Senior Scientific Developer CR1289 & ID3886

www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk - Jobboard; Weybridge; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency for animal and plant health is seeking a Senior Software Developer to manage technical projects related to disease management. You will design and maintain data capture solutions and liaise with stakeholders to ensure efficient delivery of data. Ideal candidates will have solid experience in software development with C# or VB.NET, along with SQL database skills. This role also includes line management of staff and contribution to broader initiatives.

Qualifications

• Experience in software development in a scientific context.
• Knowledge of IT systems supporting animal disease control.
• Strong communication skills for liaising with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage the delivery of technical science projects.
• Design and maintain data capture solutions.
• Liaise with stakeholders on product design.

Skills

Team management

Project management

C#

VB.NET

SQL

PowerBI

Job description

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of Defra, working to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of individuals, the environment, and the economy. The Data Systems Group (DSG) within the Department of Epidemiological Sciences manages data functions across the department and wider Science Directorate, with capabilities in systems development, data management, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). DSG has experience with data related to various animal health diseases, such as bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs), collaborating with epidemiologists, modelers, statisticians, and external research groups. The Software Development Team in the Department builds and maintains bespoke infrastructure and applications critical for disease management, policy informing models, and scientific computing. This senior role involves managing the delivery of technical science projects, including scope negotiation, planning, quality assurance, and resource management. The role focuses on developing business applications for data collection and management, supporting wider software development and IT engineering activities. The ideal candidate will possess team and project management skills, software development experience, and knowledge of IT systems within a scientific context, supporting animal disease control efforts. You will be part of a small team in DSG responsible for IT systems on the Windows environment. Your technical focus will be on designing, developing, delivering, and maintaining data capture solutions, with experience in deploying web-form solutions using C# or VB.NET and SQL database skills. As the senior developer, you will act as an Intelligent Customer, liaising with stakeholders (internal and external), advising on product design, and leading data capture automation efforts. You will also provide consultancy on data capture and processing, ensuring reliability and quality aligned with ISO9001 standards. Documentation, including metadata, will be a key part of your responsibilities. Meeting customer goals will involve timely data delivery through automation or ad-hoc reporting, utilizing tools like PowerBI, SSRS, or SQL queries. You will actively contribute to wider initiatives relevant to your work, such as the APHA response to the Livestock Information Project (LIP). Line management of staff will also be part of your duties.