Lead Software Developer - DV

Job description: Are you an experienced Software Engineer who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, influencing engineering decisions, and mentoring others while remaining hands-on with code? Do you thrive in agile environments, embrace modern engineering practices, and want to work on projects that genuinely make a difference? If so, we'd love to hear from you. We're partnering with a growing, mission-led technology consultancy delivering secure, scalable software solutions for the UK Government and Defence sector. Their teams build modern digital platforms and mission-critical systems that support some of the UK's most important national programmes. This is an opportunity to join a collaborative engineering team where your technical expertise, leadership, and ideas will directly influence the success of high-impact projects. The RoleAs a *Senior Software Engineer*, you'll play a key role in designing, developing, and delivering secure, cloud-native applications while providing technical leadership across the software development lifecycle. You'll collaborate with architects, product owners, DevOps engineers, and clients to deliver innovative solutions using modern engineering practices. This role offers the perfect balance of hands-on software engineering, technical ownership, and mentoring. What You'll Be Doing * Design, develop, and maintain secure, scalable software solutions. * Lead the design and implementation of modern APIs, microservices, and cloud-native applications. * Build robust, high-quality software using clean architecture and engineering best practices. * Develop and deploy applications across cloud and on-premise environments. * Work with CI/CD pipelines, containers, Infrastructure as Code, and DevOps tooling to automate delivery. * Participate in architectural discussions and contribute to technical strategy. * Mentor and support junior and mid-level engineers through code reviews and knowledge sharing. * Collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to deliver secure, user-focused solutions. * Drive continuous improvement across engineering standards, tooling, and delivery processes. What We're Looking ForWe're looking for engineers who combine strong technical expertise with curiosity, collaboration, and a passion for continuous improvement. Essential Experience * Strong commercial experience in software engineering and modern application development. * Experience building scalable applications, APIs, and distributed systems. * Experience working with cloud platforms and modern software delivery practices. * Good understanding of DevOps principles, CI/CD pipelines, containers, and Infrastructure as Code. * Experience working within Agile environments (Scrum or Kanban). * Passion for writing clean, maintainable, and well-tested code. * Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate with technical and non-technical stakeholders. * Experience mentoring engineers or providing technical leadership within delivery teams. Desirable * Experience working within secure, regulated, government, or defence environments. * Knowledge of secure software engineering and DevSecOps practices. * Existing UK DV Security Clearance. Why Join?You'll become part of a highly collaborative consultancy where engineering excellence, continuous learning, and innovation are genuinely encouraged. Benefits * Hybrid and flexible working. * Flexitime (37.5-hour working week). * Learning and development budget for certifications, conferences, and training. * Private healthcare. * Matched pension contributions. * Monthly socials and quarterly company events. * Clear technical and leadership progression opportunities. * Opportunity to work on meaningful projects supporting UK national security and public services. Diversity & InclusionOur client is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer and Disability Confident organisation. They are committed to building diverse, inclusive teams where different perspectives are valued, collaboration is encouraged, and everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Interested?Whether you're actively exploring your next opportunity or simply curious about working on meaningful, technically challenging projects, we'd love to have a confidential conversation. Apply today or get in touch to learn more. Qualifications: * Strong commercial experience in software engineering and modern application development. * Experience building scalable applications, APIs, and distributed systems. * Experience working with cloud platforms and modern software delivery practices. * Good understanding of DevOps principles, CI/CD pipelines, containers, and Infrastructure as Code. Why is This a Great Opportunity: *Flexitime* 37.5 hrs/week structured your way + remote options *Learning budget* for training, certifications, and conferences *Private healthcare* and *matched pension* *Monthly socials* and quarterly company meetups Career growth in a fast-moving, meaningful sector *Salary Type *: Annual Salary *Salary Min *: £ 50000 *Salary Max *: £ 70000 *Currency Type *: GBP