Junior Developer

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG); Manchester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

MHCLG in Manchester is seeking a Junior Developer to join a multidisciplinary digital team. You’ll learn from experienced developers while building software that supports people and communities.

You’ll gain hands-on experience with a range of technologies, practice pair programming, write automated tests, and contribute to making government digital services secure and user-focused.

Qualifications

• Experience with a modern programming language such as Python or Java.
• Experience developing web applications with full-stack understanding.
• Experience using RESTful APIs to connect services.
• Experience using SQL and relational databases (PostgreSQL or Dataverse).
• Good communication and collaboration skills with colleagues.
• Willingness to learn new technologies and ways of working.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain high-quality software with a multidisciplinary team.
• Use development best practices, including pair programming and automated testing.
• Help maintain reliability and security of services by monitoring production environments.
• Develop and maintain automated tests supporting CI/CD.
• Collaborate with product managers, designers and researchers to meet user needs.
• Share knowledge and contribute to the wider development community.

Skills

Python/Java

Power Platform

JavaScript

C#

Tools

AWS

Azure

Job description

Job summary

We are MHCLG

Build your digital career with us in Manchester. Technology has an important role to play in how government delivers services and supports communities. As part of our Digital, Data and Information Directorate, you’ll have the opportunity to work on digital services that make a real difference to people’s lives.

Based in Manchester, you’ll join a multidisciplinary digital team and work alongside experienced colleagues to build and improve services used by citizens, Local Authorities and people across MHCLG.

From supporting large-scale grant programmes and using data to improve decision-making, to supporting refugee resettlement, our work contributes to some of the department’s most important services.

As the department’s central digital function, we also provide the technology, platforms and infrastructure that enable teams across MHCLG to deliver their work.

Our teams bring together civil servants and specialist professionals from a range of backgrounds and areas of expertise, giving you the opportunity to learn, contribute your ideas and develop your digital career.

About the role

As a Junior Developer, you’ll have the opportunity to put your technical skills into practice while learning from experienced developers. You’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary team to understand user needs, solve problems and build software that supports people and communities.

You’ll learn through practical experience, including pair programming, writing automated tests and working with colleagues across digital and policy teams. We use the right technology for the job, so you may work with a range of programming languages or Microsoft Power Platform.

Find out more about our digital teams and what they are working on through our MHCLG Digital blog. You can find out how we build software at The MHCLG Way.

Please note that MHCLG does not offer visa sponsorship. Applicants will need a valid visa that allows them to work in the UK for the duration of their employment.

What you'll do

As a Junior Developer, you’ll:

• Develop and maintain high-quality software, working with experienced developers and a multidisciplinary team to build secure, reliable and user-focused digital services.
• Use development best practices, including pair programming, test-driven development (TDD) and automated testing, with support from experienced colleagues.
• Help maintain the reliability and security of our services by monitoring systems and supporting the management of production environments.
• Develop and maintain automated tests that support continuous integration and deployment.
• Work collaboratively with developers and colleagues across disciplines, including product managers, designers and user researchers, to understand user needs and deliver effective solutions.
• Share your knowledge and ideas with colleagues and contribute to the wider development community as you build your skills and experience.

What we're looking for

We’re looking for people who can work with others, are interested in building a career in software development, and have a foundation of technical skills they can build on.

As a Junior Developer you’ll have:

• Experience with a modern programming language, such as Python or Java, or experience with Microsoft Power Platform or Dynamics 365, potentially alongside JavaScript and C#.
• Experience developing web applications, with an understanding of full-stack development, version control, and cloud-based infrastructure such as AWS or Azure.
• Experience working with RESTful APIs and an understanding of how they are used to connect digital services.
• Experience using SQL and relational databases, ideally PostgreSQL or Microsoft Dataverse.
• Good communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain ideas, raise problems and share progress clearly with colleagues.
• A commitment to your own learning and development, with a willingness to learn new technologies, tools and ways of working.