Junior Software Developer - Cross Cutting (Ref: 12153)

HM Courts and Tribunals Service; Folly Gate; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in the United Kingdom is seeking a Junior Software Developer to work with a diverse team to innovate and enhance public services through technology. Candidates should have some programming experience and a desire to learn modern software tools. This role includes designing, coding, and testing software while adhering to best practices, with a salary range from £35,335 to £42,859 depending on location.

Benefits

Access to learning and development

Flexible working options

Civil Service pension

Annual leave

Public holidays

Qualifications

• Some experience in a modern object-oriented programming language and willingness to learn our tech stack.
• Working knowledge of HTTP and HTML/CSS/JavaScript.
• Experience with structured data such as XML and JSON.

Responsibilities

• Design, code, test, correct, and document programs under direction.
• Adhere to best practices and produce well-engineered products.
• Maintain software and troubleshoot faults.

Skills

Object-oriented programming

HTML/CSS/JavaScript

Structured data (XML, JSON)

Relational databases (PostgreSQL)

Version control (Git)

Security issues awareness

Team collaboration in Agile

Tools

Java

Node.js

Jenkins

Docker

Azure

Job description

Overview

Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession Capability Framework and Success Profiles Frameworks are used to determine if you will receive an additional allowance on top of your basic salary. This role is aligned to the Technical Job Family, Software Developer at Junior Developer level, but carries the title Junior Software Developer within DTS. As a Junior Software Developer at HMCTS you will work with a wide range of stakeholders such as user researchers, product managers, designers, business analysts, delivery managers and digital architects, all of whom share a vision for making better government through smarter use of technology.

You will innovate to radically transform public services for the better. The development squad you are placed on will be agreed closer to your start date. Examples of products can be found in our GitHub repository: https://github.com/hmcts. More information about our ways of working is available in the HMCTS Way: https://hmcts.github.io.

Responsibilities

• Design, code, test, correct and document simple programs or scripts under the direction of others.
• Constantly seek to learn and further develop your skills as required for your role.
• Adhere to industry best practices, produce well‑engineered modern products.
• Use security controls to build secure products and engineer to mitigate security threats. Handle information with confidentiality and integrity, work with others to ensure compliance and information assurance, and contribute to identifying risks and threats.
• Support and maintain software as required, including in the live environment.
• Use modern tools to effectively package and deploy software and thoroughly identify and troubleshoot faults. Some activities may be outside core office hours in line with the organisation’s policies.
• Contribute to planning by estimating your own effort. Practice the agreed methodology and apply it to your work, identifying obvious deficiencies and supporting activities to improve the development process.
• Translate logical designs into physical designs, produce simple designs that include well‑understood technology and appropriate patterns. Develop software to meet approved architectural artefacts. Identify, record and escalated technical debt and low‑level risks.
• Build and test simple interfaces between systems, or work on more complex integration as part of a wider team.
• Share knowledge with developers and other coders (DevOps, automation testers etc.).
• Translate user stories to a proposed design and develop software to meet user needs.

Success Profile and Interview Process

The following areas of the Success Profile Framework will be used to assess and score your application during the sift and interview.

• Experience – As demonstrated in your application form.
• Technical – Coding task and interview. If successful, you will move on to the interview stage, which will include an extension exercise to the coding task you submit in your Personal Statement.
• During the interview you will be assessed against the Government Digital and Data (GDD) Capability Framework.
• Presentation – You will be required to present your solution during the interview and there will be an extension exercise you will also be asked to do.
• Behaviours – You will be required to provide evidence of the following key behaviours at HEO Level: Delivering at Pace, Making Effective Decisions.

Technical Skills Assessment

• Capability Skill 1 – Programming and Build.
• Capability Skill 2 – Information Security.
• Capability Skill 3 – Modern Standards Approach.
• Capability Skill 4 – Systems Integration.

Application Requirements

When submitting your application please complete the following coding task and provide a link to the repository:

https://github.com/hmcts/dts-developer-challenge-junior

Please note the Civil Service application process is name‑blind, so ensure that the repository containing your code does not include any personal information that would identify you.

Within the answer box, please confirm you have completed the challenge.

Security Clearance

• To apply for this role, you will be required to successfully complete Security Clearance (SC) level as a condition of appointment: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/sc-guidance-pack-for-applicants.
• Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
• Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed.
• See our vetting charter and baseline personnel security standard checks.

Nationality Requirements

• 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).
• 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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. We run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria and also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy.

Salary and Benefits

Salary range: £35,335 - £42,859. The national salary range is £35,335 - £37,847; London salary range is £40,014 - £42,859. Your salary will be dependent on your base location.

Benefits:

• Access to learning and development.
• Flexible working and a working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work‑life balance.
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
• Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97 %.
• Annual leave.
• Public holidays.
• Season ticket advance.

Further Information

HMCTS Digital and Technology Services (DTS) is a specialist technology directorate which provides support to HMCTS in the use of IT and Digital. For more information about HMCTS and the recruitment process, benefits and allowances, please visit the Candidate Information Page: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ.

Technologies Used

• Java (backend services).
• Node.js (frontend services).
• Power Platform for low‑code development.
• Jenkins for CI/CD.
• Dynatrace for application monitoring.
• Kubernetes and Docker to run our services.
• Azure for most of our infrastructure.
• Terraform for infrastructure as code.
• PostgreSQL and Redis as our databases.
• GOV.UK Design System for our web interfaces.
• Macs for development.

Required Skills for the Junior Developer Role

• Some experience in a modern object‑oriented programming language and a willingness to learn our tech stack (Java and JavaScript).
• Working knowledge of HTTP and HTML/CSS/JavaScript.
• Experience working with structured data such as XML and JSON.
• Working knowledge of at least one type of relational database (e.g. PostgreSQL).
• Working knowledge of logging, monitoring, cloud hosting and source control (Git) in an enterprise environment.
• Understanding of common security issues and how to mitigate them (OWASP Top 10).
• Hold yourself and others to a high standard.
• Care about making usable experiences with a good understanding of front‑end development concerns.
• Thrives when working as part of an agile team.
• Solves problems in a systematic way.
• Enjoys learning and helping others.