Senior Software Engineer (Contract)

hackajob is collaborating with Opencast Software to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role. Ready to work somewhere that cares more about how you build software than how fast you can ship it? At Opencast, we don’t measure developers by the number of tickets you complete. We care about engineering craft, clean design and thoughtful problem-solving. Opencast consultants deliver in complex environments, pairing often and working with others who take pride in doing things properly: TDD, emerging design, refactoring and leaving code better than they found it. We build software we are proud of, and our clients trust us not just to code but to think, challenge and guide. If you value simple and robust solutions and want a role where your judgment matters as much as your keyboard, you will fit right in.

The role We’re looking for Contractors in Software Development (Senior level or Technical Lead) to help our major clients transform. Software developers at Opencast care about building products right and combine their own experience and approach with our company values. They are tech agnostic, have expertise in agile methodologies, extreme programming practices and use industry-leading programming languages to deliver agile transformation. Our approach to software development is collaborative, focused on keeping things simple, and we use test driven development and pair programming as best practice. Working with clients and key stakeholders is a crucial part of a consultancy role. Our developers are inclusive team players that listen, collaborate, can positively challenge and manage expectations when needed but most of all are always willing to teach and help others. Leaving a client with improved ways of working, working technology and a good experience from discovery through to live is the priority. Contractors at Opencast follow the same principles as permanent consultants. The roles are varied, technical, and never confined to any one provider or solution.

Requirements Due to the nature of this role, applicants must either currently hold active Security Check (SC) Clearance or be eligible to obtain it. Eligibility typically requires UK citizenship and continuous residence in the UK for the past five years, with no single absence exceeding 28 consecutive days. As attendance at client sites is a routine part of the role’s working pattern and involves occasional travel, travel expenses are not covered. Experience in delivering digital services for the UK government is highly valuable for many of our projects. Therefore, familiarity with the GDS toolkit will be beneficial.

Technical Skills Expertise in Java and/or Scala is required Experience in other languages such as Javascript, Typescript, Kotlin, Python or Ruby is also valuable Experience in a technical leadership role Deep understanding of programming paradigm, code design, testing, accessibility, performance and security Proven ability to apply different testing tools and methods in practice Knowledge or experience of delivering complex services to Government Digital Service (GDS) standards Being comfortable with new technology, t-shaped and comfortable with ongoing learning and development is key to success Experience with agile methodology

A contractor in software development at Opencast is responsible for:

• Driving the elaboration of their team’s backlog
• Setting testing strategies to match industry standards
• Being a technical expert in their team (or acting as the team lead)
• Leading the technical representation in a project discovery
• Acting as a technical lead in the team, enabling them to achieve their full potential

Salary £450 - £600 per day (working inside IR35)

Where you’ll work This role requires regular on-site attendance across our HQ, hub offices, client sites and home. Applicants must be able to commute to offices and client sites as part of their normal working arrangements, as travel is essential to fulfilling the responsibilities of the role.

We include you We welcome candidates from all identities, attributes, ways of thinking and backgrounds to thrive in a career at Opencast. Our aim is for the diversity of our people to be reflected in the solutions we deliver, to help create a fairer society for all.

Interview Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. We’re happy to make adjustments to support your needs.

Want to know more? Visit our website for more details.