At a Glance
- Tasks: Own platform reliability and build software automation for national security operations.
- Company: Join a leading software and data intelligence enterprise with a flat, engineering-first culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity options, relocation package, and hybrid work model.
- Other info: Dynamic role with high autonomy and excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on national security while working with top-tier engineers.
- Qualifications: Active UK DV clearance, experience with containers, and a degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 105000 £ per year.
Location: Central London – Hybrid (In-office required for classified facility work)
Compensation: £90,000 – £105,000 base salary + significant public market equity (liquid RSUs) + relocation package
Security Requirement: Active UK Developed Vetting (DV) Clearance Required Prior to Appointment
About the Client & Culture
Our client is one of the world’s most influential software and data intelligence enterprises, trusted by allied governments, intelligence agencies, and vital national institutions to solve their most complex, critical problems. Unlike traditional enterprise vendors or legacy defence contractors, they operate with a flat, engineering-first culture that eliminates bureaucratic friction. There are no endless change‑approval boards, bloated project management layers, or slow ticketing trees. Instead, engineers are treated like adults and given direct ownership over production systems. You will be building and deploying platform automation alongside some of the sharpest software minds in the world, directly impacting real‑world national security operations.
The Mandate
We are seeking an engineer to own the end‑to‑end reliability, deployment, and infrastructure evolution of mission‑critical platform deployments across the UK Government. This role treats infrastructure strictly as a software engineering discipline. You won't be managing ticket queues or babysitting legacy kit for the sake of it. You will be writing production code daily, executing complex Kubernetes‑based migrations, building bespoke platform automation tooling on top of industry‑defining operational platforms, and diagnosing distributed systems performance under live high‑side conditions.
What You Will Do
- Own Platform Reliability: Lead production monitoring, configuration management, automated upgrades, and disaster recovery across dedicated UK sovereign environments.
- Build Software Automation: Write production‑quality software (Python, Go, or Java) to automate operational toil and scale continuous platform delivery.
- Modernise Infrastructure: Architect and execute migrations using containerised orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes) across complex, hybrid, and air‑gapped environments.
- High‑Autonomy Incident Response: Participate in an on‑call rotation (approximately 1 week in every 5 to 6 weeks) supporting live, critical production deployments with genuine decision‑making authority.
Must‑Have Requirements (Non‑Negotiable)
- National Security Clearance: Active, valid UK Developed Vetting (DV) clearance already held at the time of application. (Due to operational timelines, we cannot sponsor initial clearances or accept SC‑only status).
- Nationality: Sole British citizenship (no dual nationality) to comply with UK Government high‑side facility contractual access mandates.
- Containers & Orchestration: Proven hands‑on production experience operating containerised infrastructure (Docker, Kubernetes).
- Proximity / Commute: Residing in, or fully committed to relocating within, 30 minutes of the Central London facility to support physical high‑side incident response and operational rotations.
- 1–5 years of production experience in SRE, Systems Software, or Platform Infrastructure.
- Past experience inside high‑complexity engineering teams: national security divisions, defence technology, or major cloud infrastructure environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Hands‑on familiarity with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Ansible) and CI/CD automation pipelines.
- BSc or MSc in Computer Science or Software Engineering from an accredited university.
DV Cleared Software Engineer - Systems & Infrastructure (UK National Security Platforms) in London employer: Ikuto
Join a dynamic and innovative company that prioritises employee growth and collaboration in the heart of London. With a hybrid working model, a supportive team culture, and access to top-tier resources, you will thrive in an environment that values your contributions and offers significant earning potential through double OTE and accelerators. This is not just a job; it's a chance to be part of a boutique powerhouse that consistently outperforms global competitors while maintaining an impressive NPS score.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land DV Cleared Software Engineer - Systems & Infrastructure (UK National Security Platforms) in London
✨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 Ikuto 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 Ikuto.
✨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 Ikuto.
✨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 Ikuto 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 DV Cleared Software Engineer - Systems & Infrastructure (UK National Security Platforms) in London
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 Ikuto.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Ikuto 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 Ikuto
✨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 Ikuto 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.
