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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Lead Software Developer - **Company:** TESTQ Technologies - **Location:** Leicester, UK (Remote available) - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** £40,000.0 - £54,700.0 - **Contract:** Temporary contract - **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), JavaScript (Programming Language), Agile Methodology, Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, Application Performance Management, Confluence, JIRA, User Authentication, Microsoft Azure, C Sharp (Programming Language), Code Review, Collaborative Software, Databases, Data Integrity, Information Leak Prevention, Cursor (Graphical User Interface Elements), Software Debugging, Software Design Patterns, DevOps, Programming Tools, Github, Junit, Python (Programming Language), PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, MongoDB, MySQL, Node.Js, NoSQL, Nunit, OAuth, Object-Oriented Software Development, Open Web Application Security, Scrum Methodology, Software Architecture, Redis, Selenium, Software Engineering, Software Systems, SQL Databases, Systems Integration, TypeScript, Workflow Management Systems, Google Cloud, .NET Core, GitHub Copilot, ReactJS, Delivery Pipeline, Large Language Models, Prompt Engineering, Spring-boot, Software Security, Cypress (Programming Language), Generative AI, Gitlab, Git, Vue.js, Event Driven Architecture, Pytest, AngularJS, Kubernetes, Information Technology, Cassandra, Graphql, Machine Learning Operations, Virtual Agents, Software Coding, Restful APIs, Software Version Control, Docker, Service Stack, Jenkins, Programming Languages, Microservices - **Published:** September 2, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.jobs.service.gov.uk/auth/sign-in?returnTo=%2Fjobs%2F6a96bddb7cb93ad55f426259%2Fbefore-you-apply ## About the Role Key Skills, Qualifications and Experience Needed [The candidate must demonstrate these in all stages of assessment] * Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field. * 7-10+ years of professional software development experience, including at least 2-3 years in a technical lead or senior developer capacity. * Proven experience designing and delivering complex, scalable software systems. * Strong communication and leadership skills with the ability to mentor and motivate a development team. * Hands-on experience with agile development processes and collaborative tools. * Strong proficiency in modern programming languages such as Java, C#, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, or Go, depending on the technology stack. * Experienced in frameworks and technologies such as Spring Boot, .NET Core, Node.js, Angular, React, or Vue.js, with a solid understanding of object-oriented programming (OOP), design patterns, and software architecture principles (e.g., microservices, event-driven architecture). * Experience working with RESTful and GraphQL APIs, and integrating with third-party services. A deep understanding of databases - both SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server) and NoSQL (MongoDB, Cassandra, Redis) - is required. * Proficiency in DevOps practices and tools such as Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or Azure DevOps, along with familiarity in cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP). * Hands-on experience with version control (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing frameworks (JUnit, NUnit, PyTest, Selenium, Cypress, etc.). Understanding API security, OAuth 2.0, and authentication/authorization mechanisms is expected. * Practical experience building with Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI - prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and integrating LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) into production applications. * Familiarity with AI agent frameworks and orchestration tools such as LangChain, LangGraph, LlamaIndex, or the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and experience evaluating agentic workflows. * Daily working fluency with AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor) and an understanding of their code-review, testing, and security implications. * Working knowledge of MLOps fundamentals - containerising and deploying models, monitoring drift/performance, and building automated training and deployment pipelines. * Awareness of AI/LLM-specific security considerations (prompt injection, data leakage, model governance) alongside core application security practices such as the OWASP Top 10. * Experience in agile software development methodologies (Scrum or Kanban) and using tools like Jira, Confluence, and GitLab. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills are essential for this role. Other Key skills: * Good analytical and Problem-solving skills * Good communication skills * A thorough approach and Self starter * Focus on quality and delivery * Working together in teams. * Leadership and effective decision making. * Flexible Attitude * Excellent customer service Qualifications: Bachelor's degree or above in the UK or Equivalent. ## Description TESTQ Technologies is an IT services and Solutions Company whose offerings span over a variety of industry sectors with strong technical, domain, and process expertise helping clients grow their businesses and decrease operational costs on a continuous basis in an ever-changing business environment. The Lead Software Developer will be responsible for designing, developing, and leading the implementation of complex, AI-enabled software solutions. This role involves providing technical leadership, mentoring a team of developers, and ensuring high-quality code delivery aligned with business goals. The ideal candidate will combine strong hands-on development expertise with architectural insight, fluency in modern AI-assisted engineering practices, and a collaborative approach to team leadership. Job Description (Main Duties and Responsibilities): * Lead the design, development, and deployment of scalable and maintainable software applications. * Collaborate with product managers, architects, and stakeholders to define technical requirements and system designs. * Oversee end-to-end software development lifecycle, including coding, testing, code reviews, and deployment. * Set and enforce best practices for coding standards, testing, documentation, and responsible use of AI-assisted development tools. * Mentor and guide a team of developers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement. * Troubleshoot, debug, and optimise application performance, scalability, and reliability. * Ensure system security, data integrity, and compliance with enterprise and industry standards. * Evaluate and implement new tools, technologies, and methodologies - including AI/LLM tooling - to enhance development efficiency. * Participate in sprint planning, estimation, and agile ceremonies. * Contribute to architectural decisions, including AI/agentic system integration, and help define the technical roadmap. * Champion the safe, ethical, and effective adoption of AI coding assistants and automation across the team. ## Related Videos - [How a Small Team Shrank a Microsoft Monorepo by 94%](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1236-how-a-small-team-shrank-a-microsoft-monorepo-by-94) - [Improving quality with Agentic AI with Rovo Dev and Xray](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2005-improving-quality-with-agentic-ai-with-rovo-dev-and-xray) - [MySQL Protocol Features You Should Be Aware Of](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100267-mysql-protocol-features-you-should-be-aware-of) - [Let's Talk Quality! - Lilia Gargouri](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1815-let-s-talk-quality-lilia-gargouri) - [Branch your database like your code: How schema changes and pull requests go hand in hand](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/350-branch-your-database-like-your-code-how-schema-changes-and-pull-requests-go-hand-in-hand) - [Git for Code Reviews](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/429-git-for-code-reviews) ## Related Articles - [What’s the Difference between a Junior, Mid, and Senior Developer?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/238-what-s-the-difference-between-a-junior-mid-and-senior-developer) - [What Are Large Language Models?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/304-what-are-large-language-models) - [Software Engineer Salary London](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/252-software-engineer-salary-london) - [7 Important Tips That Every Software Developer Should Know](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/101-7-important-tips-that-every-software-developer-should-know) - [Fully Remote Software Engineer Jobs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/447-fully-remote-software-engineer-jobs) - [The Most Popular IT Jobs on the Market](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/376-the-most-popular-it-jobs-on-the-market)