Java Tech Lead (SC Cleared)

Location

Remote (UK-based)

Security Clearance

Active SC Clearance is essential. Candidates must already hold current UK Security Clearance (SC).

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Java Tech Lead to join our growing public sector delivery team. You will lead the technical design and delivery of secure, scalable digital services, working closely with multidisciplinary Agile teams to deliver solutions that have a real impact across government.

You'll provide technical leadership, mentor engineers, make key architectural decisions, and work collaboratively with architects, Business Analysts, Product Managers, and Delivery Managers to ensure high-quality software is delivered to our clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and delivery of Java-based applications within public sector programmes.

• Provide technical leadership and mentor software engineers across the delivery team.

• Define solution architecture and ensure engineering best practices are followed.

• Lead code reviews and promote high-quality, maintainable, and secure code.

• Collaborate with Product Managers, Business Analysts, Architects, and Delivery Managers to translate business requirements into technical solutions.

• Drive technical decision-making and support Agile delivery across multiple workstreams.

• Ensure solutions meet security, performance, scalability, and accessibility requirements.

• Support CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and DevSecOps practices.

• Identify technical risks and provide mitigation strategies.

• Build strong relationships with clients and act as a trusted technical advisor.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Active SC Clearance (mandatory).

• Extensive commercial experience developing enterprise applications using Java.

• Strong knowledge of Spring Boot, Spring Framework, RESTful APIs, and Microservices architecture.

• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.

• Strong understanding of containerisation technologies including Docker and Kubernetes.

• Experience with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, or GitLab CI.

• Excellent knowledge of software engineering best practices, design patterns, and secure coding principles.

• Strong experience working within Agile (Scrum/Kanban) delivery teams.

• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

• Previous experience leading or mentoring development teams.

Desirable

• Experience delivering digital services within the UK Public Sector.

• Knowledge of GDS standards and government digital delivery.

• Experience with event-driven architecture and messaging technologies (Kafka, RabbitMQ, etc.).

• Experience with infrastructure as code (Terraform, CloudFormation, or Bicep).

• Exposure to performance tuning, monitoring, and observability tools.

• Degree in Computer Science or equivalent technical experience.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a collaborative technical leader who enjoys solving complex problems, coaching engineers, and delivering high-quality digital services. You'll be comfortable engaging with both technical and non-technical stakeholders and thrive in fast-paced Agile environments while maintaining a strong focus on quality, security, and delivery.