Jennifer Hughes
Edinburgh is one of DBT’s key 7 hubs, forming an important part of the cross-government Places for Growth programme. As part of our commitment to delivering services closer to the communities we support, DBT’s Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) teams have steadily grown their presence in Scotland’s capital. Edinburgh has dual UNESCO World Heritage Old and New Towns to explore and a vibrant and growing tech ecosystem. This makes it an incredible place to build your DDaT Civil Service career.
Read on to discover why we love living and working in Edinburgh and why Queen Elizabeth House (QEH) is becoming a thriving regional hub for DDaT here in DBT.
Culture and tech in Edinburgh
Edinburgh offers a balance between its famous historic charm and modern city living. As the capital of Scotland, it has all the amenities and opportunities you’d expect from a major city. Yet within minutes you can be exploring the Pentland Hills, wandering along Portobello Beach, or walking up Arthur’s Seat. Our office community has done this a few times. In August, the city truly comes alive as the home of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe.
Beyond its global reputation and history, Edinburgh at its heart is a welcoming and close-knit city. Of course, it is also so easy to explore what else Scotland has on offer. You can travel to the Highlands via Inverness, St Andrews on the east coast or Edinburgh’s metropolitan sister in the west, Glasgow.
Edinburgh’s tech and digital scene has expanded rapidly in recent years. Investment across fintech, data innovation, and public sector digital transformation has brought opportunities in the digital realm. DBT’s presence in Edinburgh is part of that wider picture of building meaningful careers outside London and strengthening regional capability across the UK. This also means that there are plenty of tech-focused events throughout the calendar like Turing Fest, which will land in Edinburgh in May 2026.
Life at Queen Elizabeth House (QEH)
Our Edinburgh home is Queen Elizabeth House, located 7 minutes from the major transport hub Edinburgh Waverley train station and bus routes. QEH sits right in the heart of the city’s historic centre, a stone’s throw from the Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament. This makes it one of the most iconic locations in the UK Civil Service estate.
The building itself is purpose-built for cross-government collaboration. We share our 4th floor office with several departments, so QEH is a hub of activity where colleagues can network, collaborate and develop cross-departmental relationships.
Inside, you’ll find:
- bright, modern collaboration spaces
- quiet areas and focus rooms ideal for hybrid working
- flexible meeting rooms with excellent tech support
- breakout spaces for quick catch-ups or community building
- views of the Crags, Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat from our 5th floor rooftop terrace
For many of our DDaT colleagues, working in QEH also means seeing the products and services we build in action. We have DBT policy teams, analysts and operational colleagues all based in the same building. This enables us to get real-time insight into how digital services are being used, what’s working well, and of course what we can improve. It creates a rewarding sense of connection between our day-to-day development work and the impact it has on the wider department.
This environment supports the kind of digital ways of working DBT values – user centred design and collaboration.
Building a DBT community in Edinburgh
As our presence in Scotland grows, so too does the opportunity to shape the culture of our Edinburgh hub. Colleagues are exploring ways of collaborating across teams, raising DBT’s profile within the city, and connecting with the local tech and digital community.
Our fabulous social committee is here to welcome newcomers to Edinburgh and QEH. We have DBT breakfasts, bring your own lunch days, informal coffee mornings, lunchtime walks around Holyrood Park, cross-government meetups and seasonal socials. DBT employees particularly look forward to the Halloween Spooky special and Christmas Quiz. Throughout the year, the DBT monthly lunches are rotated around some of the gorgeous foodie spots in Edinburgh, where we are spoiled for choice.
With the city centre on our doorstep, after-work socialising couldn’t be easier, especially because it is always planned after our DBT Scotland all-staff meetings.
Creating opportunities across Scotland
As part of the wider Places for Growth commitment, Edinburgh is playing a major role in bringing Civil Service roles, including senior roles, closer to the communities they serve. That means:
- more opportunities for people across Scotland to build a rewarding career in government
- less need for talent to relocate to London
- stronger links between public services and regional needs
- a more diverse and regionally representative Civil Service
Scotland’s universities produce world-class graduates across data, digital, economics, and STEM disciplines. This means that QEH is ideally placed to attract early-career talent and help shape future digital leaders.
A digital future in Scotland
What makes Edinburgh special isn’t just the thriving tech scene or the stunning environment, it’s the community that’s growing here. Edinburgh is becoming one of DBT’s most dynamic digital hubs. Talented teams can collaborate closely with policy and operational colleagues to shape better services for the people and businesses we support.
As our presence in Scotland grows, so too does our ability to draw on a wider range of skills, perspectives and local insight. This strengthens the impact of Digital, Data and Technology across the department. If you are ready to be part of a digital hub that’s shaping the future of government services, explore our roles in Digital, Data and Technology and consider joining us in Edinburgh.
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