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Software Tech Lead / Staff Engineer - Defence
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Software Tech Lead / Staff Engineer
Wiltshire | Hybrid, around 3 days onsite
Up to £120,000 + Benefits
UK Security Clearance required or must be eligible
Are you a senior software engineer who can lead technically, mentor other engineers and explain the wider business impact of the technology you build?
This is a senior technical leadership role working on a major, multi year UK Defence programme, taking ownership of complex software, integration and data challenges.
You’ll remain hands on while acting as a technical point of reference for the wider team, shaping architecture, leading design decisions and mentoring engineers.
The environment includes Java, SQL/PostgreSQL and Angular, with significant work across APIs, integrations, data platforms and event driven systems.
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The role will include:
- Leading technical design and architecture across complex software solutions
- Building backend services, APIs and integrations with external systems
- Remaining hands on across Java, SQL and full stack development
- Leading technical discussions and influencing engineering decisions
- Mentoring Senior Engineers and helping develop future technical leaders
- Improving engineering standards across testing, CI/CD, observability and code quality
- Working directly with technical and non technical customer stakeholders
- Connecting engineering decisions to measurable programme and business outcomes
You’ll need to have operated at Senior, Lead or Staff Engineer level, with strong backend engineering experience and the ability to work across the wider stack.
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Just as importantly, you need strong business acumen. You should be able to explain where your technical decisions have made a tangible difference, whether that is improving performance, reducing costs, accelerating delivery, increasing reliability or solving an important customer problem.
You should also be able to demonstrate where you have mentored other engineers, raised technical standards and operated as a senior role model beyond simply delivering your own code.
Existing SC clearance would be advantageous, although candidates who meet the eligibility requirements can undergo the clearance process.
If you want Staff level technical ownership while staying hands on and seeing the real impact of what you build, this offers exactly that.
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