Android Developer

Guardian News and Media Limited; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 62,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent media organization in the UK is seeking an Android Developer to join their Apps team. This role involves building and testing new features for Android applications, primarily using Kotlin, and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams in an Agile setup. The ideal candidate should be experienced in Android development, confident in Kotlin, and willing to work with Java. The position offers a yearly salary of £62,000 and includes generous benefits such as 30 days of annual leave and a flexible working environment.

Benefits

30 days annual leave

Flexible public holidays

Generous pension scheme

Paid volunteering days

Subsidised gym membership

10% time for personal development

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience building and deploying Android applications.
• Strong interest in Android development and a desire to grow your expertise.
• Confident coding in Kotlin and building in Android Studio.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test and maintain Android applications primarily using Kotlin.
• Collaborate in an Agile environment, participating in sprint planning and code reviews.
• Engage in regular hack days, driving innovation and experimentation.

Skills

Kotlin

Android Development

Agile Methodologies

Java

Tools

Android Studio

Job description

Overview

You’ll be building and testing major new features, as well as improving and maintaining existing functionality for The Guardian’s Android apps. Our current codebase is 90%+ in Kotlin, but you may be required to work with Java too. You won’t be coding in isolation – our culture is strongly collaborative, whether pair programming with other developers or working closely with other stakeholders.

You can expect to work closely with iOS, server‑side, and web engineers, and designers, product managers, editorial and commercial colleagues. You’ll have a voice in all big decisions the team makes. Sometimes deciding what code to write is as hard as writing the code itself. As an engineer you’ll be involved in product decisions as well as technical ones. You’ll review the code of other engineers to ensure we maintain our app’s high standard. You’ll strive to be innovative on a daily basis, as well as at our regular hack days.

We operate in a hybrid environment. Software engineers are expected to come into the office at least one day per week (more is welcomed).

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test and maintain Android applications primarily using Kotlin, with occasional use of Java.
• Collaborate in an Agile environment, participating in sprint planning, daily stand‑ups, and code reviews.
• Pair program with teammates and work closely with cross‑functional stakeholders (iOS, server‑side, web engineers, designers, product managers, editorial and commercial teams).
• Contribute to product and technical decision‑making, ensuring high code quality and best practices.
• Engage in our regular hack days, driving innovation and experimentation.
• Support the creation of digital products that showcase The Guardian’s journalism, including tools for writers and services that distribute stories globally.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience building and deploying Android applications.
• Strong interest in Android development and a desire to grow your expertise.
• Confident coding in Kotlin and building in Android Studio.
• Some experience with Java or a willingness to learn.
• Ability to make intelligent choices about technologies and when to use them.
• Commitment to code quality, best practices, and continuous improvement.
• Experience working in Agile development environments.

Contract Details

We’re looking for an Android Developer/Engineer to join our Apps team on a 12‑month fixed‑term contract or internal secondment.

Remuneration

We strive for transparency in remuneration. The salary for new Apps Developers at the Guardian is £62,000 per year.

Benefits & Perks

• 30 days annual leave and the option to purchase an extra 5 days
• Flexible public holidays
• Generous pension scheme – if you contribute 5%, the Guardian will contribute 8–12% (depending on your age)
• Up to 26 weeks of parental leave at full pay
• Multi‑faith prayer room
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme and subsidised gym membership
• Paid volunteering days
• 10% time – dedicated time for personal development, separate from time spent contributing to your team’s delivery
• Access to an employee benefits platform with tailored health and wellbeing support
• Free yoga and Pilates classes, alongside corporate gym membership
• On‑site canteen with views overlooking Regent’s Canal, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We value and respect all differences (seen and unseen) in all people. We aspire to have inclusive working experiences and an environment that reflects the audience we serve, where our people have equal access to career development opportunities, their voices are heard and can contribute to our future. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

Company Culture & Wellbeing

We want everyone to feel like they belong at the Guardian and we champion diversity of thought. Our various employee forums provide a platform for employees to use their voice to foster an inclusive workplace. We became the first major media organisation to achieve B Corp status.

In addition to the benefits above, we offer tools to help you prioritise your wellbeing, including access to our employee benefits platform and free yoga and Pilates classes.