Software Team Lead

Join our growing team and help strengthen the UK’s safety and resilience.

We’re a leading technology and engineering company supporting customers across National Security, Defence and Intelligence, delivering systems that operate in the most demanding and sensitive environments.

As a Full Stack Software Lead, you’ll deliver mission critical solutions for National Security customers - building products that protect people, platforms, missions and information against evolving threats.

You’ll help customers use data to improve mission outcomes, lead teams hands-on, and mentor others while working at the forefront of innovation.

What you’ll be doing:

• You’ll lead a team delivering valuable increments across back‑end technologies.
• Partner with engineering and customer technical leaders to shape the roadmap.
• Turn user needs into epics/stories and define effective ways of working.
• Build secure, maintainable software using test‑driven practices.
• Select suitable patterns across established and emerging technologies.
• Convert designs into working implementations and document to required standards.
• Develop and maintain APIs, UI components and data pipelines within existing data infrastructure.
• Lead and contribute to agile ceremonies (stand‑ups, refinement, planning, demos).
• Keep the team aligned on upcoming features, impacts, and user needs.

What you’ll bring (or Required Skills / Qualifications):

• Back‑end: Java (Spring Boot) and/or Go.
• Front‑end: React or Vue.js.
• Testing: JUnit/Jest/Cypress (or equivalent).
• Tooling: GitLab/Git, Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, GitLab CI/Argo CD/Jenkins, Jira/Confluence.
• Experience leading agile teams (Scrum Master training desirable).
• Use of AI tools to support development (e.g., IDE assistants, chatbots, agentic workflows).
• Able to learn new technologies quickly.

Why Roke

You’ll work with smart, supportive people on projects that genuinely matter, in an environment that values technical excellence, collaboration and continuous learning. We invest in your growth, value diverse thinking and offer flexible working alongside a strong benefits package (including 30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays). Roke combines a 70+ year heritage with the agility to make a real impact.

Location:

Based in Gloucester and customer sites for high‑side integration/deployment. Limited hybrid working may be possible, subject to project needs and may vary between assignments.

Clearance:

Valid eDV clearance is required for this post. If you are eligible but don’t hold eDV, please explore other engineering roles via Roke’s Careers Page. Eligibility details can be found on gov.uk.