Navy Command - Software Engineer (Junior)

Job summary

Are you an aspiring or developing software engineer who wants to apply their skills to real operational challenges? Do you enjoy building practical digital products, solving complex problems, improving existing systems, and working closely with users to understand what they need?

1710 Naval Air Squadron is a specialist Royal Navy unit based at HM Naval Base Portsmouth. We are a mixed Civil Service and Tri-Service military team of engineers, scientists, digital specialists and data professionals who use scientific, engineering, digital and data reasoning to help recover, sustain and enhance UK Defence aviation capability.

This role sits within the Digital & Data Department, supporting Data Exploitation activity across 1710 NAS, the Fleet Air Arm, Joint Aviation Command and wider Defence Aviation. The Department is organised around three connected sections: Digital Services, Data Exploitation and Flight Data Exploitation, which together support information systems, analytical products, digital solutions and recorded flight data exploitation.

As our Software Engineer, you will help design, build, test, document, maintain and improve software products that turn data into usable operational insight. You will support current and emerging 1710 NAS work strands including analytical products, digital services, data exploitation capability, application maintenance, database-enabled solutions, AI-adjacent innovation, and stakeholder-facing digital products.

Job description

As our Software Engineer you will support the development, maintenance and improvement of software solutions used to support 1710 NAS Data Exploitation activity. You will work with users, data specialists, engineers, digital services personnel and aviation subject matter experts to understand operational problems and translate them into useful, sustainable digital solutions. The role will include both new development and through-life support. This may include maintaining existing applications, improving functionality, resolving issues, supporting bug fixes, improving usability, documenting solutions, conducting testing activity and ensuring digital products remain fit for purpose as technology and user needs develop. You will be expected to adopt a user-centred and service-focused approach, with an appreciation of the full product lifecycle from idea, discovery and requirement capture through to design, development, test, service support, improvement and eventual withdrawal.

Responsibilities

As a Software Engineer within 1710 NAS Digital & Data, you will be responsible for:

• Designing, developing, testing and documenting software solutions that support Data Exploitation, Digital Services, Flight Data Exploitation and wider 1710 NAS outputs.
• Writing clean, secure and maintainable code, following appropriate MOD and team standards.
• Develop and maintain data pipelines to ingest, transform and validate data from multiple sources.
• Developing and maintaining applications, APIs, scripts, databases and data-enabled tools that support operational users.
• Supporting existing applications by investigating defects, correcting bugs, improving functionality and maintaining service continuity.
• Working with users and stakeholders to understand problems, capture requirements and translate them into technical tasks.
• Supporting database design, data modelling and integration where required.
• Using appropriate development and task management tools, such as DevOps or other agreed team tools, to manage work, evidence progress and maintain documentation.
• Contributing to testing, release, support and continuous improvement activity.

Person specification

We are looking for someone with a strong interest in software engineering, data and digital delivery. You do not need to know everything on day one, but you should be able to demonstrate curiosity, practical problem-solving, a willingness to learn, and the ability to work with users to deliver useful outcomes.

Essential criteria
- Practical experience of software development, either through professional experience, education, self-directed learning or personal projects. You understand how to design, build, test and improve software products.
- Write, adapt or maintain code using one or more relevant languages or frameworks. Examples may include C#, ASP.NET, SQL, Python, JavaScript or other appropriate technologies.
- Able to investigate issues, resolve bugs, improve existing applications and consider how users will operate the product after release.
- Work with users and stakeholders to understand a problem, clarify requirements and develop practical solutions.
- Take responsibility for your work, identify issues early, and are proactive in seeking solutions.
- Work as part of a multidisciplinary team, explain technical issues clearly, and contribute to a positive team environment.
- You are motivated by applying software engineering to operational, engineering and data-led challenges across Defence aviation.

Desirable criteria

• Experience with C#, ASP.NET, SQL, Python, JavaScript, Power Platform, Power BI or similar technologies.
• Experience using Git, Azure, DevOps practices, backlog management tools or other software delivery tooling.
• Understanding of APIs, databases, data models or integration between systems.
• Awareness of cyber security, information assurance, secure coding or MOD information handling requirements.
• Experience supporting software in a live or service environment.
• Experience capturing user requirements and translating them into technical tasks.
• Awareness of agile delivery methods, including Scrum or Kanban.
• Experience producing technical documentation, test notes, release notes or user guidance.
• A valid UK driving licence.

Qualifications

Applicants should hold strong English and Maths skills and either a Level 3 qualification in a digital, software, computing, data or engineering-related subject, or equivalent practical experience relevant to software engineering.

Qualifications

Applicants should hold either a Level 3 qualification in a digital, software, computing, data or engineering-related subject, or equivalent practical experience relevant to software engineering.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Changing and Improving

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• •Digital and Data profession capability framework – Junior Software Developer: Programming and Build
• •Digital and Data profession capability framework – Junior Software Developer: Service Support

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,740, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,905 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We'll provide a great range of benefits including:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Market-leading employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Personal & professional development including working towards Chartership and accreditation support.
• Alternative work