Software Development Engineer

Join us as a Software Development Engineer and make an invaluable contribution to our Food Safety & Biosecurity!

The Fera IT Systems Development Team is responsible for the development, support and maintenance of web applications, databases and services of varying sizes and complexity which support or facilitate the work of Fera and our customers. Examples include systems which support Fera’s laboratory work, APIs to deliver information on food integrity issues cross the globe, web applications that support the food and farming industries, systems integration to facilitate Fera business processes, and much more.

As a Software Development Engineer you will work within a team of software development engineers, on the upgrade and enhancement of existing systems and development of new systems, contributing to one or more key development projects at any time. Tasks related to ongoing support and maintenance will also be required.  The main technologies utilised by the team for new development are Angular, Laravel, MySQL. We also have some products which make use of Silverstripe, Drupal and Moodle.

We are looking to fill three roles, and will consider recruiting mid-level and senior developers depending on candidate experience.

What you’ll be doing:

• Work on the development, enhancement and support of web applications using php (usually Laravel) and/or Angular.
• Work on one or more key development projects, using Kanban or Scrum, whichever best suits the project. The senior role would also provide assistance and guidance for developers on other projects where required.
• Liaise closely with managers, other developers, test engineers and clients where required, in order to successfully deliver new systems, ensuring that requirements are met and value for money is provided.
• Maintain effective communication at all stages of the project life cycle.
• Carry out all development within a version-controlled environment to defined coding standards.
• Record all work done in appropriate work management tool – usually Jira.
• Carry out robust and constructive review of code for colleagues, and take action on reviews received of own code.
• To ensure own knowledge and expertise on methodologies and tools are kept up-to-date.

What we’re looking for:

• Excellent knowledge of php and experience with the Laravel framework, OR
• Excellent knowledge of javascript/typescript and experience with the Angular framework with preferably (but not essential) some experience in UI design and wireframing. 
• An understanding of software design patterns (e.g., MVC etc.)
• Proficient in use of version control tools, ideally Git
• Some experience in developing applications on a LAMP stack
• Some experience of Docker.
• An excellent understanding of object-oriented programming
• Good knowledge of any modern relational database, preferably MySQL or SQL Server
• Effective communication skills with an ability to explain technically complex issues in a clear fashion to clients and to other developers
• Ability to translate a client’s ideas into a working IT solution
• Ability and willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies, tools, frameworks
• Ability to maintain pace and focus where complexity, ambiguity or uncertainty exists in requirements, and the ability to work proactively with colleagues to gain clarity.

What’s in it for you?

• ​25 days’ holiday (rising to 29) with the opportunity to buy extra leave.
• Flexible working hours, on-site gym, restaurant, and free parking
• The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
• Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks…and plenty more.
• Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
• Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform
• Fera operates a LTIP ( Long Term Incentive Plan) under which all employees are awarded points towards shares in the Employee Benefits Trust on an annual basis. The Employee Benefits Trust holds shares on behalf of our employee, at the point of an equity event the shares will realise a cash value.

What we hope you’ll do next:

Choose ‘Apply now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. If you have any questions you’d like to ask before applying, you can contact recruitment@fera.co.uk

We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format or if you’d like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email at recruitment@fera.co.uk and we’ll get back to you.