Careers in the Public Sector: Entry level roles for this summer

Ahead of our week 3 event, Offer Holders Panel: Civil Service and Public Sector, we’ve been reviewing current opportunities across the public sector.

In part this was prompted when one of our most engaged DPhil alumni at the Government Operational Research Service (GORS) connected to say they had posted a notice of 85 full time, permanent, direct entry positions on CareerConnect (job ref Z74OA).

The 85 Analyst positions are suitable entry level positions for new undergraduates, master's and DPhils. The salaries range from £31,700 - £55,700, and applications close on 10 May.

This was a timely reminder that direct entry positions to start full-time this summer tend to be advertised around this point in the year by many Departments and Agencies and NGOs and other public bodies. While it is possible to search via the career pages for individual organisations, many will also use the Civil Service Jobs portal. A few minutes research via this site uncovers many opportunities, including quite a few more senior positions where postdoc research experience will be a bonus.

Using even a simple keyword search is enough to get started. Accepting there is likely considerable overlap in the various search results, here are a few examples of what were available in 1st week:

• 259 results for “HEO”; 256 results for “SEO” (Higher and Senior Executive Office respectively), which are suitable entry level positions for graduate and post graduate students who do not have a lot of work experience.
• 41 Results with the simple on “Graduate”, including from UK Research and Innovation; Competition and Markets Authority; UKRI Medical Research Council; Government Statistical Service; Natural England and a variety of other agencies, services and central government departments.
• 26 Results searching on “Trainee”, including multiple Legal Adviser roles, plus Biomedical Scientist Trainee with UK Health Security Agency, Forestry Commission, Insolvency Service, MRC, the HM Prison and Probation Service.
• 65 Results searching on “Analyst”, which also sweep up Senior Analyst roles. These range from the Met Office, National Savings and Investments, Companies House, the Animal and Plants Agency, the National Crime Agency to Regulators (including Ofgem; Ofwat and Office for Students) and on to the UK Space Agency and a variety of government departments, plus both the Welsh and Scottish Governments.

Careers Service panel event

Students planning to apply for a public sector role in the year ahead, including finalists and recent graduates looking for immediate direct entry and jobs this summer, as well as anyone planning to apply in the autumn for next year's diversity (summer) internship programmes and main graduate entry programmes, are invited to our upcoming panel event.

Civil Service and Public Sector: Offer Holders Panel

Wednesday 08/05/2024, 15:30 - 16:45, Online  

There is huge interest across Oxford in careers across the public sector, from the Civil Service Fast Streams (FS) through dedicated graduate entry programmes within Local Government, NHS, social services, policing and direct entry routes into individual government departments, regulators and agencies. Join this session to hear from people who have recently been successful in securing roles in the sector.

For more careers and employability events between April and June, browse the Oxford Careers Service Term Planner >>