At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build backend services, APIs, and complex integrations for a major defence programme.
- Company: Join a leading tech firm transforming UK defence with innovative solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, enhanced family leave, 25 days holiday, and company social events.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with excellent career growth opportunities in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Take ownership of impactful projects while solving challenging integration and data problems.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in Java, SQL, backend services, and systems integration required.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
- Senior Software Engineer – UK Defence Programme
- Bath | Hybrid – typically 3 days onsite
- Permanent
- UK National / SC Clearance Eligible
We’re looking for an experienced Senior Backend Engineer to join a major, multi-year technology transformation programme within UK defence.
This is a hands-on engineering role with genuine technical ownership.
You’ll be building and evolving a complex software platform and connecting it with a growing ecosystem of systems including data lakehouse technology, ERP platforms, optimisation engines and external partner platforms.
Much of the technical landscape is still being designed, so this is ideal for an engineer who enjoys taking loosely defined requirements, shaping the solution and delivering it through to production.
- What You’ll Be Doing
- Design and build backend services and APIs.
- Develop complex integrations with ERP systems, data platforms and external technologies.
- Work primarily across Java, SQL and modern data/integration tooling.
- Design REST and event-driven integrations.
- Introduce Change Data Capture (CDC) and near-real-time data patterns where appropriate.
- Work with data warehouse/lakehouse environments.
- Make technical decisions around architecture, scalability, security and performance.
- Improve automated testing, CI/CD and observability.
- Take substantial pieces of engineering work from initial design through to production.
- Mentor engineers and contribute to wider backend engineering standards.
- Work with technical and non-technical stakeholders across a major defence programme.
- What We’re Looking For
You’ll ideally be an experienced Senior Software Engineer with strong backend, integration and data experience.
Key experience
- Java or a comparable backend language
- Strong SQL
- Backend services and API development
- REST and/or event-driven architecture
- Systems integration
- Data warehouse/lakehouse integration
- CI/CD and automated testing
- Observability and production monitoring
- Strong system and data design knowledge
- Third-party platform / ERP integration
Experience with streaming technologies, Change Data Capture (CDC), data pipelines or near-real-time integrations would be particularly valuable.
We’re looking for someone comfortable working with ambiguity who can understand the underlying problem, make pragmatic technical decisions and take ownership of delivering the solution rather than relying on a fully defined specification.
Defence & Security Requirements
Due to the nature of the programme, candidates must be UK nationals and eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).
Existing active SC clearance would be advantageous but isn't essential for candidates who meet the eligibility requirements and are willing to undergo the clearance process.
Experience within defence, central government, public safety or another regulated environment would also be beneficial.
Bath-based with hybrid working, typically around three days per week onsite at either the company office or customer locations.
Benefits include
- Competitive salary with annual reviews
- Enhanced family leave
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Life assurance
- Company social events
Why Consider the Role?
This is an opportunity to take genuine Senior-level ownership within a significant, long-term UK defence technology programme.
You’ll work on complex production systems and integrations while having the freedom to influence architecture, technology choices and engineering standards.
It would particularly suit a backend engineer who wants to remain hands-on while solving challenging integration and data problems at scale.
Interview Process
The process is expected to include
- Hands-on programming session
The programming exercise can be completed in a suitable language such as Java, C#, Type Script, Python or Go.
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Senior Software Engineer employer: Sellick Partnership
Sellick Partnership is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters growth and innovation within the fast-paced technology sector. With hybrid working options and a competitive salary range of £35,000 - £45,000, employees benefit from 25 days of annual leave, exposure to a diverse portfolio of clients, and the opportunity to shape the compliance function in a rapidly expanding business. Join us to be part of a supportive team that values inclusivity and encourages professional development.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Software Engineer
✨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 Sellick Partnership 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 Sellick Partnership.
✨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 Sellick Partnership.
✨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 Sellick Partnership 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 Senior Software Engineer
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 Sellick Partnership.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Sellick Partnership 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 Sellick Partnership
✨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 Sellick Partnership 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.
