Principal Software Engineer (JavaScript, React, Node.js) - BBC Home

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Job Introduction

In BBC Home you’ll help build the next generation of the BBC online.  Your work will be in front of tens of millions of people as we deliver world-class experiences via the BBC Homepage and use our Topics capability to power some of the BBC’s biggest products in News, Sport and programmes like Strictly Come Dancing or Dr Who.

Our vision is to bring together everything the BBC produces in a personalised way, through connected services that allow you to interact directly with the BBC.  By joining our team you will be given the opportunity to make a real difference to our mission to reinvent the BBC online for a new generation.

Our agile teams are made up of software engineers, testers, user experience designers, design researchers, product owners, business analysts and project managers, all striving to create extraordinary experiences for our audiences.

How we work

In BBC Home we build our products following Continuous Delivery practises, builds run with fully automated pipelines, deploying to live multiple times a day.

We build fully responsive web solutions across multiple devices and we create the backend services that drive them using Node.JS and AWS cloud technologies.  Our services are highly available and highly scalable so we build following service-oriented architecture and micro-service architectural patterns.

We follow agile development methodologies and practice Test Driven Development, Behaviour Driven Development and advocate pair programming. 

We focus on the key non-functional requirements that are important to our audience - performance, security and accessibility.  We excel at collaboration and often we work closely with other teams in the BBC - and external companies - to push our capabilities further.

Role Responsibility

The Principal Software Engineer works closely with the wider Product and Technology teams to deliver top notch products and experiences to our audience users.  You will design simple solutions to complex business problems – assuring availability and performance.  You will provide ongoing consultation and advice to stakeholders about roadmap features and will lead and implement architectural design best practices, aiding the BBC projects' long-term success.  As a subject matter expert in your field, you will also provide technical mentorship and support for architectural design, from individual applications/services to distributed systems design.

Are you the right candidate?

We understand not everyone may tick all the essential boxes, however we strongly encourage you to apply if you can demonstrate how you would deliver the fundamentals of the role.

You will be an experienced software engineer with a demonstrable background working within an Agile/or DevOps environment.  A subject matter expert in your field, particularly in JavaScript, React, and Node.js languages, you will be committed to the principles of software craftmanship and clean code.

We look for some of the following skills in a Principal Software Engineer:

• Strong knowledge of modern clean code for multiple platforms

• Championing best working practices such as TDD, pair programming and application of design patterns

• Demonstrable experience of AWS services

• The ability to engineer solutions that are covered by automated tests

• An aspiration for engineering excellence, using knowledge sharing to learn from each other

• The ability to mentor and / or demonstrate leadership capabilities

• The ability to see errors and mistakes as an opportunity to learn and improve

• A holistic approach to a project, the solution you develop and the views of your colleagues

• An empathetic approach that puts user’s experience in the centre

• The desire and ability to proactively communicate in an inclusive way

Package Description

Band: D
Contract type: continuing
Location: Salford (one/two days per week in the office)

We are serious about offering you professional development, training and support.  You can also expect an excellent benefits package, a great working environment with scope for hybrid working and a shared sense of purpose.

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• An employer pension contribution of up to 10%

• Annual leave 26 days, (based on your working pattern 1 of which is a corporation day) + bank holidays of course with the option to buy an extra 5 days

• Contributory lifestyle benefit options including discounts at hundreds of retailers, cycle to work scheme, discounted gym memberships and healthcare schemes

• Family friendly flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, job sharing, flexi-time and compressed hours

• Employee assistance and well-being programmes

• Learning and development tailored to your role this could include industry recognised qualifications, coaching and mentoring

• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join staff networks including: Women’s Network, National Disability Networks and many more

We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and especially welcome individuals from underrepresented groups.  While this is a full-time role, flexible working patterns and job shares are welcome.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during any part of the application process, please get in touch so we can support you.

About the BBC

We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours in the document attached below.

Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to be part of the BBC – whether that’s to contribute to our programming or our wide range of non-production roles. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity. 

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.

To find out more about Diversity and Inclusion at the BBC, please click here