At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop and maintain Java applications, design APIs, and support cloud-native services.
- Company: Join Amber Labs, a forward-thinking digital consultancy transforming the UK public sector.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, hybrid work model, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative Agile environment with excellent career advancement opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in digital transformation while working with cutting-edge technologies.
- Qualifications: Strong Java and Spring Boot skills, AWS experience, and SQL proficiency required.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid (approximately 2 days per month required onsite in London)
Contract Type: Permanent/ or initial 12-Month Fixed Term Contract (FTC)
Employer: Amber Labs – Digital Consultancy
Clearance: Active SC Clearance Required
Start Date: Immediate
About Amber Labs
Amber Labs is a forward-thinking digital consultancy delivering innovative cloud, data, and DevOps solutions across the UK public sector. We specialise in helping organisations achieve digital transformation at pace while maintaining the highest security and governance standards.
We are seeking a Java Engineer to join a delivery team building and enhancing cloud-native backend services within a modern enterprise environment.
Role Overview
The successful candidate will contribute to the design, development, and support of Java-based applications using Spring Boot and AWS, working as part of an Agile, multidisciplinary team. Alongside strong backend engineering skills, the role requires practical SQL and reporting capability, enabling engineers to interrogate data and support business reporting requirements. This is a hands-on software engineering role with opportunities to contribute to API development, cloud-native architectures, and modern DevOps practices.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain Java-based backend applications using Spring Boot
- Design and implement secure RESTful APIs
- Build and support cloud-native applications hosted on AWS
- Develop SQL queries to support reporting, troubleshooting, and data analysis
- Collaborate with technical teams to deliver scalable and maintainable software solutions
- Participate in code reviews, testing, and continuous improvement activities
- Contribute to Agile ceremonies and engineering best practices
- Troubleshoot and resolve application and integration issues
Essential Skills & Experience
- Java & Spring Boot (Non-Negotiable)
- Strong commercial experience developing enterprise applications using Java
- Proven hands-on experience with Spring Boot
- Strong understanding of:
- Object-oriented design principles / RESTful API development
- Dependency Injection (IoC) / Spring MVC
- Exception handling and validation / Secure application development
- Experience delivering maintainable, well-tested backend services using modern engineering practices
- AWS Cloud Experience (Non-Negotiable)
- Practical experience developing and deploying applications within Amazon Web Services
- Understanding of cloud-native application development and deployment
- Experience with AWS services relevant to application development, such as: EC2 / Lambda / S3 / IAM / API Gateway / RDS
- Awareness of cloud security, monitoring, and operational best practices
- Government Cloud Experience
- Experience working within Enterprise Business Services Architecture (EBSA) or similar enterprise cloud architecture frameworks is highly desirable, where applicable to government delivery.
- SQL & Report Writing (Essential)
- Strong SQL skills with experience querying relational databases
- Ability to:
- Write efficient SQL queries
- Analyse and validate data
- Produce reports from structured datasets
- Experience supporting business reporting and data analysis within enterprise systems
Desirable Skills - Frontend Technologies
Experience with modern frontend frameworks such as: React and Next.js. These are desirable but not essential and should be viewed as an advantage rather than a requirement.
Architecture & Modern Engineering Practices
Experience with:
- API design and development
- Microservices architecture
- Event-driven systems
- Distributed applications
- Understanding of architectural patterns and scalable software design principles.
Apply Now and help shape the future of UK digital services with Amber Labs.
Java Software Engineer (Active SC Clearance Required) in Slough employer: Amber Labs
Amber Labs is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration in the heart of London. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide opportunities for professional development through hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies like AWS and Spring Boot, all while maintaining a supportive hybrid work culture. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to transforming the UK public sector and enjoy the unique advantage of contributing to meaningful projects that make a real impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Java Software Engineer (Active SC Clearance Required) in Slough
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Amber Labs or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Amber Labs.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Amber Labs.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Amber Labs that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Java Software Engineer (Active SC Clearance Required) in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Amber Labs.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Amber Labs and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Amber Labs
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Amber Labs uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
