Software Engineer, Data Programme

GovTech is the lead agency driving Singapore’s Smart Nation initiatives and public sector digital transformation. As the Centre of Excellence for Infocomm Technology and Smart Systems (ICT & SS), GovTech develops the Singapore Government’s capabilities in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, Application Development, Smart City Technology, Digital Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity.  
 
At GovTech, we offer you a purposeful career to make lives better where we empower our people to master their craft through robust learning and development opportunities all year round. 
 
Play a part in Singapore’s vision to build a Smart Nation and embark on your meaningful journey to build tech for public good. Join us to advance our mission and shape your future with us today!  
 
Learn more about GovTech at tech.gov.sg. 

 

[About Data Programme]

The mission of GovTech's Data Program is to deliver fit-for-purpose data assets and services for policy making, service delivery and operations across WOG.

We are seeking a Software Engineer to join our Data Program. The existing Government Data Architecture (GDA), launched in 2019, laid the groundwork for WOG data sharing via TCs, SSOTs and central platforms. As the data technology landscape is rapidly evolving and data/system requirements are becoming increasingly complex and interconnected, to better support agencies, the next phase of GDA (i.e. GDA 2.0) aims to consolidate, streamline, and elevate the products and initiatives within the WOG data landscape – this includes the development of the following products.

• DataHive as the next-gen WOG Data Discovery & Request Platform to cater to a wider range of WOG requirements and use cases. DataHive has been further enhanced to support both data requestors and providers as follows.
  • Data requestors/consumers will experience a streamlined data search and request process, with options to access data via curated APIs and through an analytics workbench.
  • Data providers can expect more flexibility and control in the management of datasets on the platform itself.
• Data products that compute and serve derived data for ops and service delivery for multiple agencies. By adopting the “Build Once, Use Many Times” approach for such data products, the intent is to achieve the benefit of cost-savings, better data quality and improving time-to-market for new services.

 

[What you will be working on] 

As a software engineer, you will: 

• Build end-to-end data analytics products/platforms with your team

• Design system architectures

• Write production quality code

• Manage deployments to cloud and (occasionally) on-premise infrastructure

• Build prototypes to demonstrate technology opportunities

• Learn and share knowledge in a multi-disciplinary team

• Establish best practices

• Share your expertise and mentor other engineers

• Help with recruiting.

 

You are not just here to write code, but also to figure out what we should be building and how we should build it.

Your job will be to bring expertise and capability to the public sector. Sometimes this means coding new systems from scratch. Other times this means using the best solutions the community has to offer. We use cloud services, open source software, and commodity hardware as far as possible. Knowing what to build and what to reuse lets us avoid wasting time on solved problems and focus on delivering actual value.

 

[What it is like working here]

We build products that serve a variety of agency users, who use them to solve highly meaningful problems pertinent to our society, from transportation, to education, to healthcare. The public sector is full of opportunities where even the simplest software can have a big impact on people’s lives. We are here to improve how we live as a society through what we can offer as a government.

• Rapid Prototyping - Instead of spending too much time debating ideas we prefer testing them. This identifies potential problems quickly, and more importantly, conveys what is possible to others easily.

• Reliable Productization - To scale an idea, a prototype or a Minimum Viable Product to a software product, we scrutinize and commit to its usability, reliability, scalability and maintainability.

• Ownership - In addition to technical responsibilities, this means having ideas on how things should be done and taking responsibility for seeing them through. Building something that you believe in is the best way to build something good.

• Continuous Learning - Working on new ideas often means not fully understanding what you are working on. Taking time to learn new architectures, frameworks, technologies, and even languages is not just encouraged but essential.

 

[What we are looking for] 

• Have a demonstrated ability to build software - Prior work and personal projects count for much more than specific degrees. 

• Write code to solve abstract programming problems - Clear thinking, the ability to debug, and understanding the limits of an approach matter much more than getting the “correct” answer. 

• Talk and reason about code with other engineers - We work as a team, so you need to be able to not just solve problems, but have other people understand your solutions. 

• Take initiative to make things happen - Our job is to push for change in government, so we need to challenge the status quo and not wait for instruction. 

• Want to work for the public good - We are public servants; we serve the public. This sometimes means ignoring political pressures and misguided policies. We need people who will push back if something is not in public interest. 

Overall, we look for people who have ability, initiative, good communication, and strong values. 

 

What we offer you:   

GovTech is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that values diverse voices and perspectives, as we believe that diversity is the foundation to innovation.    

Our employee benefits are based on a total rewards approach, offering a holistic and market-competitive suite of perks. These include leave benefits to meet your work-life needs and employee wellness programs.  

We champion flexible work arrangements (subject to your job role) and trust that you will manage your own time to deliver your best, wherever you are, and whatever works best for you.   

Please note that this will be a 2-year fixed term contract.

 

Learn more about life inside GovTech at go.gov.sg/GovTechCareers. 
Stay connected with us on social media at go.gov.sg/ConnectWithGovTech