Job Specifications
Senior Backend Engineer (Contractor)
On-site
Full time
Methods Business and Digital Technology Limited
Methods is a £100M+ IT Services Consultancy who has partnered with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way the public sector operates in the UK. Established over 30 years ago and UK-based, we apply our skills in transformation, delivery, and collaboration from across the Methods Group, to create end-to-end business and technical solutions that are people-centred, safe, and designed for the future.
Our human touch sets us apart from other consultancies, system integrators and software houses - with people, technology, and data at the heart of who we are, we believe in creating value and sustainability through everything we do for our clients, staff, communities, and the planet.
We support our clients in the success of their projects while working collaboratively to share skill sets and solve problems. At Methods we have fun while working hard; we are not afraid of making mistakes and learning from them.
Predominantly focused on the public-sector, Methods is now building a significant private sector client portfolio.
Methods was acquired by the Alten Group in early 2022.
Requirements
On-site, Full time.
This role will require you to have ACTIVE Security Clearance, with a willingness to move to DV
As a Senior Backend Engineer, you'll play a hands-on role in developing and supporting backend services, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality, secure, and maintainable software. The role is embedded within a supportive engineering team that values clean code, continuous improvement, and shared learning.
Requirements
What You'll Be Doing as a Senior Software Engineer (Backend):
Develop and maintain robust backend services using Python and FastAPI or Django
Design and maintain relational database schemas in PostgreSQL, Azure SQL Server
Deploy and manage containerised services in Kubernetes Service
Collaborate with DevOps engineers to implement CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions
Support integration with data platforms including Azure Data Factory
Contribute to code quality through unit tests, code reviews, and adherence to best practices
Write clear technical documentation and collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams
Participate in sprint planning, estimation, and retrospectives
Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical specifications
Present technical solutions to leadership and non-technical stakeholders
Your Impact:
Enable delivery of secure, performant backend services within public sector data platforms
Help clients adopt cloud-native best practices for backend development
Support data-driven decision-making through resilient, well-integrated APIs
Requirements:
You Will Demonstrate:
Solid experience in backend development using Python and FastAPI
Strong understanding of RESTful API design principles
Proficient in relational databases, especially PostgreSQL
Experience deploying microservices to Kubernetes (preferably AKS)
Familiarity with DevOps tools like GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps and Docker
Experience working with cloud platforms (especially Azure)
Comfort working in Agile delivery teams and using Git-based workflows
A collaborative mindset with clear written and verbal communication
Strong communication skills for translating complex technical concepts
Track record of successful project delivery in a technical leadership capacity
You may also have some of the desirable skills and experience:
Experience of event streaming platforms like Kafka and messaging systems such as NATS
Knowledge of the Go language or a willingness to learn
Experience in secure development practices for public sector environments
Exposure to frontend integration or full-stack workflows
Experience with technical project management
Experience with high-performance, large-scale data systems
Defence or Public Sector experience
Consultancy experience
About the Company
Methods is the leading digital transformation partner for the UK public sector. We care deeply about making our public services better and have been doing this for 28 years.
Methods partners with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way public sector operates in the UK. Our mission is to help safeguard public-facing services and apply digital thinking to make sure the future of our public services is centred around citizens.
Committed to having social impact, we enjoy an enviable track r...
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