Junior Software Developer

Department for Education; Bristol; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in Bristol seeks a Junior Developer to enhance online services. This role involves working with a multidisciplinary team and learning the latest technologies, including Git and Azure DevOps. Expect to gain experience with Test-Driven Development and contribute to features for government services. Ideal for those looking to start their career in software development.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Diverse and inclusive work culture

Flexible working hours

Qualifications

• Ability to develop features for government services.
• Experience with Test-Driven Development and CI/CD.
• Knowledge of RESTful web systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop features for online collection services.
• Engage in modern software development practices.
• Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team.

Skills

HTML/CSS

JavaScript

Git

Education

Relevant technical degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Azure DevOps

GitHub

Job description

Overview

This post is based in the Online Collection team within the Enterprise Data for Funding and Oversight division. We provide an online collection service to the department. We model data for a range of users, including internal analysts, providers, ministers, and the wider education sector across further education, apprenticeships, skills, and schools. The team oversees the running and development of the Achieve and .NET form builder environments. EDFO is a fast-paced data service providing department wide services and to the Department for Education. This role will give you the opportunity to develop knowledge wider and allow you to provide practical application of your skills. To enable you to get the most from this role we will offer you a range of roles in the team to give you exposure to a wide variety of exciting projects.

It is an exciting time to join the team, as we are modernising our software development function, using new and exciting technologies. As a software developer, you will play a key role in shaping the service offering, ensuring that we continue to meet the needs of our diverse user base. You will collaborate with user researchers, product managers, designers, business analysts, delivery managers, and content specialists as part of a multi-disciplinary team to directly deliver better outcomes for users. You will innovate to radically transform how public services are delivered and improved.

As a Junior Developer you will be learning the latest technologies and trends, whilst delivering working software early and often. Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, you\'ll develop your skills to build a career as a software developer.

Responsibilities

• Be responsible for the development of features of Government services.
• Gain experience with modern software development practices such as Test-Driven Development, CI/CD, and DevOps as well as modern development workflows using GitHub and Azure DevOps.
• Learn to work in an agile environment.
• With the support of senior developers and the wider community, learn to build user-centred, open source, RESTful web systems to serve a variety of citizen and government needs.
• Share knowledge of tools and techniques with the wider team and community, both developers and non-developers.
• Help build and maintain a diverse, inclusive culture across the development community, growing awareness, inclusivity, and balance.

We will use your CV and statement to assess your suitability for the role against the essential criteria listed in the person specification section above. To confirm, the maximum word count for the statement of suitability is 750. Please adhere to this limit as anything over 750 words will not be taken into account. You will be required to provide a 250 word example demonstrating how you meet the technical skills listed above.

Interview

• We will only supply feedback if we invite you to an interview.
• For interview, candidates will be asked to complete a 10 min presentation on 'a recent software development project that you led or have been a part of, where you\'ve written code and developed a solution to solve a problem. This may be followed up by additional questions based on what was presented'. The presentation will be assessed against the technical skills listed above.
• At interview you will be asked questions to assess your experience in line with the essential criteria listed above.
• At interview you will also be asked questions around the technical skills mentioned in your application.

Other Information

• Interviews may be via Microsoft teams or face to face; the vacancy manager will confirm prior to the Interview.
• In your application, please don\'t include personal information that identifies you.
• This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - it\'s called name blind recruitment (opens in a new window).
• Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your:
  • name/title
  • educational institutions
  • age
  • gender
  • email address
  • postal address
  • phone number
  • nationality/immigration status
• 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
• We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.
• Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
• The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.
• If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
• In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing [e-mail] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
• Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
• A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
• Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
• Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant\'s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
• Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
• Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
• Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
• Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
• Reasonable adjustment
• If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
• Contact Department of Education via [e-mail] soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you\'re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
• Please refer to the attached 'Reasonable Adjustments Guide 05_2025 - accessible version' at the bottom of the advert, for further information.
• Childcare Vouchers
• Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
• Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
• Security
• Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
• People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationalities and Diversity

• Nationality requirements
• This job is broadly open to the following groups:
• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
• Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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