About the role

Please note: interviews will be held in person, further information can be found in the selection process section.  

We are looking for people who are passionate about Engineering to join our community led team in Shared Applications Service (SAS). You will work in agile multidisciplinary teams with over 200 engineers in a modern cloud environment using the latest technologies. Our purpose as a team is to bring technical understanding in-house for over 600 Home Office applications.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of  60% of their working time in the office.  Applicants can raise any queries to the email address at the bottom of the advert.

Watch this short video to hear from members of Home Office Digital talking about the projects they work on and their experience of working here: Working for Home Office Digital.

Job description

This role offers a balance of hands-on engineering and technical leadership. Approximately 50% of your time will be spent actively contributing to software development and technical delivery, with the remainder focused on leading multidisciplinary teams, influencing strategic direction, and supporting the growth of the Engineering profession.

The Lead Engineer will drive the technical delivery of their team, managing their workload and ensuring the right skills are available. You will be responsible for the work undertaken by your Developers and DevOps staff, including engineering heath.

You will also be expected to work with Seniors and Principals to ensure that services produced are best practice, including meeting HO Engineering Standards. You should have a solid technical background and will be able to apply these skills if required to provide guidance to your team. You will also maintain a broad perspective, monitoring technology developments such that you can support strategy formations.

Along with the other Senior, Lead and Principal Engineers and other Principals in your area you will be responsible for ensuring that all technical approaches being used are appropriate and endorsed, and will take part in planning with senior stakeholders to make sure that product delivery and maintenance is on a firm basis. Your remit may be across the engineering function but working closely with Architects and other professions.

Tools and Technologies we use:

We would encourage applications from candidates with experience or interests in the following technologies:

• Java, Kotlin
• JavaScript, Typescript. React
• Data: PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Mongodb, Apache Cassandra.
• DevOps: AWS, Kubernetes, Azure, Jenkins, Docker, Ansible, Terraform.
• AI: Azure ML Studio, Python, Github Copilot, OpenAI.

Person specification

Main Responsibilities

Your main day to day responsibilities will be:

• Leading the day to day activities of engineers in your team, ensuring everyone is working effectively and efficiently; reporting any impediments.
• Coaching your team as well as Supporting Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and encouraging formal professional qualifications.
• Supporting capability build in your team and in the organisation
• Taking a hands-on role with engineering delivery when necessary, blending your leadership and technical tasks to achieve team objectives.
• Ensuring appropriate methods are being used, as well as leading efforts to identify improved tools/technologies
• Ensuring engineering health is good, and working with the Principal Engineer to help address any missing skills or grades required to meet service needs.
• Speaking to Stakeholders to understand what needs building, and supporting them on behalf of your engineering teams

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working.  This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 3 days per week due to business requirements.

Essential Skills

You’ll have a demonstrable passion for a Lead Engineer, with the following skills:

• Managing multiple delivery focused teams with competing priorities and timelines, ensuring adherence to standards within the team (PEMT)
• Working with senior stakeholders to provide operational support to the portfolio in pursuit of challenging ministerial and legislative deadlines. (DLMG)
• Providing technical knowledge and best practice, across cloud management, finops, and the complete CI/CD build process. (PROG)
• Creating, executing, and delivering detailed roadmaps that include appropriate quality management and business capacity to ensure successful outcomes. (QUMG)
• Ability to interpret complex system designs and articulate these to technical and non-technical audiences.(SWDN)
• Mentoring colleagues in developing skills and capabilities in line with strategy, team, and personal goals. (PDSV)