Lead Engineer

Job Description

About Scrumconnect Consulting

Scrumconnect Consulting is a multi-award-winning digital consultancy whose work has positively influenced the lives of over 40 million UK citizens. We deliver impactful technology solutions across UK government departments, working at the forefront of user-centred design, agile delivery, and scalable digital services that genuinely make a difference.

• Visa sponsorship available for eligible candidates
• Strong focus on work-life balance with a flexible hybrid model (3 days onsite)
• Be part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary agile environment alongside civil servants and industry experts

Based in Swansea, South Wales - three days per week on-site

Role Overview

We are looking for a Lead Software Engineer to provide technical leadership across one or more multi-disciplinary teams delivering digital services for a UK government client. You will set the technical direction across a hybrid estate spanning modern cloud-native services and established Mainframe platforms, and you will be hands-on with code, architecture, and design decisions.

This is a senior technical role combining engineering excellence with team leadership. You will operate within structured and governed environments where security, performance, accessibility, and reliability are critical, and you will shape how teams build, test, and run software in production.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across one or more multi-disciplinary teams, setting standards for engineering quality, security and performance
• Lead architecture and design decisions across services built in Java Spring Boot, AWS Serverless (Lambda/Node.js) and Ruby on Rails with React
• Define integration patterns between modern services and Legacy Mainframe systems, supporting incremental modernisation
• Remain hands-on with code: contributing to critical paths, conducting code reviews, and pairing with engineers
• Own the technical roadmap and non-functional requirements (performance, scalability, observability, security) for assigned services
• Mentor and coach senior and mid-level engineers, raising the engineering bar through example and feedback
• Lead CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, and DevSecOps practices using the Serverless framework, AWS-native tooling, and modern pipelines
• Collaborate with architects, security, product, and delivery leads to translate user needs into robust, deliverable technical solutions
• Contribute to GDS service assessments and ensure services meet the Service Standard, Technology Code of Practice, and accessibility requirements
• Drive technical decision records (ADRs), runbooks, and operational readiness for services entering live support

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong hands-on experience leading the design and delivery of production services across a polyglot stack
• Deep experience with Java and Spring Boot for Back End service development
• Practical experience building serverless services on AWS using Lambda, Node.js, and the Serverless framework (or equivalents such as SAM/CDK)
• Experience with Ruby on Rails and modern React front-ends, or comparable full-stack experience and the ability to lead teams using these tools
• Strong grasp of integration patterns with Legacy systems (mainframe, ESB, message-based, batch) and incremental modernisation strategies
• Solid understanding of secure-by-design principles, OWASP risks, and engineering for high-assurance environments
• Experience with infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, CloudFormation, CDK) and modern CI/CD practices
• Strong experience working in Agile or hybrid delivery models (Scrum, Kanban) within multi-disciplinary teams
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Experience delivering services within a UK public-sector or government context
• Familiarity with GDS service standards, the Technology Code of Practice, and the GOV.UK Design System

Desirable

• Experience leading Legacy modernisation, including strangler-pattern migrations away from Mainframe systems
• Experience with event-driven architectures (Kafka, EventBridge, SNS/SQS)
• Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2) and inclusive design
• Experience supporting services through GDS Alpha, Beta, and Live assessments
• Active contribution to engineering communities of practice, open-source projects, or technical writing

What we offer

• Competitive salary with annual review
• Company pension scheme
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Critical illness cover
• Relocation support of £3,000 - £5,000
• Visa sponsorship for eligible candidates
• Access to learning and development resources
• A supportive, inclusive working environment

Our interview process

We keep things straightforward. Following an initial CV review, successful candidates will be invited to a short screening call with our recruitment team, followed by a two-stage process comprising a technical assessment and a values-based interview with the hiring team. We aim to move quickly and will keep you informed at every stage.

Equal Opportunities

Scrumconnect Consulting is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and welcome applications from all backgrounds, regardless of age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV to (see below) or apply directly through this listing. For an informal conversation about the role, contact Jaswanth at jaswanth.bommana@scrumconnect.com.