Amber Labs

Lead Java Developer (AWS) • Remote with ad hoc travel • 12 month Fixed Term Contract - Salaried, not day rate • SC Clearance required - we are unable to accept applications from candidates without active SC The Company At Amber Labs, we are a cutting-edge UK and European technology consultancy that empowers autonomy, promotes experimentation, and enables rapid learning to deliver exceptional value to our clients. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, with our cross-functional consultants, engineers, and analysts working together to shorten delivery times, minimise risk, and drive impactful results for high-profile government and commercial programmes. About the Role We are seeking an experienced Lead Java Developer to join a major government programme, driving the development of scalable, cloud-native solutions using AWS and Java. You will lead a talented engineering team, providing technical direction, mentoring, and hands on development expertise across complex microservice architectures. Key Responsibilities Provide technical leadership and guidance to developers, ensuring best practice in coding, testing, and design. Collaborate across teams to review specifications, design, code, test, and document programmes of medium to high complexity. Drive adoption of modern standards and tools, mentoring others to follow suit. Define and deliver test plans, strategies, and automated test suites. Work with AWS and Infrastructure-as-Code principles (Terraform desirable). Shape and optimise CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI desirable). See the bigger picture, identifying opportunities to improve service integration and system performance. Essential Skills & Experience Proven experience leading development teams within agile environments. Expert knowledge of Java (11/17/21) and the Spring Boot framework. Strong understanding of microservice architecture and API principles. Skilled in TDD/BDD, Docker, and containerisation. Deep understanding of the software development lifecycle. Experience with AWS cloud services. Exposure to Infrastructure-as-Code and CI/CD pipelines. Knowledge of functional and non-functional testing. Eligible for or holding active SC Security Clearance (essential for production access). Key Behaviours Collaborates effectively, supporting peers and promoting technical excellence. Guides others to understand user stories and define optimal solutions. Champions modern standards and continuous improvement. Mentors junior engineers, fostering professional growth and best practices. Balances technical depth with strategic vision, ensuring scalable and maintainable outcomes. Diversity & Inclusion At Amber Labs, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We celebrate individuality and believe that different perspectives drive innovation. Every colleague is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

Lead Frontend Developer Remote with ad-hoc travel to Manchester Experience within UK central government required The Company At Amber Labs, we are a cutting-edge UK and European technology consultancy that prioritises empowering autonomy, promoting experimentation, and facilitating rapid learning to provide exceptional value to our clients. Our company culture is centred around collaboration, where all colleagues, regardless of their role, work together to minimise risk and shorten delivery times. Our team consists of highly skilled cross-functional consultants, analysts, and support staff. About the Role We're looking for a Lead Frontend Developer with deep expertise in modern web technologies and user interface development to join our growing team. To be considered for this role, candidates must: Be eligible for BPSS clearance. Have proven experience delivering projects within UK central government. You will lead technical delivery on high-impact government programmes, creating secure, accessible, and user-focused digital services. As a Lead, you'll guide frontend development teams, make key architectural decisions, and mentor colleagues while remaining hands-on with coding and delivery. Key Responsibilities Provide technical leadership across the full frontend development lifecycle. Design, develop, test, and deploy secure, accessible, and responsive user interfaces. Champion accessibility best practices using tools such as aXe-Core, Wave, and assistive technologies (JAWS, VoiceOver, Dragon). Build and maintain web applications with JavaScript, Node.js, HTML, CSS, and ExpressJS. Implement performance optimisation and cross-browser compatibility solutions. Oversee GitLab pipelines and CI/CD best practice for frontend delivery. Collaborate with designers, product owners, and stakeholders to define and deliver high-quality outcomes. Mentor and support frontend developers, encouraging knowledge-sharing and professional growth. Promote best practices in clean code, testing, accessibility, and agile delivery. Key Skills & Experience Proven experience as a Lead or Senior Frontend Developer in complex environments. Strong expertise in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Experience with Node.js and frontend frameworks (ExpressJS or similar). Hands-on experience building and consuming REST APIs. Strong knowledge of responsive design and accessibility standards (WCAG). Familiarity with frontend testing tools (Selenium, Postman, aXe-Core, Wave). Experience setting up and managing CI/CD pipelines in GitLab (or similar). Prior experience working on UK central government projects (essential). Excellent communication skills with a collaborative, delivery-focused mindset. Clearance Requirement Must be eligible for BPSS clearance. At this time, we are unable to consider candidates who require visa sponsorship. Benefits Competitive salary and performance-based bonus structure. Join a rapidly expanding consultancy where personal growth is part of our DNA. Flexible work environment focused on deliverable outcomes. Private medical insurance through Aviva. Company pension plan through Nest. 25 days of annual leave plus UK bank holidays. Access to Perkbox, a global employee rewards platform. Generous employee referral programme. Highly collaborative and collegial environment with clear opportunities for career advancement. Choice of device (PC or Mac). Diversity & Inclusion At Amber Labs, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace for all. We value the unique experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our employees and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and supported.

