Description
Junior Software Engineer (Application Development)
Location: Commutable to Herefordshire, Cheltenham, and Bristol — mostly on-site (4 days/week on customer site, 1 day remote where appropriate)
Clearance: Must be eligible and willing to undergo DV clearance (British Citizen, UK residency last 10 years)
Are you starting your software engineering career and excited to build applications that solve real operational problems? Want to work closely with users and see direct impact from what you ship?
You’ll join a National Security & Defence delivery team building primarily web and service-based applications (with some desktop tooling where needed). This is a junior role: you’ll contribute under the guidance of senior engineers with strong peer review and support.
What You’ll Do
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Contribute to development of web applications, APIs, and service-based tools used in operational environments.
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Write and maintain code primarily in Python (and C++ where performance or legacy components require it).
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Support UI and backend implementation (e.g., web UIs, REST APIs, data processing services).
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Build automation and data-processing utilities to streamline workflows.
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Participate in testing, debugging, and quality activities with coaching.
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Help refine requirements and implement features within a cross-functional team.
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Contribute to documentation and follow traceable, peer-reviewed Git practices aligned with governance policies.
What You’ll Bring
Essential:
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Hands-on software development experience (academic, hobbyist, internship, or professional).
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Working knowledge of Python (and/or C++ or another modern language).
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Understanding of core engineering practices: modularity, testing basics, version control.
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Familiarity with Linux and/or Windows development environments.
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Curiosity, strong problem solving, and ability to take feedback constructively.
Desirable:
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Exposure to web frameworks (e.g., FastAPI, Flask, Django) and REST APIs.
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Basic frontend awareness (HTML/CSS/JavaScript, or a framework such as React/Vue).
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Secure coding awareness (input validation, secrets handling, logging hygiene).
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Experience with containers (Docker) or CI basics.
Education & Qualifications
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Degree in Computer Science / Software Engineering (or equivalent experience).
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Professional membership (BCS, IET) is a plus.
If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.
For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.
£47,600.00-£61,000.00
The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.
About Leidos
Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.
Pay and Benefits
Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.
Securing Your Data
Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [email protected].
If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
Commitment to Non-Discrimination
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.
