Software Engineering Apprentice

Hours: Full time - 37 Hours
Contract Type: Fixed Term - 4 Years 
Location: Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, Warrington, WA4 4AD
Closing date: 16th February 2025

The Software Engineer Apprentice will be based in the Hartree Centre in Daresbury Laboratory. The Hartree Centre is part of The Science and Technology Facilities Council and provides collaborative research, innovation and software development services to unlock the high growth potential of advanced digital technologies for UK industry. This includes full-stack software engineering, data engineering, high-performance computing (HPC), data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies.

Learn standard software engineering practices, problem-solving techniques, and effective communication skills to meet client needs, while working on a wide range of software engineering projects. Hartree Centre is placed at the intersection of ground breaking digital innovation and industry adoption.

About an Apprenticeship at STFC

With training and support from experts in their fields, you’ll be enthusiastic about developing your knowledge, skills and behaviours, working towards completing your apprenticeship, gaining appropriate qualifications whilst making a real difference in your role.  

If working with innovative technologies on world-leading research isn’t enough, you will develop both professionally and as a critical member of the team in an environment you won’t find anywhere else. 

Our dedicated Apprenticeship Team will support you every step of the way, helping you make the most of your opportunities and to achieve the goals you already have – and those you have yet to discover! 

We provide an opportunity to really pursue your interests and passion. You’ll have access to additional core skills development, access to a community of apprentices across the site, annual Apprentice awards evenings, a number of active sport and social groups across campus, and potential opportunities for overseas placements. 

STFC offers a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, an outstanding index linked pension scheme, 10.5 public and privilege days, Christmas closure and flexible working hours.  

Responsibilities Include:  

• Learning to write well-structured, tested, readable and maintainable code in small agile teams under the supervision of more senior engineers. 
• Participating in code reviews, refactoring, and communicating your work in knowledge exchange sessions. 
• Assisting in the deployment and scaling of applications using continuous integration/deployment (CI/CD), developing standard processes, and handling  your work using Git & agile processes. 
• Creating high-quality documentation, reports, case studies, and web content. 
• Assisting with use case analysis, requirements capture, and project planning. 
• Maintaining curiosity about the application of innovative software across high-performance computing, AI, cloud, and full-stack development.
• Supporting your fellow apprentices by continuing to learn and grow.  
   
  
  

By the end of the apprenticeship, you will be able to confidently write well-structured code, deliver code reviews of colleagues’ work, and implement effective development processes. You will have gained an understanding of resource planning across projects, and you will be able to work with clients to capture their requirements, plan packages of work, and communicate effectively during technical delivery. 

Training will be provided, but a clear enthusiasm for software engineering, and strong interpersonal communication skills, are crucial. 
 Alongside this, you will undertake professional development and training through a mix of day-release and block teaching with Manchester Metropolitan University completing the Digital Technology Solutions Professional Apprenticeship – Software Engineering.  

The modules you will complete will be a combination of general computing principles applicable to all occupational areas, with specialist units focused on the requirements of developing competencies in a Software Engineering role.  

In your final year, you will also complete your work-based project before undertaking your End Point Assessment. The End Point Assessment will include a presentation between the university and STFC, covering the work-based project, your approach, outcome and the skills, knowledge and behaviours demonstrated. This will be assessed as part of the overall project assessment.   
   
You will be supported in developing a portfolio of work-based projects to build and demonstrate the required skills, behaviours and knowledge required for this apprenticeship.    
 
The qualifications you will achieve are:  

• BSc (Hons) in Digital & Technology Solutions  
• Level 6 Digital & Technology Solutions Professional   
   
  

Person Specification

In order to apply for the role, we are looking for the following:

Key - (S) will be measured at shortlisting, (I) will be measured at interview, (S&I) is both.
 
Essential:

• Achieved passes at Grade C/4 or above including Maths & English (S)
• A minimum of 104 UCAS tariff points at A Level ( x 3 subjects at grades BCC or above) or an equivalent Level 3 qualification i.e., BTEC National Diploma (S)
• Computing or Maths at A-level or equivalent (S)
• Ability to present some project work (e.g. coursework, hobby projects) of relevance to the role (S&I)
• Awareness of our specialist domains, e.g. Full-Stack software, Cloud, Data-Engineering, HPC, AI (S&I)
• A clear enthusiasm for software engineering and our specialist domains (S&I)
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and ability to build rapport and work within teams  (S&I)

Desirable: 

• An ability to clearly present a previous coding project you have completed (S&I)
• Understanding of Hartree’s function to deliver impact, i.e. encouraging and supporting UK industry to adopt the latest digital technologies (S&I)

Important Information

1. To complete the apprenticeship, you will need to evidence passes at 9-4 or A*-C in GCSE (or equivalent) Maths and English. For those sitting their GSCEs in Summer 2025, we would need evidence of your predicted grades.
2. When applying for an apprenticeship, there is a set residency eligibility criteria that must be met by the applicant. 
3. The training provider will also ask you to complete an initial assessment during the application process. If you already have a qualification in this subject area or similar please include, as an attachment, your transcript outlining the grade/s achieved and modules covered.  By applying for this apprenticeship, you are giving permission for your details to be shared with the relevant training provider. 

Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received.  

What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe’s largest research organisations by your side? 

Join us and discover what’s possible!