Senior Software Engineer

Job summary

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners, MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber attacks, and espionage. At GCHQ, you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that emphasises teamwork.

Flexible working

We recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a range of working patterns, including full-time, part-time, and compressed hours. Hybrid working, which combines working on-site and from home, may be more limited due to the nature of the work. However, some homeworking may be available depending on business needs. We also support flexible start and finish times, where possible, to help you manage your personal and professional commitments.

Find out more about flexible working on our website.

Job description

As a Senior Software Engineer, you’ll play a pivotal role in solving mission-critical challenges. You’ll contribute to the architecture and design of both new and existing systems, establish and promote best practices, and deliver high-quality software solutions. Drawing on your expertise in a range of software engineering methodologies, you’ll introduce fresh ideas and innovative approaches that make a real impact at the core of our mission: keeping the UK safe, both in the real world and online.

This is a practical, impact-driven role with plenty of opportunities to develop yourself and others. Operating at a deep technical level, you’ll apply your expertise across a variety of software engineering frameworks and technologies, working with languages such as JavaScript, Java, Node.js, Python, Rust and Go. Alongside hands-on engineering, you’ll help shape how teams build and deliver software by defining code review, branching and deployment strategies, and reviewing pull requests to support high-quality, maintainable solutions.

For our Cheltenham roles, we are particularly interested in candidates with experience in technologies and practices such as C++, Golang, Python, Rust, CMake, HELM, YAML, JSON, containerisation, VCPkg, observability, DevOps, Kubernetes, systems administration and Linux. However, we also welcome applications from candidates whose experience aligns with any of the technologies and disciplines outlined above.

You’ll bring a pragmatic approach to adopting new software engineering practices, using them to improve quality, productivity and delivery, and helping others do the same. As part of a wider network of peers, you’ll collaborate and learn from others. With your experience, you’ll set the standard, introduce innovative ways of working, and help shape technical priorities.

Whether leading and mentoring a team or acting as the technical expert within a high-performing group, you’ll draw on your knowledge of diverse methodologies to deliver impactful solutions. Confidently engaging with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, you’ll make a positive contribution to the wider engineering community.

Training and development
At GCHQ, we’re committed to your growth and development. From the moment you join, a comprehensive induction will introduce you to our organisation, providing insight into how we operate and the collaborative environment you’ll be part of. This lays the foundation for a learning journey tailored to your goals and preferred learning style.

From day one, access to mentors and subject matter experts will help you settle into the role. You can continue to have a mentor for as little or as long as you choose throughout your career. We invest in your development and adapt to the way you like to learn. Support and encouragement are provided every step of the way, as you become an integral part of our innovative team. We’ll provide the space and resources for continuous learning and improvement, with up to 30% of your time dedicated to personal development, giving you the freedom to explore new technologies, build professional skills, or pursue areas of growth that interest you.

From books, online courses, and conferences to real-world projects supported by your team, we’ll provide the resources you need to grow. Learning and development opportunities tailored to your role cover a wide range of software disciplines including front-end design, site reliability engineering, data engineering, solution architecture, machine learning operations, UX, Agile, cloud engineering and security. We’ll even support formal qualifications through dedicated funding and provide subscriptions to platforms like Cloud Academy, Pluralsight, and O’Reilly to help stay ahead.

Our culture embraces a growth mindset and values equality, encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best every day. Whether you’re exploring advanced software engineering patterns, gaining certifications like AWS Developer or Certified Scrum Master, or developing leadership skills through internal training, we’ll help you build the career you want. As your expertise grows, you’ll also have opportunities for skill reviews that can lead to recognised additional skills payments, supporting both your development and progression within the organisation.

Person specification

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will bring expertise in the frameworks and technologies mentioned above, along with experience working with cloud platforms AWS, Azure, and GCP. You’ll have successfully led Agile project teams, evaluated customer business requirements, and delivered high-quality software solutions that make a real impact.

Strategic and self-driven, you’ll serve as a bridge between teams, communicating technical information with clarity and confidence. You’ll thrive in a fast-paced, innovative environment where creativity is key to solving complex and unprecedented challenges.

Experience of generative AI would be advantageous, whether through using AI assisted software development tools, understanding agentic patterns, or developing applications that use large language models. An awareness of how to evaluate AI-generated outputs and use these technologies responsibly, securely and effectively would also be beneficial. What matters most is your curiosity and willingness to develop your knowledge as these technologies evolve.

We welcome experienced professionals from a variety of related fields, including security engineering, site reliability engineering and data engineering. Your genuine enthusiasm for software engineering, combined with your ability to mentor others, collaborate effectively, and stay ahead of emerging technologies, makes you a valuable contributor to a forward-thinking engineering community.

We’re Disability Confident
GCHQ is proud to have achieved Leader status within the Department for Work and Pensions’ Disability Confident scheme. This initiative encourages employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. As a Disability Confident Leader, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essential minimum criteria for this position, will be offered an interview, if it is practical for us to do so. This is known as the Offer of an interview.

To secure an interview for this role, you will need to meet the minimum criteria assessed during the application sift. The minimum criteria in order of application process are:

• You'll be required to reach the minimum pass mark for the online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which assesses criteria important for all roles in our organisation.