Software Developer - Python

Largely remote but must have the ability to travel to Leeds/ Manchester/ Newcastle/ Sheffield 

We are seeking an experienced Software Developer to join a small, highly capable team focused on exploring, validating and shaping technical solutions for a large-scale digital transformation programme. Working closely with technical architects and multidisciplinary teams, you will undertake research, proof-of-concept development, and technical analysis to support key technology decisions for future service development.

This is an excellent opportunity for a self-sufficient engineer who enjoys working in environments with a high degree of autonomy, ambiguity, and innovation, helping define technical standards and approaches that will influence future delivery.

Responsibilities

• Develop proof-of-concept solutions and technical prototypes to evaluate technology options.

• Collaborate with architects and technical stakeholders to investigate and validate solution designs.

• Conduct technical research and structured analysis to support strategic technology decisions.

• Build scalable, maintainable software components using modern development frameworks and tools.

• Contribute to the establishment of engineering standards, patterns, and best practices.

• Work independently to progress complex technical challenges with minimal direction.

• Support the evaluation of cloud-native and containerised deployment approaches.

• Share findings and recommendations with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

What Success Looks Like in This Role

• Delivery of high-quality prototypes and technical spikes that support informed decision-making.

• Establishment of robust engineering patterns and development approaches for future teams.

• Effective collaboration with architecture and delivery functions.

• Clear documentation of technical findings, recommendations, and risks.

• Consistent delivery in an environment with evolving requirements and limited precedent.

• Positive contribution to technical innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills & Experience

• Strong commercial experience developing software using Python.

• Experience with modern web frameworks such as Flask and FastAPI.

• Knowledge of HTML, RESTful APIs, and JSON-based integrations.

• Experience implementing authentication and authorisation solutions using OAuth/OIDC.

• Familiarity with MongoDB or other NoSQL database technologies.

• Strong Linux administration and development environment experience.

• Experience with containerisation technologies, particularly Docker.

• Working knowledge of cloud platforms, ideally AWS.

• Experience using Git and modern version control practices.

• Understanding of DevOps principles, continuous integration, and deployment practices.

• Strong problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Ability to work independently and operate effectively within emerging or undefined technical landscapes.

Desirable Skills

• Experience working within innovation, research, or early-stage product development environments.

• Exposure to large-scale digital transformation programmes.

• Experience defining technical standards, patterns, and architectural approaches.

• Knowledge of government digital service standards and accessible design principles.

• Experience working within agile multidisciplinary teams.

• Familiarity with user-centred design approaches and modern service development methodologies.