Full Stack Java Developer in Manchester

On behalf of DWP, we are looking for a Full Stack Lead Java Developer for a 12 Month (Inside IR35) Hybrid contract based up to 3 days per week in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle or Blackpool.

This role will support delivery within the Health Assessment Efficiencies (HAE) Workstream, which focuses on delivering measurable efficiency improvements in health assessments through service transformation, digital innovation, and process optimisation within a 12-18-month timeframe. The work includes mobilising and delivering a prioritised set of initiatives designed to reduce administrative burden and improve clinical/operational processes. This includes initiatives such as Write Up Assistant, Transcription & summarisation, Case summarisation, NHS data share, and audit/process optimisation (for example: "group/remove audit attributes," "automate/streamline amendments," and WCA intelligent audit). Delivery will be scaled based on evidence of outcomes and governance decisions.

The work will be delivered via a multidisciplinary team using agile ways of working (clear prioritisation, sprint planning, reviews, and continuous improvement) with appropriate delegated decision-making to maintain pace and focus.

As a Lead Full Stack Java Developer, you will be required to operate with significant autonomy, providing expert technical leadership and assurance across the engineering lifecycle. This includes:

• Setting technical direction for engineering work within the team and contributing to wider service architecture and delivery patterns.
• Ensuring engineering quality, defining, and maintaining standards, patterns and principles that underpin delivery across HAS/PIP services.
• Providing specialist technical advice to Product Managers, Delivery Managers, Architects, and teams, ensuring decisions align with broader programme goals.
• Coaching and mentoring engineers, supporting capability development across software engineering, DevOps, testing, and secure delivery.
• Leading on problem resolution, using judgement and expertise to manage complex technical risks, incidents, and architecture trade‐offs.
• Influencing multi‐team delivery, ensuring consistent technical practice, and shaping the approach to creating scalable, reliable, and secure digital services.

Experience and Skills

• Full‐stack engineering expertise with hands‐on experience delivering complex digital services using modern languages (Java, Node) and frontend frameworks (React, Angular, TypeScript/JavaScript).
• Strong cloud engineering capability, particularly AWS. Able to design, configure and operate cloud‐native services (compute, networking, IAM, VPC design, storage patterns), including secure‐by‐design practices.
• AI‐related engineering capability to support the innovation workstreams. Experience integrating LLM/ML services, validating model outputs, designing deterministic and non‐deterministic test scenarios, managing prompt evaluation, and incorporating guardrails for responsible AI.
• Infrastructure‐as‐Code delivery using Terraform or equivalent tooling, including modular environment provisioning, automated compliance, configuration management, and consistent environment replication.
• DevOps and CI/CD engineering, including GitLab/Jenkins/GitHub Actions, automated build/test/deploy workflows, dependency security scanning, quality gates, and integration of controls required for operating in highly regulated environments.
• Containerisation and platform engineering, including Docker and, ideally, orchestration using Kubernetes/EKS.
• Testing and quality assurance leadership, with experience embedding shift‐left practices in pipelines, including unit, integration, E2E, API/contract, load/performance, and security testing.
• Practical experience of engineering secure services in regulated environments, including authentication/authorisation patterns, encryption, audit, data minimisation, network restrictions, and secure operational workflows.
• Strong software craftsmanship discipline, including code quality tooling (e.g., SonarQube), automated dependency management, refactoring for maintainability, and promoting best‐practice engineering habits across teams.
• Excellent collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills. Able to explain technical decisions to non‐technical stakeholders, influence direction across multi‐disciplinary teams, and work closely with Product, Architecture, QA, User‐Centred Design and Operations.
• Experience operating within multi‐team, agile delivery environments, contributing to sprint planning, backlog refinement, roadmap discussions, and continuous improvement.
• Domain awareness of GOV.UK‐based services or public‐sector delivery environments, including secure data handling, auditability, resilience, and user‐centred service delivery patterns.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, DWP guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates with a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply.

Armed Forces Covenant

DWP guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex‐military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following: this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs.