Senior Software Engineer; Design System

Senior Software Engineer (Design System)

Join The Open University as a Senior Software Engineer (Design System) and play a key role in creating consistent, accessible, and high‑quality digital experiences used across our platforms.

Senior Software Engineer (Design System) role (known internally as Senior Engineer) sits within the Design System team, responsible for building and evolving a shared UI component library and related assets used by multiple product teams across the organisation. You will work closely with designers and engineers to translate design intent into high‑quality, accessible, and reusable components, enabling consistent user experiences  role focuses on front‑end and user‑interface capabilities, developer experience, and supporting consuming teams through documentation, versioning, and ongoing maintenance.

• Lead Software Development Projects
  :
  Guide the design, development, and implementation of software solutions, ensuring they are robust, scalable, and aligned with The Open University objectives. Provide technical leadership and mentorship, and may include line management, to junior team members.
• Architect and Design Systems
  :
  Develop and refine system architectures and software designs that meet requirements and technical specifications. Ensure that all designs are maintainable, secure, and optimized for performance, and systems are designed to be observable, supportable, and resilient in live operation, with appropriate monitoring, alerting, and operational documentation in place.
• Drive Technical Excellence
  :
  Champion best practices in software development, including coding standards, TDD and automated testing approaches (e.g. unit and integration), and version control, to ensure the delivery of high‑quality, scalable and maintainable software products.
• Oversee System Integration
  :
  Manage the integration of multiple software components, ensuring seamless interaction and functionality across the system.
• Data Management and Analysis
  :
  Lead efforts in data modelling, database design, and business intelligence to support data‑driven decision making and improve system performance.
• Enhance User Experience
  :
  Collaborate with UX designers to ensure that user experience is a key consideration in the development process. Translate user needs into functional software features that deliver value.
• Monitor and Assess Emerging Technologies
  :
  Stay informed about new and emerging technologies, evaluating their potential to enhance current and future projects.
• Implement Security and Compliance Standards
  :
  Ensure that software solutions comply with security standards and industry regulations. Implement best practices to protect data and maintain system integrity.
• Quality Assurance and Testing
  :
  Oversee comprehensive testing strategies, including functional, non‑functional, and security testing, to ensure software reliability and performance.
• Support Operational Excellence
  :
  Contribute to the stability and performance of software applications by supporting incident and problem management, utilising observability data, as part of a build‑run‑own approach, including out‑of‑hours as required, as well as service level and capacity planning.
• Conduct Services, Products and Requirements Analysis
  :
  Work closely with stakeholders to understand their needs, define technical requirements, and assess the feasibility of proposed solutions. Document and manage requirements to ensure alignment with project goals.
• Resource and Supplier Management
  :
  Assist in managing resource allocation and collaborate with external vendors to ensure project needs are met effectively and efficiently.

• Proven Software Engineering Expertise
  :
  Extensive experience in software development (coding, test writing and debugging), reviewing other people’s work, with a deep understanding of programming, system design, and testing practices.
• Strong System and Software Design Skills
  :
  Ability to design scalable and efficient systems, ensuring architectural integrity and alignment with The Open University objectives, with experience contributing to systems built using modern architectural patterns…