At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop and debug software solutions for warehouse automation, ensuring engineering excellence.
- Company: Join the iconic M&S brand, transforming into a digital-first organisation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and tailored training from day one.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team driving innovation in retail technology.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-evolving tech environment with ethical values.
- Qualifications: Full-stack engineering experience and strong knowledge of software principles required.
The predicted salary is between 67500 - 82500 £ per year.
As part of the M&S Software Engineering team, you'll be joining a well-loved historic brand, working on solutions that serve millions of loyal customers and thousands of colleagues. With ethical values that run right through the company's core and technology leaders that truly understand software engineering, it's an exciting time as we're redefining ourselves into a digital-first and engineering-led organisation, with the quality of our engineering team being a key differentiator.
This role sits within our Warehouse Automation team, supporting the Fashion, Home & Beauty (FH&B) Supply Chain & Logistics sub-domain, a core part of M&S's growth plans. You will help shape the integrations between our Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and warehouse automation partners such as Beumer, Dematic and Geek+, building robust, scalable solutions with strong observability, clear metrics and best-in-class engineering practices. You'll play a key role in driving technical direction, improving interface quality and ensuring the operational reliability required to deliver automation safely and effectively within live warehouse environments.
What You'll Do
- Develop, test and debug software solutions, setting the standard for engineering excellence and championing best coding practices across the team.
- Provide technical leadership on complex projects, ensuring software solutions align with technology strategy, architectural standards and engineering best practices.
- Lead the design and implementation of scalable software solutions and third-party integrations, partnering closely with Architecture teams to deliver robust and adaptable systems.
- Conduct thorough code reviews to ensure maintainability, automated testing coverage, performance and code quality, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- Collaborate with product managers, business stakeholders and engineering teams to understand requirements and deliver effective technical solutions.
- Mentor and coach engineers at all levels, sharing knowledge and supporting their professional growth and development.
- Drive operational excellence by ensuring systems are effectively monitored, alerting is in place, incidents are investigated efficiently and learnings are incorporated into future development activities.
Who You Are
- Proven track record in full-stack engineering, delivering high-performing, scalable user interfaces, backend systems and complex integrations.
- Deep understanding of software engineering principles, patterns and best practices, with a focus on building maintainable, adaptable and resilient software.
- Strong knowledge of automated testing and performance testing approaches across unit, integration and system testing layers for both front-end and back-end technologies.
- Proven hands-on experience implementing DevSecOps practices across enterprise-scale applications and technology platforms.
- Technical proficiency across a range of programming languages and technologies, including Java, SQL, JavaScript and modern CI/CD tooling.
- Experience designing, building and operating scalable cloud-native applications with a strong focus on reliability, security and performance.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences.
- A strong mentoring mindset with a genuine passion for supporting engineers and enabling high-performing teams.
- Good knowledge of AI/ML technologies and GenAI tools such as Copilot, including hands-on experience implementing AI-enabled solutions across the software development lifecycle.
- Knowledge of the retail domain, particularly Supply Chain and Warehouse Management Systems such as Blue Yonder Dispatcher.
Desirable Experience
- Experience implementing Warehouse Management System (WMS) integrations with Warehouse Control Systems (WCS), automation platforms and material handling solutions within large-scale operational environments.
Tech Stack
- Languages & Frameworks: Java (Spring Boot), .NET, Angular, AngularJS, React, TypeScript, Playwright, Cucumber, JMeter, Python and AI/ML technologies.
- Cloud & Infrastructure: Azure IaaS and PaaS services, Docker, Kubernetes, Helm and Terraform.
- Data & Messaging: Kafka (Confluent), IBM MQ/MQFTE and SFTP.
- Databases: SQL Server on Azure.
- API & Integration: Apigee, REST APIs and Windows Services.
- Observability: Dynatrace, PagerDuty and Helix.
- CI/CD & Quality: GitHub Actions, SonarQube, Semgrep, Snyk, Prisma, GitHub Advanced Security and Qualys.
- Analytics: Power BI.
What's in it for you?
Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We're inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.
Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:
- 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you've completed your probation.
- Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more.
- Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours.
- Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future.
- Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one.
- Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal.
- Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave.
- 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services.
- One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you.
Everyone's Welcome
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We're disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We're transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.
We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.
If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
Staff Software Engineer - Warehouse Automation employer: Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, particularly within the Corporate HR technology team. Employees benefit from a supportive environment that prioritises professional growth and development, alongside competitive remuneration and benefits. Working in a dynamic location, you will have the opportunity to lead impactful projects that enhance the colleague experience throughout their journey with the company.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Software Engineer - Warehouse Automation
✨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 Marks and Spencer 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 Marks and Spencer.
✨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 Marks and Spencer.
✨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 Marks and Spencer 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 Staff Software Engineer - Warehouse Automation
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 Marks and Spencer.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Marks and Spencer 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 Marks and Spencer
✨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 Marks and Spencer 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.