Automation Tester (Azure) Hybrid - 2 days per week in Newcastle (initially), reducing to once a month after 3 months 12 month FTC with full company benefits We can only consider SC cleared candidates with government / public sector experience The Company At Amber Labs, we are a cutting-edge UK and European technology consultancy that prioritises empowering autonomy, promoting experimentation, and facilitating rapid learning to provide exceptional value to our clients. Our company culture is centred around collaboration, where all colleagues, regardless of their role, work together to minimise risk and shorten delivery times. Our team consists of highly skilled cross-functional consultants, analysts, and support staff. About the Role We're looking for an experienced Automation Tester with strong Azure and CI/CD integration expertise to join our Integration Team on a high-impact central government programme. This role will involve working closely with developers, DevOps engineers, and integration specialists to design and maintain robust automated testing frameworks that ensure seamless integration and deployment across cloud-based environments. To be considered for this role, candidates must: Hold active SC clearance or be eligible to obtain it. The role will initially require up to two days per week onsite in Newcastle for the first few months, reducing to one day per month thereafter. Key Responsibilities Design, implement, and maintain automated test frameworks within an Azure DevOps environment. Develop and execute automated test scripts for functional, integration, and regression testing. Integrate automated testing within CI/CD pipelines to support continuous delivery. Collaborate with development and DevOps teams to ensure test coverage across complex integration points. Analyse test results, log defects, and ensure timely resolution of issues. Contribute to continuous improvement of testing practices, tools, and automation frameworks. Support integration and system testing within a cloud-based architecture. Key Skills & Experience Proven experience as an Automation Tester or QA Engineer in Azure-based environments. Strong knowledge of Azure DevOps, pipelines, and automated test execution. Hands-on experience with CI/CD integration and automation within delivery pipelines. Proficiency with test automation tools such as Selenium, Postman, or similar. Understanding of API and integration testing methodologies. Familiarity with containerised environments (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) beneficial. Experience working within Agile delivery teams. Strong communication skills and a collaborative approach. Prior experience working on UK central government projects (desirable). Clearance Requirement Must hold active SC clearance or be eligible for SC clearance. At this time, we are unable to consider candidates who require visa sponsorship. Benefits Competitive salary and performance-based bonus structure. Join a rapidly expanding start-up where personal growth is a part of our DNA. Benefit from a flexible work environment focused on deliverable outcomes. Receive private medical insurance through Aviva. Enjoy the benefits of a company pension plan through Nest. 25 days of annual leave plus UK bank holidays. Access Perkbox, a global employee rewards platform offering discounts, perks, and wellness resources. Participate in a generous employee referral program. A highly collaborative and collegial environment with opportunities for career advancement. Be encouraged to take bold steps and embrace a mindset of experimentation. Choose your preferred device, PC or Mac. Diversity & Inclusion At Amber Labs, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace for all. We value the unique experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our employees and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and supported.

Overview Senior Software Developer Remote with ad-hoc travel to Manchester Experience within UK central government required The Company At Amber Labs, we are a cutting-edge UK and European technology consultancy that prioritises empowering autonomy, promoting experimentation, and facilitating rapid learning to provide exceptional value to our clients. Our company culture is centred around collaboration, where all colleagues, regardless of their role, work together to minimise risk and shorten delivery times. Our team consists of highly skilled cross-functional consultants, analysts, and support staff. About the Role We're looking for a Senior Software Developer with strong expertise in Node.js (preferably), alongside Java or JavaScript, to join our growing team. To be considered for this role, candidates must: be eligible for BPSS clearance. have proven experience delivering projects within UK central government. You will play a key role in designing, developing, and deploying secure, scalable, and user-focused applications. This is a hands-on role where you'll work across both frontend and backend technologies, build services and APIs, and contribute to high-impact government programmes. Key Responsibilities Design, develop, and maintain scalable applications using Node.js (primary), plus Java and/or JavaScript. Build and integrate REST APIs to support digital services. Work with event-driven architectures using Kafka and AWS SQS. Implement infrastructure as code and automated deployments using Terraform. Contribute to the design and delivery of microservices in containerised environments (Docker, AWS ECS). Implement authentication and identity management with AWS Cognito. Support and maintain CI/CD pipelines in GitLab. Collaborate with designers, product owners, and engineers to deliver high-quality outcomes. Ensure clean, maintainable, and secure code through testing and best practices. Share knowledge and mentor junior developers where needed. Key Skills & Experience Proven experience as a Senior Software Developer in complex environments. Strong expertise in Node.js (essential); Java and/or JavaScript also valuable. Hands-on experience designing and consuming REST APIs. Familiarity with event-driven systems (Kafka, SQS). Strong understanding of microservices architecture. Proficiency with Docker and containerisation. Experience with AWS services (ECS, SQS, Cognito). Infrastructure as Code with Terraform. Experience with GitLab pipelines / CI/CD. Prior experience working on UK central government projects (essential). Excellent communication skills with a collaborative, delivery-focused mindset. Clearance Requirement Must be eligible for BPSS clearance. At this time, we are unable to consider candidates who require visa sponsorship. Benefits Competitive salary and performance-based bonus structure. Join a rapidly expanding consultancy where personal growth is part of our DNA. Flexible work environment focused on deliverable outcomes. Private medical insurance through Aviva. Company pension plan through Nest. 25 days of annual leave plus UK bank holidays. Access to Perkbox, a global employee rewards platform. Generous employee referral programme. Highly collaborative and collegial environment with clear opportunities for career advancement. Choice of device (PC or Mac). Diversity & Inclusion At Amber Labs, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace for all. We value the unique experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our employees and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and supported.