487870 - Scientific Developer (CR1289)

Government Recruitment Service; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability Confident employer scheme

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service is seeking a Senior Developer to design, build and maintain bespoke infrastructure and software applications within Defra-related projects. You will lead on product design, data capture automation and documentation, while ensuring ISO9001 quality standards.

The role involves line management, Stakeholder liaison with internal Defra teams and external university depts., and a drive to deliver reliable IT systems across a Windows environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in software development and data processing.
• Maintenance and support of existing data systems.
• Ownership and/or architectural role on software development projects.
• Hands-on experience of enhancing IT capabilities on Agile delivery projects.
• Good knowledge of relational and dimensional data modelling.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and deliver IT systems.
• Support existing systems.
• Produce user manuals, risk assessments and issues resolution.
• Technical assistance during data capture and reporting.
• Mentor junior developers.
• Line management responsibilities.
• Engage with wider government initiatives.

Skills

C#

VB.NET

SQL

SSIS

SSRS

JavaScript

Relational data modelling

Dimensional data modelling

Agile delivery

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Degree in IT Software Development or equivalent

Job description

You will work as a part of a team building and maintaining bespoke infrastructure and software applications spanning multiple high impact areas including disease management databases, simulation models to inform disease control policy, and specialist scientific computing infrastructure for scientists across the Defra group. Managing delivery on a range of technical science projects by negotiating scope; planning and monitoring delivery; quality assuring outputs; ensuring appropriate maintenance; and supporting effective resource allocation. You will specialise in the development of business applications for the collection and management of corporate data assets but also supporting software development and IT engineering activities of the wider team.

You will join a small team within the Data Systems Group (DSG) responsible for IT systems hosted on the corporate (Windows) environment.

Technical focus will be across the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC).

As the senior developer you will provide an Intelligent Customer Function while liaising with Stakeholders (both internal e.g. Defra and external e.g. University research depts.). Drawing on experience you will advise stakeholders and take a prominent role in leading on aspects relating to product design, typically this will include the capture of data from disparate sets and the automation of current paper-based systems.

An important element of this role will be to provide consultancy on the data capture and processing; ensuring reliability, consistency and quality are maintained to, a minimum of, ISO9001 standards.

A key element of the design process will be the creation and maintenance of all documentation for systems you are responsible for, including meta-data. Meeting customer goals by gathering business or scientific requirements and provide technical specifications.

There will be an expectation of active involvement in the wider government initiatives.

Line management responsibilities of staff.

Active engagement with APHAs Data Information Unit who manage the overarching Agency's framework.

Responsibility includes:

Successful design, development and delivery of IT systems.

Support of existing systems.

Production of user manual, risk assessment and issues resolution.

Technical assistance during data capture and reporting.

Strong interpersonal skills to establish good working relationships with colleagues, both internal and external customers and wider stakeholders.

Good written and oral communication skills.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

487870 - Scientific Developer (CR1289)

Company: Government Recruitment Service Salary: from £44,052 a year Hours: Full-time Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Working pattern: Hybrid - 2 days remote Job type: Permanent Posting date: 11 Nov 2026 Closing date: 20 Nov 2026

Summary

Job summary

You will work as a part of a team building and maintaining bespoke infrastructure and software applications spanning multiple high impact areas including disease management databases, simulation models to inform disease control policy, and specialist scientific computing infrastructure for scientists across the Defra group. Managing delivery on a range of technical science projects by negotiating scope; planning and monitoring delivery; quality assuring outputs; ensuring appropriate maintenance; and supporting effective resource allocation. You will specialise in the development of business applications for the collection and management of corporate data assets but also supporting software development and IT engineering activities of the wider team.

You will join a small team within the Data Systems Group (DSG) responsible for IT systems hosted on the corporate (Windows) environment.

Technical focus will be across the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC).

As the senior developer you will provide an Intelligent Customer Function while liaising with Stakeholders (both internal e.g. Defra and external e.g. University research depts.). Drawing on experience you will advise stakeholders and take a prominent role in leading on aspects relating to product design, typically this will include the capture of data from disparate sets and the automation of current paper-based systems.

An important element of this role will be to provide consultancy on the data capture and processing; ensuring reliability, consistency and quality are maintained to, a minimum of, ISO9001 standards.

A key element of the design process will be the creation and maintenance of all documentation for systems you are responsible for, including meta-data. Meeting customer goals by gathering business or scientific requirements and provide technical specifications.

There will be an expectation of active involvement in the wider government initiatives.

Line management responsibilities of staff.

Active engagement with APHAs Data Information Unit who manage the overarching Agency's framework.

Responsibility includes:

Successful design, development and delivery of IT systems.

Support of existing systems.

Production of user manual, risk assessment and issues resolution.

Technical assistance during data capture and reporting.

Strong interpersonal skills to establish good working relationships with colleagues, both internal and external customers and wider stakeholders.

Mentoring junior developers.

Good written and oral communication skills.

Essential requirements

Experience and skillsYou will need to demonstrate the following:Software development and data processing skills.Maintenance and support of existing data systems.Ownership and/or architectural role on software development projects.Hands-on experience of enhancing IT capabilities on Agile delivery projects.Good knowledge of both relational and dimensional data modelling approaches.Collaboration with a variety of technical and non-technical stakeholders.Good communication and interpersonal skills.You will have a track record of deploying web-form based solutions written in C# or VB.net and SQL database skills.Technical skillsC#, JavaScript, Visual Basic, SQL, SSIS, SSRS.QualificationsA degree in IT Software Development or equivalent experience as detailed.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.