. We are really keen to hear from people with a number of different specific technology backgrounds and you may be a far better fit than you realise.

So, even if you don’t feel you’ve had enough experience in some of the things that you think we do, we value the range of backgrounds that those joining us have come from, making this a perfect environment to grow into.

Vetting

This post requires access to the most sensitive intelligence material on a daily basis. Applicants must hold or be prepared to undergo National Security Vetting (NSV) Security Check (enhanced) (SC(e)) level before taking up the post; with a willingness to undergo Developed Vetting (DV) once in post, if required.

Additionally, this material is of particular sensitivity to the UK and its distribution must be restricted to UK nationals. In approved circumstances dual nationals (of which one element is British) may also be granted access. However, in the event that potential conflicts of interest cannot be managed the post holder will not be able to see the intelligence material and will not be able to perform their duties. For the purpose of safeguarding national security and in line with Cabinet Office Policy, supported by Section 82(2) to (4) of the Police Reform Act (2002), applicants who do not hold or acquire Security Check (enhanced) (SC(e)) OR Developed Vetting (DV) clearance and meet the nationality requirements cannot be offered the post.

How to apply

Click the apply now button below and start your career at the Met. Applications will be via a detailed CV, Personal Statement, and online application form. Your personal statement should outline why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience demonstrate your suitability for the role. (NB. Please do not attach 2 copies of your CV).

Completed applications must be submitted by 23:55 on 12th April 2024.

www.metpolicecareers.co.uk