Junior Software Developer

Wilsons Auctions is the largest independently owned auction house operating across the UK and Ireland. With a network of 10 centres, we continue to grow and are seeking to appoint a Junior Software Developer to support the ongoing development of our digital auction platform.

This role can be based at our regional offices in Belfast, Glasgow, Newcastle, or Dublin.

Gavel is our enterprise-grade, end-to-end auction platform that powers both internal operations and the public-facing auction website. It has been built as a modern Type Script solution using a Node.js backend API with NestJS, a React administrative portal, and a Next.js customer-facing website. The product is hosted on a contemporary AWS cloud architecture using infrastructure as code via AWS CDK, with scalable services, managed data storage, content delivery, real‑time capabilities and observability built in.

During the first phase, you will work alongside senior engineers, internal stakeholders and our third‑party supplier that currently supports and contributes to the Gavel platform's development. You will take part in code reviews, documentation activities, knowledge‑capture sessions and agreed ways of working to help Wilsons Auctions build internal capability and reduce external dependency over time.

• Deliver feature improvements, new features and bug fixes across the Gavel monorepo, including the Node.js/NestJS backend API, React admin portal and Next.js public website, with a focus on reliability, accessibility, performance and maintainability.
• Maintain and evolve the backend API, developed using Node.js, NestJS and TypeORM, alongside the Aurora MySQL Serverless v2 schema and migrations; ensure data integrity, robust API design and query performance at scale.
• Write clean, maintainable Type Script code with guidance from senior developers, following agreed coding standards and review processes.
• Support the maintenance of backend services using NestJS, Node.js, TypeORM and Aurora MySQL, including safe changes to schemas, queries and migrations under supervision.
• Contribute to front‑end development using React and Next.js, helping improve usability, accessibility, performance and reliability.
• Support testing activities, including unit, integration and end‑to‑end tests, and help investigate defects reported by users, operations or support teams.
• Assist with integrations to third‑party services by helping implement, test, document and troubleshoot API connections, webhooks and data flows.
• Contribute to documentation, run‑books and knowledge‑transfer materials so that system knowledge is captured clearly for the internal team.
• Learn and contribute to CI/CD pipelines, automated testing and infrastructure‑as‑code processes using tools such as Git Lab CI, Code Build/Code Deploy and AWS CDK.
• Support operational monitoring and troubleshooting using Cloud Watch dashboards, logs and alerts, escalating issues appropriately.
• Apply secure development practices, including awareness of authentication, authorisation, data handling, secrets management, least privilege and auditable change control.
• Apply AI Product Development Lifecycle (AI PDLC) best practices for future product development, using Claude Code to support structured requirements analysis, solution design, implementation, automated testing, code review, documentation and safe release planning.
• Collaborate with Product, Operations, Support and other stakeholders to understand requirements, clarify issues and deliver incremental improvements safely.

• Languages & frameworks:
  Type Script, Node.js, NestJS, React, Next.js; monorepo via Lerna & Yarn work spaces.
• Data & messaging:
  Aurora MySQL Serverless v2, RDS, TypeORM migrations, Elasti Cache/Redis and Bull queues.
• Search & real‑time:
  Open Search;
  Socket.
  
  IO and AWS App Sync for live updates and bidding.
• Storage & delivery: S3, Cloud Front and image optimisation using Sharp/Lambda.
• Authentication & security: AWS Cognito, Microsoft 365 federation, IAM, KMS, WAF and Secrets Manager.
• CI/CD & infrastructure:
  Git Lab CI, Code Build/Code Deploy and AWS CDK using Type Script.
• Intern…