Lead Software Engineer

Lead Software Engineer

Division – Data, Technology and Innovation

Department – Advanced Analytics Engineering

Salary – National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £72,100 to £117,100 and London from £79,300 to £128,800 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience) 

About the FCA   

The FCA regulates the conduct of 45,000 firms in the UK to ensure our financial markets are honest, fair and competitive. Follow this link to find out more About the FCA.

There are few jobs where you can make a real difference to the 40 million consumers of financial products, the 2 million people who work in the UK Financial Services industry, and the stability of our economy.

What will you be doing?

Advanced Analytics is driving digital innovation at the FCA. Our purpose is to change how we regulate financial services, combatting financial crime in particular. Our team of data scientists, engineers and change experts combine cutting-edge techniques and the latest technology to generate breakthrough insights. We believe the best approach is sometimes an innovative approach. We place emphasis on curiosity and experimentation. We collaborate widely with academics, innovative companies, and the rest of the FCA. We believe that people need space to continue learning and the support to develop new ideas, so we commit to giving them both. Join our diverse team of creative and passionate innovators and expect to:

• Design, implementation and deployment of advanced analytical applications, shaping innovative solutions

• Collaborate with enterprise architects, product managers, data scientists, and SMEs to drive strategic ideas and implementation strategies

• Provide hands-on development while guiding a team of senior engineers, ensuring high-quality code and best practices

• Establish design standards, conduct code reviews and oversee the integrity of the codebase

• Troubleshoot complex technical challenges across platforms and application domains, ensuring seamless performance

What will you get from the role?

• Deliver impactful solutions that protect UK consumers from harm and put those engaged in financial crime out of business

• Shape new product propositions from ideation to release, free from legacy constraints

• Enjoy professional growth in an innovative function that encourages continuous learning and development – you will have access to online learning platforms, industry talks, and dedicated time for experimentation

• Be part of a diverse and inclusive workplace that promotes a positive culture and wellbeing

Which skills are required?

We are a Disability Confident Employer; therefore, disabled people or individuals with long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. (To learn more about the Disability Confident Scheme Click Here)

Minimum

• Experience using Python programming and Python frameworks such as Django and/or Flask

• System troubleshooting experience across platform and application domains

• Experience building and consuming RESTful APIs

Essential

• Proficient in setting AWS services for Application Development (Lambda, S3, SNS, SQS, SageMaker)

• Familiarity with CI/CD, GIT, Docker

• Experience in TDD or BDD testing frameworks such as PyTest or Behave

Desirable

• Experience in machine learning deployments, LLM based applications

• Container technologies (e.g., Docker, AWS ECS/ECR)

Our Values & Diversity

We are proud to be an inclusive employer and our ambition is to cultivate a culture for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better regulation.

Within the workplace you will have access to various employee resource groups which aim to promote and achieve a healthy work/life balance and support our diversity ambitions.

Did you know? 50% of our Executive Committee are women.

Benefits of working at the FCA

• 28 days holiday per year plus bank holidays

• Hybrid working (work from home up to 60% of your time)

• Private healthcare with Bupa 

• A non-contributory pension of at least 8%

• Life assurance

• Income protection

We also have a competitive flexible benefits scheme which gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifestyle.

We welcome applications from candidates who are looking for flexible arrangements.  Many of our staff work flexibly including working part-time, staggered hours, and job shares.  We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want but we can explore what might work best for both sides.

Follow this link to see what life is like at the FCA - Life at the FCA

Application Support

We are dedicated to removing barriers and ensuring our application process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition requiring changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter using the details below and they will be happy to discuss this further with you.

Useful Information and Timeline

• This role is graded Technical Specialist - Regulatory

• Advert Closing Date: Midnight 13 June - please submit your application by 11.59pm Thursday 12 June

• CV Review/Shortlist: 17 June

• At-Home Technical Assessment (2-6 hours): 18-25 June

• Virtual Interview (1 hour): w/c 30 June

Your Recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role, therefore, please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time. 

Got a question?

If you are interested in learning more about the role, please contact benjamin.paulon@fca.org.uk

Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via email will not be accepted.