Job Description
Job Summary
DSIT
At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.
We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.
We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.
We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.
We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.
Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.
Our Inclusive Environment
We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
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 and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
Find Out More
We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/Jae3B4w7xm
You can also follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/
Job Description
The Parliamentary Team forms an integral part of the Department’s Ministerial Private Office, which sits at the heart of DSIT. Our team is responsible for managing DSIT’s relationship with Parliament, providing expert support and procedural guidance, and ensuring the smooth delivery of all parliamentary business. This includes working with policy teams and Ministerial Private Offices to support Ministers in debates, with select committee business, answering both oral and written parliamentary questions and much more. The team is primarily based the department but also frequently requires access to the Parliamentary estate.
The Assistant Parliamentary Clerk role provides an excellent opportunity to work across all of DSIT's policy areas, to engage with other government departments and to gain experience in parliamentary process. The successful candidate will work within a team of five, including one other Assistant Parliamentary Clerk, primarily to co-manage the Written Parliamentary Questions (PQs) process plus also other administrative processes within the team. The postholder will also have the opportunity to work on other aspects of parliamentary business depending on departmental needs, giving them regular opportunities to build new skills and deepen their knowledge.
This is a friendly, supportive team working across the whole breadth of the department’s policy remit. We are looking for an enthusiastic person who is happy to operate independently to manage a high volume of information, working as part of a fast-paced team. The successful candidate will be a self-starter, able to prioritise effectively across a busy portfolio of work and communicate clearly, whilst maintaining excellent attention to detail.
Person specification
Key responsibilities:
Some of your responsibilities will include:
* Supporting the Parliamentary Team to provide high quality, timely advice and support for officials and Ministers in both Houses of Parliament.
* Ensuring a smooth end to end process for written parliamentary questions.
* Triaging PQs tabled to the department and allocating to the correct policy teams.
* Liaising with parliamentary teams across Whitehall to negotiate the transfer of PQs.
* Supporting and developing new processes to improve ways of working.
* Managing the administration of the parliamentary activities such as laying and depositing of papers, mailbox management and organising parliamentary passes.
* Building strong and effective working relationships with Ministerial offices, Special Advisors, press office, other government department Parliamentary Branches, Leader’s Office, clerks and officials in both Houses of Parliament.
* Helping to create a positive and inclusive team culture.
Essential Criteria:
* Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work at pace.
* Strong interpersonal skills with an enthusiasm for effective team working.
* Strong oral and written communication skills.
* Good time-management, and ability to support and collaborate with others to deliver effectively.
Desirable Criteria:
* Previous experience or knowledge of Parliamentary processes.
* An interest in policy developments and current events, and an understanding of the likely impact on parliamentary business.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Managing a Quality Service
* Delivering at Pace
* Working Together
* Making Effective Decisions
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £27,380, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £7,931 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
* A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
* Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
* A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
* An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
* Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 1 January 2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
Please be aware that the Online Tests on this campaign will not be accessible during the hours of 4:00pm and 7:00pm on 14 December 2025. Please do not attempt to launch the test during those times, as you may experience technical issues and we may not be able to assist you before the closing date and time.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and behavioural statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour statement, Managing a Quality Service.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The interview will consist of behaviour and strength-based questions.
To help you to prepare for your interview, for this campaign behaviour questions will be shared in advance of interview if you are successful at sift stage. These questions should be treated as confidential and should not be shared.
The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared with you in advance, including any follow-up questions, and other elements listed in the job advert, for example, experience, abilities, strengths and technical skills. The panel will be looking for examples of your own work, experience, and ability so do try and avoid using AI written answers without any human oversight.
Sift and interview dates
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Further Information
Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply,and can be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance. A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Candidates who meet the minimum benchmark may be placed on a Reserve List for consideration for similar roles, including those at a lower grade. Candidates who narrowly miss the benchmark and are not placed on the Reserve List may still be considered for an offer in a similar role at a lower grade.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service / Disclosure Scotland 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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk
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 applicant’s 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.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a 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...