At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop and maintain software for critical national infrastructure, ensuring essential services run smoothly.
- Company: Join the DVLA, a key player in the UK's motoring services.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a strong pension scheme.
- Other info: Access to training, career growth, and a supportive team culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on services that support millions of people across the UK.
- Qualifications: Experience in software development and live support environments is essential.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Work on the technology that underpins critical national infrastructure, keeping essential services running for millions across the UK. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), in partnership with Inspire People, is seeking Software Engineers to develop and maintain business-critical systems that support the UK's critical national infrastructure. You'll bring software development experience, ideally within legacy environments, alongside experience supporting live systems and working with relational databases.
Permanent role, hybrid working from Swansea (60% office based), salary of £40,590 plus 29% employer pension contribution and excellent Civil Service benefits.
About role: DVLA is responsible for delivering safe, secure and reliable national motoring services at scale, supporting more than 48 million vehicle records and millions of customers across the UK. Working within the Vehicle System Software (VSS) team, you'll help maintain and enhance the UK's vehicle system of record, contributing to services that underpin public trust, road safety and critical government operations.
As a Legacy Software Engineer, you'll join a specialist engineering team responsible for a complex estate of applications, databases, batch processes and integrated services. Working alongside experienced engineers and technical specialists, you'll investigate issues, develop software enhancements and contribute to the ongoing stability and improvement of a nationally significant platform.
You will have access to a wide range of training and development opportunities, including courses in cloud technologies and modern software engineering practices to further develop your technical skills.
As a Legacy Software Engineer, you will:
- Support, maintain and enhance business-critical applications and services.
- Investigate application and service issues, identifying root causes and contributing to effective resolutions.
- Develop and implement software changes aligned to business and user requirements.
- Support batch processing, service maintenance and operational activities.
- Analyse and work with data held within large relational databases.
- Collaborate with engineers, delivery teams and stakeholders to deliver technical solutions.
- Contribute to testing, release management and continuous service improvement initiatives.
- Develop expertise across a specialist technology stack supporting critical DVLA services.
Essential skills for the Legacy Software Engineer include:
- Experience of working in a live support environment, with analytical, problem-solving and code interrogation skills.
- Software development experience.
- Experience of working with a relational database.
Desirable skills: DVLA use a highly specialised technology stack and recognise that candidates may not have experience of every technology they use. If you have worked with any of the technologies below, or similar alternatives, we'd be interested to hear about your experience:
- On-premise, non-cloud systems.
- CA Gen, or other model-driven/4GL development tooling.
- PL/SQL development.
- C and/or Pro*C development.
- Unix shell scripting, or other scripting skills.
- The AIX platform, or another Unix/Linux environment.
- Oracle databases.
- Java and application/web servers, such as IBM WebLogic.
- Crystal Reports, or other reporting tools.
Benefits: In return, you can expect a flexible working culture, including:
- Flexible working arrangements designed to support work-life balance.
- Civil Service Pension with employer contributions of 28.97%.
- 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service.
- Bank holidays plus an additional privilege day for the King's Birthday.
- Industry-leading learning and development opportunities.
- Clear career frameworks and progression pathways within DVLA Digital.
- Access to on-site gym facilities, nursery, restaurants and coffee bar.
- Free parking at the Swansea site.
- Inclusive employee networks and communities.
Additional Requirements:
- This role requires SC clearance, a condition of which is to have been present in the UK for 5 continuous years.
- DVLA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
- 60% Swansea office attendance (typically 3 days / week).
- Salary for this role is £40,590 inclusive of a £3500 RRA allowance.
Why Join? This is an opportunity to work on technology that supports critical national infrastructure and underpins essential motoring services used by millions across the UK. You'll join an experienced engineering team responsible for maintaining and improving DVLA's core vehicle systems, gaining exposure to complex applications, databases and system integrations. You'll also work closely with teams developing modern cloud-based services, with opportunities to develop your technical skills, access training and contribute to DVLA's longer-term technology modernisation plans.
Software Engineer - Critical National Infrastructure in Clydach employer: Inspire People
Join the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) as a Lead Site Reliability Engineer and be part of a mission-driven team dedicated to building reliable and scalable digital services that support economic growth across the UK. With a flexible hybrid working culture, generous annual leave, and a strong focus on employee development, BIST fosters an inclusive environment where you can thrive while making a meaningful impact on critical government services. Enjoy the benefits of a Civil Service pension, tailored learning opportunities, and a collaborative atmosphere that encourages innovation and continuous improvement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Software Engineer - Critical National Infrastructure in Clydach
✨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 Inspire People 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 Inspire People.
✨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 Inspire People.
✨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 Inspire People 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 Software Engineer - Critical National Infrastructure in Clydach
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 Inspire People.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Inspire People 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 Inspire People
✨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 Inspire People 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.
