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Software Engineer jobs in the United Kingdom

Engineering roles in the UK often focus on dependable delivery: well-tested code, clear communication, and the ability to work across a product lifecycle. Interviews are in English.

IT & Office Mid/Senior Sponsorship may be possible (indicative) Updated:
CV required: candidates without a CV are not considered.
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Work eligibility: non-UK candidates must have the right to work in the UK or apply for roles where sponsorship is possible (depends on the employer, role seniority, and salary alignment).
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Typical gross pay in the UK (guide)

All figures below are gross (brutto) base pay guides (market-dependent). Bonuses/equity and specific stacks can materially change totals.

Level Typical gross range Practical notes
Entry / Junior ~£35,000–£45,000 More competitive for overseas candidates; sponsorship is less common at this level.
Mid-level ~£40,000–£70,000 Often requires solid portfolio + commercial delivery experience (testing, code review, CI/CD).
Senior ~£65,000–£100,000+ Typically includes system design, ownership, and operational responsibility.
Sponsorship alignment (important): Many sponsorship-ready roles benchmark salary against Skilled Worker requirements and occupation “going rates”. For software development professionals, a common reference point is in the mid-£50k band (role-specific).

UK work conditions (practical overview)

  • Working week: commonly 37.5–40 hours; overtime/on-call depends on team and role.
  • Hours limit: the UK has a 48-hour average weekly limit (workers can opt out in writing if they choose).
  • Annual leave: statutory minimum is 28 days/year for a full-time 5-day worker (can include bank holidays depending on employer policy).
  • Pension: many employers auto-enrol eligible staff into a workplace pension; employers must meet minimum contribution rules.
  • Pay model: most roles are PAYE (tax/NI withheld) for employees; contractors have different structures.
  • Notice periods: contract-specific; statutory minimums apply in certain cases.

What UK employers typically expect from overseas candidates

  • Clear English CV + demonstrable outcomes (portfolio, case studies, shipped features).
  • Ability to work with product/QA/devops stakeholders and document decisions.
  • Strong reliability signals: testing discipline, secure coding awareness, and ownership mindset.

Short candidate portrait

Short candidate portrait: an engineer who is comfortable with system design, code reviews, and debugging production issues—balancing delivery speed with quality and security.

  • Writes readable code and can defend design choices with trade-offs.
  • Collaborates well: reviews, pair debugging, and clean handovers.
  • Can show impact: performance improvements, reliability gains, cost optimisation, or faster delivery.

Vacancy story (UK hiring context)

Vacancy story: Engineering hiring in the UK often prioritises collaboration—clean interfaces, pragmatic architecture, and predictable delivery. Clear written communication can be a deciding factor.

  • Many teams modernise legacy systems while maintaining uptime.
  • Observability (logging/metrics/tracing) and secure defaults are increasingly standard.
  • Hiring decisions often reward engineers who can explain “why”, not only “how”.

Portfolio checklist (what to include)

  • 2–4 strong projects with readable code and clear documentation.
  • Case study format: problem → approach → trade-offs → result.
  • Evidence of teamwork: PRs, code reviews, tickets, or architecture notes.
  • Production mindset: tests, CI/CD, monitoring, and incident learnings (if applicable).

Typical responsibilities (software engineering)

  • Deliver production features end-to-end: design → implementation → review → release.
  • Write maintainable code with tests, sensible abstractions, and clear interfaces.
  • Collaborate with product/QA and communicate progress, risks, and dependencies.
  • Improve reliability: monitoring, logging, performance tuning, and incident follow-ups.
  • Maintain security hygiene: dependency updates, secrets handling, and least-privilege access.
Interview expectation: most UK employers assess problem solving, code quality, and system thinking. Plan to discuss trade-offs and real delivery examples.

Requirements (detailed)

Core engineering skills

Strong programming fundamentals, clean code practices, and the ability to work with existing codebases. Comfort with debugging, performance considerations, and pragmatic architecture.

Delivery discipline (what hiring teams look for)

Testing strategy, code reviews, CI/CD awareness, and documentation. Ability to estimate work, break down tasks, and communicate risk early.

Typical tooling & environments

One or more mainstream stacks (Java, .NET, Node.js, Python), databases (SQL/NoSQL), version control (Git), and cloud exposure (AWS/Azure/GCP). DevOps maturity varies by employer.

Communication & collaboration

English communication is required for interviews, daily coordination, and written updates. A calm, structured approach to problem explanations is valued in UK teams.

Work eligibility (for non-UK candidates)

You must already have the right to work in the UK or apply to employers able to sponsor eligible roles. Sponsorship feasibility depends on the employer and role conditions.

Application steps

  1. Prepare an English CV focused on outcomes (impact, scale, reliability improvements).
  2. Add a portfolio (GitHub/case studies) that proves delivery quality.
  3. Submit via MaViAl using the CV page (required).
  4. Screening: CV review + role matching against current UK demand.
  5. Employer process: technical interviews and right-to-work checks (role dependent).
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FAQ (Software Engineer jobs in the UK)

Do UK Software Engineer jobs sponsor visas?

Some employers can sponsor Skilled Worker visas, but it depends on the employer being a licensed sponsor and the role meeting skill and salary requirements. Mid/senior profiles are more commonly sponsored.

What gross salary is typical for Software Engineers in the UK?

Market ranges vary by location and stack. As a practical guide, mid-level roles often sit in the £40k–£70k band, while senior roles frequently start around the mid-£60k range and can exceed £100k in certain markets and specialisations.

Is a portfolio mandatory?

Not always, but it is strongly recommended—especially for overseas candidates—because it reduces hiring risk and makes shortlisting easier.

Is remote work common?

Hybrid work is common in many UK tech teams, but some roles require office presence due to security, client access, or team policy. Requirements depend on the employer and project.

What happens after I submit my CV?

MaViAl reviews your profile, confirms your target roles and seniority, and matches you to current UK demand. If a suitable opportunity is available, you may be invited to interviews.

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