Job summary

This role sits in the Common Business Application (CBA) team, which is a critical capability within UK border protection, and part of a comprehensive RN detection capability within the Cyclamen programme, which screens incoming freight, vehicles and passengers for such material, in order to protect the public.

This sits within the Shared Applications Service department, with over 650 engineers. This is the engineering capability, developing in all areas including policing, Homeland Security, Border Force, and migration.

Our work spans Home Office mission-critical operations, such as enhancing Counter-Terrorism capabilities, transforming Border Security and immigration processes, to revolutionising asylum case management and enhancing Counter-Terrorism capabilities. Imagine developing technology that helps reunite families, creates safer communities, protects vulnerable people, and ensures smoother journeys for the millions travelling to and from the UK.

Job description

The Principal Developer works on challenging technical problems, which require broad thinking while remaining hands-on developing software. You will be expected to actively deliver but will have more of a focus on ensuring delivery quality and overall service value.  You will be working on large scale problems on critical services setting strategy and standards for the wider team to follow .

You may be called upon to take part in planning with senior stakeholders to make sure that technical designs match strategy. In this you will be expected to help ensure that all engineers, architects and other professions are working together. You will also identify, test and advocate for new tools or approaches.

You will support the assurance of our solutions and help resolve any discrepancy between approach and organisational strategy.

As a Principal Developer, you will be expected to mentor other senior engineers in technical tasks, as well as support recruitment and assessment activities, as well as leading engineering teams directly.

You will be expected to understand and use the latest AWS technology, service integration designs, tools and techniques, as well as applying Secure by Design Principals.

Tools and Technologies we use:  

We are keen for Engineers to continue learning new technologies, we have a large range in the Home Office but would especially welcome applications from candidates with experience in the below:

• Java (Current Versions), Spring, Spring Boot, Maven, JavaScript
• Other Languages used across the service include:  Databases, PostgreSQL and Mongo, AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, React, Node.js, Apache Nifi.

Person specification

Main Responsibilities

• Carrying out challenging implementation tasks, whilst maintaining strong stakeholder engagement and keeping the relevant documentation up to date.
• Delivering new designs and implementations, working with architects/security and other stakeholders.
• Pioneering new software architectural and build/integration approaches, ensuring they adhere to organisational strategy.
• Implementing effective test and QA across a number of individuals/systems.
• Being the technical authority in your area, providing arbitration for complex technical decisions.
• To act or become a Generalizing Specialist, with deep knowledge in their domain, but also broad working understanding of other system areas.
• Be able to support the live 24/7 service as required.