Software Engineer (Development)

The Open University UK; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid work pattern

Generous leave allowance

Job summary

The Open University in Milton Keynes is seeking a Software Engineer (Development) to join the Teaching and Learning group. You will collaborate with engineers, designers, and product owners to build scalable, online educational software.

With at least 2 years of software development experience, you will contribute across the lifecycle, focus on security and reliability, and mentor juniors. The role supports flexible, hybrid working and requires occasional on-campus presence.

Qualifications

• Proven software development experience with at least 2 years in a development role.
• Solid understanding of the software development lifecycle, from design to deployment.
• Strong ability to design scalable, efficient software solutions.
• Experience with functional and non-functional testing.
• Experience in data modelling and supporting user experience design.
• Interest in emerging technologies and security practices.
• Ability to analyse requirements and translate them into technical specs.
• Experience in supporting application and system operations.

Responsibilities

• Participate in software development across the full lifecycle.
• Design and document scalable system architectures.
• Write, test and maintain high-quality code with tests.
• Support system integration and interoperability.
• Lead testing efforts and ensure security standards.
• Contribute to configuration management and version control.
• Assist with data modelling and database design.
• Support user experience analysis and stakeholder expectations.
• Stay updated with emerging technologies.

Skills

Software development

SDLC

Software design

Testing knowledge

Data modelling

Emerging tech

Security & QA

Requirements Mgmt

System operations

Job description

Job Location: Milton Keynes, Remote/Hybrid

Closing Date: 8 November 2026

Weekly Working Hours: 37

Contract Type: Permanent

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: Not Applicable

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK's largest university, a world leader in flexible part‑time education, combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

About Digital Services

Digital Services is at the heart of delivering life‑changing learning experiences that enrich society. We combine trusted design, data expertise, and cutting‑edge technology to support lifelong learning.

Our objectives are to:

• Enhance the student and staff experience through simple, evidence‑based solutions.
• Deliver value iteratively, securely, and at speed.
• Foster a vibrant, supportive workplace that embraces continuous learning and growth, empowering everyone to succeed.

As a service‑led institution, we are committed to simplifying and improving how we work by organizing ourselves around the services we provide. This enables us to design and deliver outstanding services effectively and efficiently.

With our ethos of being “open to people, places, methods, and ideas,” we proudly support students in every setting imaginable—from submarines to prisons, and everywhere in between. We take pride in enabling our academics to teach and our students to learn, no matter the circumstances.

About the Role

As aSoftware Engineer (Development) (known internally as anEngineer (Development))at The Open University, you will be part of the Teaching and Learning group, a dynamic and innovative team dedicated to delivering world‑class online educational software to our staff and over a hundred thousand students. Collaborating closely with engineers, designers, and product owners, you will build scalable and efficient solutions that meet user needs and support the organisation’s goals.

You will actively participate in all stages of the software development lifecycle, from analysing requirements and designing system architectures to coding, testing, and deploying applications. Your contribution will ensure our solutions are secure, reliable, robust, accessible and user‑friendly.

We’re looking for a motivated engineer with a solid foundation in software development and a passion for learning and innovation. If you enjoy solving complex problems, thrive in a collaborative environment, and are eager to grow your skills, this role offers the perfect opportunity to work on meaningful projects and advance your career.

As a vital part of our agile team, you’ll contribute ideas, tackle technical challenges, and mentor junior engineers while supporting our commitment to continuous improvement and development.

The Open University is an employer committed to the ongoing development of staff both through its own award‑winning distance teaching and industry standard training programmes. As an organisation it promotes a healthy work life balance with a generous leave allowance, a Christmas closure period and flexible working. Our team work remotely and at the university main campus in Milton Keynes. You should be able to attend in‑person meetings, on campus, when required.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in Software Development: Contribute to the development and enhancement of software systems throughout the software lifecycle, from design to deployment, following best practices and industry standards.
• System & Software Design: Assist in the design and documentation of software and system architectures, ensuring that solutions are scalable, reliable, and meet The Open University’s needs.
• Program & Debug Software: Write, test, and maintain high‑quality code with accompanying test scripts and documentation, ensuring that it is well‑structured, efficient, and aligns with project requirements.
• Assist with System Integration: Support the integration of various software components and systems, ensuring seamless interoperability and functionality.
• Lead Testing Efforts: Design and execute test plans to validate software quality, ensuring functionality, performance, and security requirements are met.
• Support Software Configuration Management: Manage software configuration and version control, ensuring that changes are tracked, documented, and easily retrievable.
• Data Modelling & Database Design: Contribute to data modelling and assist with database design to support application development and data integrity.
• User Experience & Analysis: Support user experience design and analysis to ensure that the software solutions are user‑friendly and meet stakeholder expectations.
• Monitor Emerging Technologies: Stay updated with emerging technologies and assess their potential impact on current and future projects.
• Information Security & Quality Assurance: Implement security measures and contribute to quality assurance processes to maintain the integrity and reliability of software systems.
• Contribute to Services, Products & Requirements Analysis: Engage in business analysis to understand stakeholder needs and help define and document technical requirements.
• Evaluate Feasibility: Conduct feasibility assessments for proposed solutions to determine their technical viability and alignment with project goals.
• Non‑functional Testing: Perform non‑functional testing to ensure systems meet performance, scalability, and security standards.
• Support Application & System Operations: Provide support for application and system operations, assisting in incident management, including out‑of‑hours as required, and ensuring smooth functioning of services.
• Availability & Capacity Planning: Contribute to managing system availability and capacity, ensuring that services are reliable and scalable to meet current and future needs.
• Problem Management: Participate in problem management processes, helping to identify and resolve underlying issues to improve system stability.

You will support this work by developing and advocating for the Open University’s Engineering manifesto and promoting best practices.

About You

Key Skills and Experience:

• Proven Software Development Experience: At least 2 years’ experience in a software development role.
• Software Development Lifecycle: Solid understanding of the software development lifecycle, including design, development, testing, and deployment.
• Software Design and Development: Strong skills in designing and developing software solutions that are scalable and efficient.
• Advanced Testing Knowledge: Proficient in functional and non‑functional testing to ensure the delivery of high‑quality software products.
• Data Modelling & User Experience: Experience in data modelling and supporting user experience design to enhance software usability and effectiveness.
• Emerging Technology Awareness: Keen interest in exploring new technologies and their potential applications within the organisation.
• Security & Quality Focus: Understanding of information security and quality assurance practices to maintain the reliability and security of software solutions.
• Analysis & Requirements Management: Ability to analyse requirements and translate them into technical specifications.
• System Support & Operations: Experience in supporting application and system operations, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring system stability.

Behaviours:

• Problem Solver: You approach challenges with a logical and analytical mindset, finding effective solutions to complex problems.
• Collaborative: You work well in team environments, communicating effectively, sharing knowledge and ideas, and contributing to collective success.
• Adaptable: You thrive in a dynamic work environment and are open to learning new skills and technologies.
• Detail‑Oriented: You have a keen eye for detail, ensuring that your work is accurate, high‑quality, and aligns with project goals.
• Curious & Innovative: You stay updated on the latest industry trends and are always looking for ways to incorporate new ideas and technologies into your work.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be approximately once per month.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

We anticipate that interviews for this role will be taking place online via Microsoft Teams during the week commencing 23 November 2026.

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.

Looking for Associate Lecturer (AL) roles?

Please use our AL home page to find AL vacancies.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our services, policies, and staff networks.