Technical Lead – Software Engineering (National Security Projects) Location: Manchester (2–3 days on-site per week) Salary: £65,000 – £82,000 excellent benefits Clearance: SC clearable (current SC clearance preferred) Interview Process: 1 stage We’re looking for an experienced and hands-on Technical Lead to head up a newly formed engineering team delivering secure, high-impact solutions for government and national security clients. This is a rare opportunity to join a project at inception, giving you the chance to help shape the technical direction, ways of working, and delivery culture from the ground up. What You’ll Do Lead a multidisciplinary Scrum team of AWS, platform, and software engineers (8–9 people) Remain hands-on with the technology, with a focus on Java and AWS Own the technical design and oversee delivery of complex, secure software solutions Ensure solutions are scalable, robust, and aligned with security best practices Collaborate closely with other technical leads and architects on solution design Mentor and support engineers to drive technical excellence and continuous improvement What You’ll Bring Strong hands-on experience with Java and AWS (C++ experience beneficial) Proven track record leading agile software teams in complex environments Solid understanding of cloud-native architectures and DevOps practices Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills Active SC clearance preferred; must be SC clearable Ability to influence both technical direction and team culture Why Join? Be part of a newly established team, rather than joining an existing project Work on critical solutions that directly contribute to national security Enjoy a collaborative and technically challenging environment Shape the engineering approach and ways of working from day one