Job Description Lead Java Developer Rate: Up to £700/day Inside IR35 Location: Leeds – 3 Days Onsite Per Week Contract: 12 Months Clearance: Must be eligible for SC clearance About the Role We’re looking for a Lead Java Developer to join a major national digital transformation programme. The successful candidate will help build and improve high-traffic citizen-facing services used by millions across the UK. You’ll lead or mentor a team of Java developers, deliver robust, scalable solutions, and contribute to modernising a complex digital estate. This is a hands-on technical leadership role for someone who thrives in collaborative, Agile environments and wants their work to have a tangible impact on society. Key Responsibilities Lead or guide a team of Java developers on large-scale digital services. Design, build, and enhance server-side applications and APIs for internal and external use. Build and maintain automated test suites to support continuous deployment. Contribute to scaling and improving high-traffic web platforms. Provide 2nd-line support for applications and platforms, including occasional out-of-hours support. Communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences. Required Skills and Experience: Strong recent experience with Java 21 or later. Solid understanding of TDD, BDD, and Agile delivery. Experience with microservices architecture and responsive web design. Proven track record building APIs and automated test frameworks for continuous deployment. Familiarity with Unix-like operating systems (Linux/Mac OS X). Comfortable with collaborative development practices such as pair programming. Desirable: Experience with MongoDB, messaging tools (ActiveMQ/Kafka), and frameworks such as Jackson, JAX-RS, Mockito. Knowledge of scaling high-traffic websites and managing large data sets. Next Steps If you’re interested in working on impactful, large-scale digital services, please apply with your CV. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted to discuss the role and interview process.