Principal Developer

Job summary

This role sits in the Common Business Application (CBA) team, which is a critical capability within UK border protection, and part of a comprehensive RN detection capability within the Cyclamen programme, which screens incoming freight, vehicles and passengers for such material, in order to protect the public.

This sits within the Shared Applications Service department, with over 650 engineers. This is the engineering capability, developing in all areas including policing, Homeland Security, Border Force, and migration.

Our work spans Home Office mission-critical operations, such as enhancing Counter-Terrorism capabilities, transforming Border Security and immigration processes, to revolutionising asylum case management and enhancing Counter-Terrorism capabilities. Imagine developing technology that helps reunite families, creates safer communities, protects vulnerable people, and ensures smoother journeys for the millions travelling to and from the UK.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. Applicants can raise any queries to the email address at the bottom of the advert.

Watch this short video to hear from members of Home Office Digital talking about the projects they work on and their experience of working here: Working for Home Office Digital.

Job description

The Principal Developer works on challenging technical problems, which require broad thinking while remaining hands-on developing software. You will be expected to actively deliver but will have more of a focus on ensuring delivery quality and overall service value. You will be working on large scale problems on critical services setting strategy and standards for the wider team to follow

You may be called upon to take part in planning with senior stakeholders to make sure that technical designs match strategy. In this you will be expected to help ensure that all engineers, architects and other professions are working together. You will also identify, test and advocate for new tools or approaches.

You will support the assurance of our solutions and help resolve any discrepancy between approach and organisational strategy.

As a Principal Developer, you will be expected to mentor other senior engineers in technical tasks, as well as support recruitment and assessment activities, as well as leading engineering teams directly.

You will be expected to understand and use the latest AWS technology, service integration designs, tools and techniques, as well as applying Secure by Design Principals.

Tools and Technologies we use:

We are keen for Engineers to continue learning new technologies, we have a large range in the Home Office but would especially welcome applications from candidates with experience in the below:

• Java (Current Versions), Spring, Spring Boot, Maven, JavaScript
• Other Languages used across the service include: Databases, PostgreSQL and Mongo, AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, React, Node.js, Apache Nifi.

Person specification

Main Responsibilities

• Carrying out challenging implementation tasks, whilst maintaining strong stakeholder engagement and keeping the relevant documentation up to date.
• Delivering new designs and implementations, working with architects/security and other stakeholders.
• Pioneering new software architectural and build/integration approaches, ensuring they adhere to organisational strategy.
• Implementing effective test and QA across a number of individuals/systems.
• Being the technical authority in your area, providing arbitration for complex technical decisions.
• To act or become a Generalizing Specialist, with deep knowledge in their domain, but also broad working understanding of other system areas.
• Be able to support the live 24/7 service as required.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 30 hours per week due to business requirements.

Essential Skills

• Design, specification, development of large and complex data platforms, both cloud and on-premises, including platform migration. (SWDN)
• Selecting appropriate tooling, and specifying, designing, building, refactoring, and documenting complex code, scripts, frameworks, and infrastructure-as-code definitions, to automate build and deployment activities. (PROG)
• Specify and lead the implementation of master data management processes and standards, ensuring data integrity, transformation, availability and searchability through formal methods and protection measures. (DATM)
• Specifying and setting standards for automated testing, scanning and code analysis in collaboration with testers, architects, service owners and developers. (TEST)
• Specifying, guiding, and leading the adoption of automation frameworks for CI/CD and ETL data pipelines. (SINT)
• Specifying and ensuring good use of processes, procedures and tooling for application or database monitoring, maintenance, and incident response. (ASUP)

SFIA capability framework

Skills for the Information Age (SFIA) version 8 is the technical framework that sets the standard capability and development of all levels in the Home Office. This is a link to the capability framework: All skills A - Z English (sfia-online.org).

We use set SFIA technical skills to form our interview questions and we will assess you against these technical skills during the selection process.

The essential skills listed above are reflective of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession Career Framework (based on the industry standard SFIA framework). Use the SFIA