Lead Java Engineer

This role is for leading Critical National Infrastructure applications within Migration and Borders Portfolio. 

The Lead Engineer will drive the technical delivery of their team, managing their workload and ensuring the right skills are available. You will be responsible for the work undertaken by your Developers and DevOps staff and will be expected to work with Seniors and Principals to ensure that services produced are best practice. You should have a solid technical background and will be able to apply these skills if required to provide guidance to your team. You will also maintain a broad perspective, monitoring technology developments such that you can support strategy formation.     

Along with the other Senior, Lead and Principal Engineers in your area you will be responsible for ensuring that all technical approaches being used are appropriate and endorsed, and will take part in planning with senior stakeholders to make sure that product delivery and maintenance is on a firm basis. Your remit may be across the engineering function but working closely with Architects and other professions.  

Tools and Technologies we use: 

We would particularly welcome applications from candidates with strong experience in:  

• Backend: Java, Node.js, Kafka  
• Frontend: React, JavaScript   
• Data: PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Mongo DB   
• DevOps: AWS, Kubernetes, Jenkins, Docker, Terraform, Github Actions 
• AI: Github Copilot, OpenAI, Claude Code 

Main Responsibilities

Your main day-to-day responsibilities will be:   

• Leading the day to day activities of engineers in your team, ensuring everyone is working effectively and efficiently; reporting any impediments. 
• Coaching your team as well as Supporting Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and encouraging formal professional qualifications. 
• Supporting capability build in your team and in the organisation. 
• Taking a hands-on role with engineering delivery when necessary, blending your leadership and technical tasks to achieve team objectives. 
• Ensuring appropriate methods are being used, as well as leading efforts to identify improved tools/technologies. 
• Leadership of the Java and React software development in teams.