Software developer
Find out what a software developer in government does and the skills you need to do the role at each level.
Last updated 31 July 2023 — See all updates
Contents
- — What a software developer does
- — Software developer role levels
- — 1. Apprentice developer
- — 2. Junior developer
- — 3. Developer
- — 4. Senior developer
- — 5. Senior developer - management
- — 6. Lead developer
- — 7. Lead developer - management
- — 8. Principal developer
- — 9. Principal developer - management
- — Roles that share software developer skills
- — Senior Civil Service roles that software developer could lead to
What a software developer does
A software developer designs, runs and improves software that meets user needs.
In this role, you will:
- be responsible for writing clean, secure code following a test-driven approach
- create code that is open by default and easy for others to reuse
Software developer role levels
There are 9 software developer role levels, from apprentice developer to principal developer - management.
The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.
1. Apprentice developer
An apprentice developer attends certified training and develops skills on the job.
At this role level, you will:
- spend a substantial portion of time shadowing others
- work with other developers to write code and tests
- build your knowledge
- follow a test-driven approach
- write code that is automatically tested
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- AO (Administrative Officer)
- EO (Executive Officer)
Skill | Description |
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Availability and capacity management Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Programming and build (software engineering) Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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2. Junior developer
A junior developer learns on the job by delivering software components.
At this role level, you will:
- develop skills while working under supervision to deliver stories in a multidisciplinary team
- understand and be proficient in different types of testing
- be aware of but not responsible for security
- coach and mentor more junior colleagues
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- EO (Executive Officer)
- HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Availability and capacity management Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Programming and build (software engineering) Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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3. Developer
A developer delivers software components that form part of a product.
At this role level, you will:
- develop software to meet user needs
- follow best practice guidelines and help to improve those guidelines
- write clean, secure and well-tested code
- coach and mentor more junior colleagues
- operate the services you build and identify issues in production
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
- SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Availability and capacity management Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Development process optimisation Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Programming and build (software engineering) Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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4. Senior developer
A senior developer 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 more junior colleagues
- operate the production services you build
- find ways to improve system robustness, resilience and stability
There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
- G7 (Grade 7)
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Availability and capacity management Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Development process optimisation Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Programming and build (software engineering) Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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5. Senior developer - management
A senior developer 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 more junior colleagues
- operate the production services you build
- find ways to improve system robustness, resilience and stability
There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Availability and capacity management Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Development process optimisation (management) Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Programming and build (software engineering) Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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6. Lead developer
A lead developer leads development on one or a small number of related project teams.
At this role level, you will:
- guide the ways in which the team works
- be proficient in a wide range of technical systems
- be involved in identifying appropriate technology and approaches, deciding when software should be written
- contribute to the developer community
- provide technical leadership, coaching and mentoring your team
- promote knowledge sharing and adoption of good practice
There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- G7 (Grade 7)
- G6 (Grade 6)
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Availability and capacity management Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Development process optimisation Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Programming and build (software engineering) Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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7. Lead developer - management
A lead developer leads development on one or a small number of related project teams.
At this role level, you will:
- guide the ways in which the team works
- be proficient in a wide range of technical systems
- be involved in identifying appropriate technology and approaches, deciding when software should be written
- contribute to the developer community
- provide technical leadership, coaching and mentoring your team
- promote knowledge sharing and adoption of good practice
There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Availability and capacity management Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Development process optimisation (management) Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Programming and build (software engineering) Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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8. Principal developer
A principal developer leads and plans development across large or multiple teams.
At this role level, you will:
- be an expert in many technical areas or a specialist with very deep knowledge in a particular technical area
- use this knowledge, and work with related disciplines, to keep multiple teams working effectively
- develop capability by facilitating internal mobility, shaping career paths and recruiting talent, ensuring they collaborate
- identify, test and champion the adoption of emerging technologies
There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- G6 (Grade 6)
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Availability and capacity management Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Development process optimisation Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Programming and build (software engineering) Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
9. Principal developer - management
A principal developer leads and plans development across large or multiple teams.
At this role level, you will:
- be an expert in many technical areas or a specialist with very deep knowledge in a particular technical area
- use this knowledge, and work with related disciplines, to keep multiple teams working effectively
- develop capability by facilitating internal mobility, shaping career paths and recruiting talent, ensuring they collaborate
- identify, test and champion the adoption of emerging technologies
There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.
Skill | Description |
---|---|
Availability and capacity management Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Development process optimisation (management) Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Programming and build (software engineering) Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
|
Roles that share software developer skills
Senior Civil Service roles that software developer could lead to
Updates
Published 7 January 2020
Last updated 31 July 2023
31 July 2023
- Software developer was moved to the new software development role group.
7 January 2020
- First published.