Lead Python Developer

Lead Python Full Stack Engineer (Contract) Active SC clearance / SC eligible - Mandatory Leeds (Hybrid Working)

The Challenge We're delivering secure, business-critical digital services within complex UK public sector environments where reliability, security, and delivery confidence matter. We're looking for an experienced Lead Python Full Stack Engineer who can quickly become productive within an established delivery team, take ownership of complex technical challenges, set direction for implementation, and help other engineers deliver high-quality software in environments with demanding operational, security, and governance requirements. This is a hands‑on technical leadership role focused on solving real delivery problems, guiding engineering decisions, improving service quality, and remaining directly involved in delivering working software that users can depend on. The Environment You'll work on production applications operating within UK public sector organisations, supporting operational processes and integrating with multiple internal and external systems. The environment combines modern cloud technologies, established platforms, security controls, and complex stakeholder requirements. Success depends on balancing delivery pace, technical quality, operational reliability, and pragmatic decision making. Experience working within public sector organisations is required. Experience within NHS or wider health and care environments is highly desirable.

What You’ll Deliver

Build and enhance production services Design, develop, and support software that delivers tangible outcomes for users. Contribute across the full software lifecycle, from requirements through to deployment and operational support. Improve service reliability and maintainability Identify technical risks, reduce delivery friction, and implement pragmatic improvements that improve maintainability, stability, and long-term supportability. Deliver secure solutions Ensure applications meet appropriate security, authentication, authorisation, and data protection requirements. Apply engineering best practices to maintain compliance without slowing delivery unnecessarily. Solve integration challenges Work across multiple systems and services, diagnosing issues, resolving dependencies, and delivering reliable end‑to‑end solutions. Enable confident delivery Implement and maintain automated testing, deployment pipelines, and operational monitoring to support reliable and repeatable delivery. Support cloud‑native services Build, deploy, and maintain solutions running on cloud-hosted infrastructure using modern infrastructure and deployment approaches. Contribute technical leadership Provide hands‑on technical leadership across the delivery team: shape solution and implementation decisions, establish proportionate engineering standards, review critical changes, coach engineers, and communicate technical trade‑offs and risks clearly to delivery leads, architects, and stakeholders.

Technology Stack

You’ll be working with technologies including:

• Backend
• Flask
• Serverless technologies Data & Integration
• OAuth 2.0
• OpenID Connect (OIDC)

Experience across all technologies is not essential. We are primarily interested in engineers who can quickly understand unfamiliar systems and deliver effectively.

What We’re Looking For Essential

• Significant experience building and supporting production software applications, including operating at lead engineer or equivalent level.
• Strong Python development experience in delivery‑focused environments.
• Ability to become productive quickly within existing teams, codebases, and delivery processes.
• Experience leading technical delivery within Agile teams while remaining hands‑on with design, development, troubleshooting, and review.
• Ability to make and communicate sound technical decisions, manage technical risk, and resolve ambiguity across complex services and integrations.
• Experience setting or improving engineering standards and providing constructive technical guidance to other engineers.
• Practical experience with cloud‑hosted applications and modern deployment approaches.
• Understanding of automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and software delivery practices.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills across complex systems.
• Capability to communicate effectively with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience delivering software within UK public sector organisations.
• Active SC clearance or eligibility to obtain SC clearance.

Desirable

• Experience delivering services within NHS or wider healthcare environments.
• Experience with AWS, Terraform, Docker, and serverless architectures.
• Understanding of public sector governance, assurance, and security requirements.
• Experience working on highly available or business‑critical services.
• Experience improving engineering practices and delivery effectiveness within teams.

Why This Engagement

Meaningful Technical Problems Work on complex public sector services that require practical engineering solutions, secure delivery approaches, and effective systems integration. Modern Engineering Environment Apply Python, cloud technologies, infrastructure‑as‑code, automation, and contemporary software delivery practices within real‑world delivery programmes. Technical Influence Lead engineering decisions and technical improvements across the delivery team, influencing solution direction and delivery approach while remaining closely involved in hands‑on development. Long‑Term Delivery Challenges Work within established programmes that require engineers capable of balancing immediate delivery needs with service reliability, maintainability, and operational resilience.

Key Role Expectations

• This is a hands‑on lead engineering role. You will be expected to set technical direction and support other engineers while continuing to design, build, review, troubleshoot, and deliver software.
• You’ll be expected to contribute quickly within an existing delivery team rather than build a new team from scratch.
• Public sector governance, security, and assurance requirements are part of the delivery environment.
• Strong communication skills are essential; stakeholder engagement is a regular part of the role.
• Active SC clearance or eligibility to obtain SC clearance is mandatory.
• Hybrid working from Leeds is required.