Software Developer - Python

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has a clear mission - to grow the economy. Our role is to help businesses invest, grow and export to create jobs and opportunities right across the country. We do this in three ways.

Firstly, we help to build a strong, competitive business environment, where consumers are protected and companies rewarded for treating their employees properly.

Secondly, we open international markets and ensure resilient supply chains. This can be through Free Trade Agreements, trade facilitation and multilateral agreements.

Finally, we work in partnership with businesses every day, providing advance, finance and deal-making support to those looking to start up, invest, export and grow.

The Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorate develops and operates tools and services to support us in this mission. The team have been nominated four times in a row for ‘Best Public Sector Employer’ at the Women in Tech awards and won the award in 2025!, As a software developer in the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorate in Department for Business and Trade (DBT), you will design, build and maintain software that meets user needs. You will write clean, secure code following a test-driven approach, and create code that is open by default and easy for others to reuse.

You will work in one of our service teams alongside colleagues in different DDaT roles, such as business analysts, content designers, or user researchers. Your service team will be part of a portfolio of services that are managed together. These portfolios have a thematic focus, such as business growth, data and AI services, employee experience, or trade and regulatory services.

You will be part of a wider developer community, and you’ll have the opportunity to attend talks and discussions, encouraging knowledge sharing across teams and portfolios

Main responsibilities

You can:

• Develop software to meet user needs
• Follow best practice guidelines and help to improve those guidelines
• Write clean, secure and well-tested code, with an awareness of top security risks (e.g. OWASP Top 10)
• Coach and mentor more junior colleagues
• Operate the services you build and identify issues in production, * Software development using a modern programming language for the web such as Python, JavaScript, C#, Java, PHP or Ruby (Lead Criteria)
• Using relational databases such as PostgreSQL or MySQL
• Software testing, including unit testing and test-driven development (TDD)
• Delivering user-centred features or services using an agile method such as Scrum or Kanban

You may also have evidence of the following desirable skills:

• Python as a primary programming language
• Django or a similar Python web application framework, If there is a high volume of applications, we will sift looking at the lead criteria ‘Software development using a modern programming language for the web such as Python, JavaScript, C#, Java, PHP or Ruby’ only. You may then be progressed to full sift or straight to interview.

How we interview

At the interview stage for this role, you will be asked to demonstrate relevant Technical Skills and Behaviours from the Success Profiles framework. These are role specific and in line with the Software developer - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.

You will also be asked to complete a technical task and will be provided with further information following the sift.

How we offer

Offers will be made in merit order based on location preferences. If you pass the bar at interview but are not the highest scoring you will be held on a 12-month reserve list in case a role becomes available. If you are judged a near miss at interview, you may be offered a post at the grade below the one you applied for.

This role requires SC clearance. DBT’s requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet this requirement will result in your application being rejected and your offer will be withdrawn.

Checks will also be made against:

• departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
• UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
• your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
• security services record
• location details, * UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Do you have experience in Unit testing?, We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Programming and build (software engineering)
• User focus
• Information security
• Service support
• Modern development standards, This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

£45,835 - £60,993 London: £49,734 to £60,993 / National: £45,835 - £57,176 (including allowance). Your salary will be determined by your skills and capability as assessed at interview. GBP, * Learning and development tailored to your role

• A flexible, hybrid working environment with options like condensed hours
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual leave starting at 25 days rising to 30 days with service
• Three paid volunteering days a year
• An employee benefits programme including cycle to work, This role can only be worked from within the UK, not overseas. If you are based in London, you will receive London weighting. DBT employees are contracted to work in a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in the office. Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DBT, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

You can find out more about our office locations, how we calculate salaries, our diversity statement and reasonable adjustments, the Recruitment Principles, the Civil Service code and our complaints procedure in the candidate pack attached to this advert.

Find out more about life at DBT, our benefits and meet the team by watching our video or reading our blog! Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter . People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.