Job Description

Social Security Scotland currently has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Software Engineer to join our Digital Services team.

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will play a key role in designing, developing and delivering secure, scalable digital services that support people across Scotland. Working within a multidisciplinary team, you will contribute to the development of applications, APIs and integrated solutions, collaborating closely with architecture, testing, infrastructure and delivery colleagues to ensure the successful delivery of critical services.

This is an opportunity to apply your software engineering expertise to complex technical challenges, take ownership of features from design through to deployment, and help shape innovative digital solutions that make a real difference to people's lives.

A Senior Software Engineer delivers and integrates software to form a complete service.

At this role level, you will:

• Plan and lead development on sets of related stories
• Have an understanding of the whole system and take responsibility for teaching this to others
• Work with other disciplines to understand what needs to be built
• Coach and mentor colleagues
• Operate the production services you build
• Find ways to improve system robustness, resilience and stability

Responsibilities

• Manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and performance targets, identifying opportunities for process optimisation and contributing to the implementation of improvements.
• Participate in information security processes and design and implement embedded security controls within solutions and services.
• Apply a modern standards approach, collaborating with colleagues to review specifications and supporting others to do the same.
• Design, code, test and document medium-to-high complexity programs or scripts, using appropriate standards, tools and agreed specifications.
• Lead and contribute to prototyping activities, advocating for the use of prototyping and testing, establishing design patterns and selecting appropriate prototyping methods.
• Identify, investigate and resolve faults, ensuring the stability and effectiveness of systems and services.
• Design systems with medium levels of risk, impact, and business or technical complexity, selecting and applying appropriate design standards, methods and tools.
• Review system designs to ensure appropriate technology choices, efficient use of resources, and effective integration across multiple systems and technologies.
• Define integration builds, coordinate build activities across systems, and support integration testing activities.
• Collaborate with user researchers to understand and represent user needs, championing user-centred design and guiding others in developing user-focused approaches.
• Recommend appropriate tools and methods to support effective delivery and user outcomes.

Success Profiles

We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about the framework here.

For this post, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:

Experience:

1. Experience building solutions to problems of high complexity using Curam Social Program Management (SPM), allowing you to use agreed specifications to independently design, develop, test and document complex solutions using appropriate standards and tools.
2. Experience developing and debugging applications using Curam Social Program Management (SPM), allowing you to define the monitoring, alerting and operational processes to proactively identify, locate and fix faults.
3. Experience contributing to and improving team processes, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and supporting the implementation of solutions, including contributing to the onboarding and development of team members.

Behaviours

• Leadership (Level 3)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here.

Technical Skills

This role is aligned to Senior Developer within the Government Digital and Data Profession.

Please review the following to understand the skill expectations: Software Developer - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework

These skills will be tested during the Technical Assessment if you are successful at sift stage. They will not be assessed at application stage.

How to Apply

Apply online, providing a CV and a Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the Experience and Behaviours outlined in the Success Profile above. Be sure to provide specific examples of work that you’ve done that showcase your relevant experience.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

An initial sift may be completed using the CV and Supporting Statement against the first Experience criteria. Candidates who pass the initial sift will have their applications fully assessed.

Successful candidates will be invited to an interview which will assess the Experience and Behaviours, and a technical assessment comprising a short presentation which will assess the Technical Skills.

Full details of the interview and assessment process will be shared with shortlisted candidates once the sift has been completed.

We aim to provide feedback on request. However, where a large number of applications are received, it may not be possible to give feedback to candidates who are not invited to interview or assessment. Feedback will be available on request to all candidates who attend an interview or assessment.

Expected Timeline (subject to change)

Sift - week commencing 12th October

Interview – week commencing 26th October

Location - In Person in either Dundee or Glasgow

Reserve List

In the event that there are more successful candidates than posts available, a reserve list will be kept for up to 12 months.

About Us

Social Security Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Our benefits help people from all walks of life in Scotland. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the clients we serve. Find more about us here.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules. 

GDD Pay Supplement

This post is part of the Government Digital and Data (GDD) profession and currently attracts a £6,000 annual GDD pay supplement, which is paid monthly. Pay supplements are reviewed regularly.

Working Pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options, depending on the needs of the role. We embrace a hybrid working style where all colleagues will spend time in either our Glasgow or Dundee offices. There is an expectation of a minimum 2 days per week in your assigned location, which will be either Glasgow or Dundee. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

Equality Statement

Social Security Scotland are committed to equality and inclusion, and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Social Security Scotland are a Disability Confident Employer. We will consider and implement any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the recruitment process and during the course of your employment, should you be successful in securing a post. If you feel you may require assistance with any part of our recruitment process, please contact us at Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further Information

This role is only available to existing permanent civil servants who have successfully completed their probation period within Social Security Scotland, or the broader Scottish Government.

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

The successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 3 years unless successful in gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade.

If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the online application form, please contact the Resourcing Team via recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot

Apply before 23:55 on 12th October 2026

Contact Name - Resourcing Team

Contact e-Mail - recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot