Java Software Engineer

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP); Lichfield; Hybrid; GBP 44,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid working

Generous leave

Pension scheme

Learning & development

Employee discounts

Health & wellbeing

Job summary

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is seeking a Java Engineer to join the Debt Services unit and help modernise public services for the UK government. You will work in multi-disciplinary agile delivery teams, building and running cloud-first applications using Java, Spring Boot and Azure services.

The role emphasizes problem-solving, collaboration and delivering high-value digital services that impact millions of people, with hybrid working and a strong commitment to learning and development.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering APIs and microservices.
• Cloud experience with Azure and event-driven tech.
• Strong TDD/BDD practice across SDLC.
• Familiarity with SQL/NoSQL databases.
• Experience in agile multi-disciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Design software within multidisciplinary teams to support public services.
• Build robust UIs and APIs with an API-first approach.
• Contribute to automated testing and quality assurance.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to teams.
• Collaborate with Product and Delivery Managers.

Skills

APIs & REST

Azure

TDD/BDD

Agile

Collaboration

Tools

Java 21+

Azure Service Bus

Postgres

MongoDB

Node.js

Job description

Are you an experienced Java Engineer looking for the next challenge? Would you like to join our Software Engineer team to help Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) modernise the way it delivers public services? Were looking for outstanding Software Engineers, who want to contribute to demanding and exciting digital services for the UK Government. Be part of changing the face of public services with the potential to dramatically transform the future of millions of people. Our Engineers will build and run applications as part of multi-functional agile delivery teams. What really excites the successful candidate is problem-solving and the opportunity to deliver innovative technology that carries real value for users. The candidate will be expected to draw value from collaboration with others, actively seek input from colleagues and value a multidisciplinary team over hierarchy. You will be working as a Java Engineer within DWPs Debt Services unit. We are delivering strategic, greenfield programmes to build modern, cloud-first Debt Management and Compensation Recovery systems that recover approximately 3 billion per annum while protecting the most vulnerable in our society. Our full-stack digital products include user-interfaces, APIs, integration platforms, primarily using Azure Cloud, Java, Spring Boot, Azure Service Bus, Postgres, MongoDB and Node.JS (user-interfaces)., As a Software Engineer you will develop andmaintainsoftware products that make up citizen and organisation facing services and contribute towards their design.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of multidisciplinary teams, in collaboration with architects and engineers, to design software products that make up services used by millions of people.
• Be building robust and accessible User Interfaces (UIs) that work for as many users as possible, regardless of their needs.
• Be building and consuming APIs, with a focus on an API first design approach,and event-driven programming.
• Bemonitoringsystem robustness,resilienceand stability.
• Collaborating with other areas to help build comprehensive suites of automated tests to improve product quality.
• Participating directly in agile ceremonies and contributing ideas.
• Help make sure we follow best practice and will guide our teams on how to deliver quality software products.
• Help design and support the strategies for building reusable libraries and services.
• Support Software Engineering teams providing technical leadership and guidance.
• Contribute to setting strategic direction for product team and the wider Software Engineering community.

Note:Occasional travel between the Digital hubs for business purposes will be required.

Requirements

• Knowledge and experience of APIs, RESTful services, or asynchronous system development within Microservice Architectures.
• Demonstrable experience in developing on cloud-based environments, such as Azure, with event driven technologies, such as Azure Service Bus.
• A good understanding of Test Driven Development (TDD) and Behaviour Driven Development (BDD) and building quality into services throughout the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
• Experience of SQL or NoSQL database applications such as Postgres, MySQL, and MongoDB.
• Experience working in agile, multi-disciplinary teams to deliver user-centred digital services. Ability to collaborate effectively with Product Managers, Delivery Managers and other specialists.

Technical Statement

4. Technical statement (up to 250 words). The following statement is aligned to the required technical skill of: Programming and Build. This statement should be used to provide example(s) of how you meet the criterion below:

• Please provide evidence of your knowledge and proven experience of developing large scale systems using open-source technologies using Java 21 or above.

Ensure that all examples provided in your statements are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statements, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide.

Alongside your salary of 44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 12,876 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

Benefits

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office. If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Salary Information

Salary Information Pay for this role is from 44,447 to 59,813. The maximum salary for the grade is 46,547, however a Digital Allowance of up to 13,266 per annum is available for exceptional candidates. Digital Allowance is non-salary, and non-pensionable, and is classed as a temporary allowance. It is reviewed annually where it could be retained, amended, or removed. Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview. Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer will maintain their current substantive salary. Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater. Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation to determine your pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role.

Artificial Intelligence

Things you need to know Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.