Software Engineer - Basildon - Sanderson Recruitment

Description

Software Engineer - Defence & National Security

Remember to check your CV before applying Also, ensure you read through all the requirements related to this role.
Gloucester or London | 2-3 Days On-Site Per Week
SC Clearance Required (and eDV eligibility essential)
Build secure, mission-critical systems that help protect the UK.
We're hiring experienced Software Engineers to work on high-impact defence and national security programmes. You'll help deliver secure, resilient, and sophisticated software solutions that support critical operations - all within a mission-led, engineering-focused environment.
This role is ideal for engineers who want meaningful, technical work in a sector where quality and security truly matter.
The Role
As a Software Engineer, you'll design, build and maintain software within secure, highly-regulated environments. You'll join a multidisciplinary team of engineers, analysts and security specialists, contributing to complex systems that support UK national security.
You will work in a hybrid model, spending 2-3 days per week on-site in either Gloucester or London (secure facilities), with the remainder from home or a non-secure office depending on project needs.
?? What You'll Be Doing
Designing and developing secure, reliable and scalable software components
Writing high-quality, well-tested code suitable for sensitive environments
Supporting CI/CD pipelines built for restricted or hybrid networks
Collaborating with systems engineers, cyber specialists and product teams
Contributing to architecture decisions and technical roadmaps
Troubleshooting complex issues across distributed and secure systems
Applying strict coding, security and governance standards
Documenting key decisions, processes and technical designs
Working with teams embedded inside defence and intelligence organisations
What We're Looking For
Essential
Active SC clearance
Eligibility for eDV clearance (UK national or other qualifying criteria)
Software engineering experience across design, development, testing and deployment
Proficiency in one or more key languages: Java, Python, C++, C#, JavaScript
Understanding of secure software engineering principles
Experience with CI/CD pipelines and version control (Git)
Familiarity with modern development practices and automated testing
Ability to work 2-3 days per week on-site in Gloucester or London
Strong communication skills, including working with multidisciplinary teams
Desirable
Experience working in public sector, defence, national security or other highly regulated environments
Knowledge of distributed systems, event-driven architectures or messaging frameworks
Experience with Docker/Kubernetes or secure containerised systems
Familiarity with hybrid cloud or secure on-prem environments
Interest in emerging technologies, data-intensive platforms or mission systems
Who This Role Suits
You'll thrive here if you:
Want to contribute to the UK's defence and national security mission
Enjoy solving complex, sensitive engineering challenges
Are comfortable with structured environments and high assurance processes
Prefer collaborative, multi-disciplinary technical teams
Take pride in building secure, robust, well-engineered solutions
Security & Working Environment
Active SC clearance is mandatory
eDV eligibility is required - the role will sponsor eDV when appropriate
Must be able to work on-site 2-3 days/week in Gloucester or London
Work may require access to secure networks or classified environments
What's in It for You
Chance to work on mission-critical systems with real societal impact
Exposure to some of the UK's most unique engineering challenges
Strong progression routes into tech leadership, architecture or specialist roles
Training and development tailored for defence and national security engineering
Supportive engineering culture and knowledge-sharing community
?? Interested?
If you're a Software Engineer with SC clearance, eligibility for eDV, and a passion for solving meaningful problems in defence and national security, we'd love to hear from you.
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. xpwpeyx 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.