Lead Software Engineer
- Posted November 5, 2026
- Up to £500 per day + Outside IR35
- Contract
We are seeking an experienced Lead Software Engineer to embed within a delivery team supporting a high-profile programme. This is a unique opportunity for a senior technologist who is comfortable operating as the sole engineering representative within a client team, acting as a trusted technical advisor, delivery lead, and key conduit between stakeholders.
The project is approaching a significant milestone, and the successful candidate will be expected to quickly establish credibility within the team, work independently, and provide valuable insight to internal stakeholders. This role requires a proactive self-starter who is comfortable navigating ambiguity, identifying risks and opportunities, and ensuring strong collaboration across organisations.
Key Responsibilities
- Embed within a client delivery team as the lead engineering representative.
- Provide technical leadership across software development activities and solution design.
- Work independently to deliver high-quality software solutions with minimal oversight.
- Build trusted relationships with stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams.
- Provide regular feedback and insight on delivery progress, risks, opportunities, and future requirements.
- Contribute to technical discussions, architecture decisions, and engineering best practices.
- Support the transition and completion of key project deliverables.
- Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, maintainable, and aligned to industry standards.
- Collaborate with product, delivery, and engineering stakeholders across multiple organisations.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Proven experience operating as a Lead Engineer or Principal Engineer within complex delivery environments.
- Strong experience developingbackend services using:
- Kotlin
- Java
- Spring Boot
- Python
- FastAPI
- Frontend development experience using:
- TypeScript
- Node.js
- Express
- Experience working within cloud-native environments and modern software delivery practices.
- Ability to operate independently and drive outcomes without direct team oversight.
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Experience working within multidisciplinary Agile teams.
- Comfortable engaging with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Experience within public sector, justice, policing, government, or other highly regulated environments is highly desirable.
Reasonable Adjustments:
Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.
If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason, please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.
