Lead Software Developer - Department Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - G7

Location

Bristol, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Reading, Warrington, York

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world‑leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day‑to‑day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink. Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.

We have around 1000 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.

Using your experience and skills, you may be asked to work on our ‘Flood services’—developing government digital services, to share information about current and future flood risk with the public. It could be your job to ensure that they are accessible to all, especially in times of severe weather!

Alternatively, you could be involved with our Farming and Countryside Programme, which is about delivering services to make farming sustainable, increase biodiversity, promote high animal health and welfare standards, and contribute to the Government’s Net Zero commitment, ensuring public money for public good.

A wide range of other projects requires us to maintain and develop externally facing digital services and internal applications. As part of a multidisciplinary team, you will have responsibility for ‘owning’ the functionality that you develop.

If you would like to join us in building great solutions for Defra and our Arm’s Length Bodies, then this could be the job for you. As a Lead Developer, you will also play a key role in shaping modern development practices across teams, including the adoption of AI‑assisted coding tools such as Git Hub Copilot. You’ll use these tools to support faster delivery, improved code quality and better outcomes for users, whilst ensuring that strong engineering judgement, code review, testing and security remain central.

You will review colleagues design and development thinking, helping teams to make good technical decisions to select the most appropriate technologies. You will lead the integration of multiple systems and services, collaborate with senior stakeholders and suppliers, and provide direction and constructive challenge to ensure that solutions are secure, maintainable and sustainable.

This is an opportunity to be part of an organisation actively modernising how software is built in government, combining strong engineering fundamentals with the responsible use of new tooling, including AI, to improve delivery  use a modern, cloud‑based technology stack, and follow continuous delivery and Dev Sec Ops  best practice.

• Runtime & web development:
  Node.js, HAPI
• API development: REST, OpenAPI
• Databases & caching:
  Postgre
  
  SQL, Mongo
  
  DB, Redis
• Unit testing:
  Jest, Lab
• Source control:
  Git, Git Hub
• Cloud hosting:
  Azure and AWS
• Containerisation & orchestration:
  Docker, Kubernetes, ECS
• CI/CD & release management:
  Azure Dev Ops, Jenkins, Git Hub Actions
• Work management:
  Jira, Azure Dev Ops
• Developer productivity tools: AI assisted coding tools such as Git Hub Copilot (where appropriate), alongside established code review and quality controls

SC Clearance: To gain SC clearance all applicants are required to have been a UK resident for a minimum of 5 years. If this requirement is not met, the individual will not be able to progress their application further.

• A dedication to learn new technologies and to explore new industry concepts, including AI‑assisted software development tools.
• Leading more junior developers on the team, including both permanent staff and suppliers, translating requirements into viable system designs.
• Putting users first, identifying needs based on evidence, developing services to meet those needs, and engaging in meaningful interactions and relationships with…