Software Developers

Software & Systems Engineering

Level 4410 of 1200 points

Job description

Software Developers

Job purpose

To research, design, develop and modify computer and network software and specialised utility applications, analysing user needs against time and cost constraints and setting the performance standards systems must meet, so that the organisation's software works reliably as needs and hardware change.

Skills

Deep knowledge of computers and electronics — hardware, operating environments, applications and programming — applied through software design, systems analysis, systems evaluation and technology design, and supported by mathematics used to model design outcomes; customer requirement analysis and clear written English turn a stated need into a workable specification. A bachelor's degree is held by the large majority, with a small minority entering from a two-year degree, plus several years of related experience and on-the-job training.
Confers with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and project managers to establish project limitations, performance requirements and interfaces, and consults customers and other departments on project status, proposals and technical issues. Technical matter has to be interpreted for non-specialists, and users trained on new systems. May supervise and assign work to programmers, designers, technologists and technicians.
Analyses user needs and software requirements to determine whether a design is feasible within time and cost, and whether to recommend a new system or modify an existing one, then designs and modifies systems using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict outcomes. Corrects errors in existing software, adapts it to new hardware and upgrades interfaces. Problems are frequently novel and under-specified; precedent lies in established engineering method rather than a prescribed answer, and a design settled now constrains the system for years.
Determines system performance standards, develops or directs testing, validation and documentation procedures, and organises own work across concurrent projects and delivery dates, coordinating installation with other technical staff. Priorities are largely self-set within the scope agreed with project management.
Work is carried out seated at a workstation, with continuous keyboard and screen use and routine handling of computer equipment. No lifting or manual handling demands.

Responsibilities

No general line management. May supervise and assign work to programmers, designers, technologists and technicians, and coordinates others on project work. The work of other technical staff depends on the specifications set here.
Holds no budget. Assesses design feasibility against cost as well as time, and weighs cost, reporting format and security needs when determining hardware configuration; recommendations shape what the organisation spends, but authority to commit rests above the role.
Ordinary care of a workstation and the development environments used. Monitors equipment to confirm the system runs in conformance with specifications, coordinates software installation, and specifies hardware configuration.
Accountable for the software itself and for the record of it: stores, retrieves and manipulates data for analysis of system capabilities, may maintain databases within an application area, and produces the specifications, performance standards and status reports others depend on. Exactness is critical, since a defect passes into live operation, and the structure of the technical record is largely set by the postholder.

Effort required

Sustained analytical concentration: holding a system's structure in mind while writing and modifying code, and reasoning about how a change propagates across interfaces and hardware. Attention switches between design, correction, consultation and reporting, to a standard of exactness where a small error is consequential, under deadline pressure on concurrent projects.
Little exposure to distress or hostility. Demand arises from personal accountability for work whose failures are visible and traceable, and from reconciling conflicting requirements between users, engineers and managers in a competitive setting.
Almost entirely seated, with continuous keyboard and screen work and repeated use of the hands to handle and control computer equipment. No lifting or exertion.

Working conditions

Indoor, environmentally controlled office accommodation, with no exposure to hazardous conditions, contaminants, noise or weather. Contact is with colleagues, project managers and customers by e-mail, telephone and face-to-face discussion, with no dealing with unpleasant or aggressive people recorded. Psychological demand comes from exacting accuracy and deadlines.
Almost all incumbents work a regular established schedule, and a working week of about forty hours is the norm, with only a small minority exceeding it. Delivery dates generate genuine time pressure, and stretches of repetitive detailed work sit alongside original design work. Autonomy is considerable, with tasks, priorities and goals largely self-determined within an assigned project.

Skills

40% · 249 points▾

KnowledgeLevel 5 of 8
90 of 144 points
Specialised and theoretical knowledge within a field of work and an awareness of the limits of that knowledge. The job requires a comprehensive range of cognitive and practical knowledge to develop creative solutions to abstract problems.
Interpersonal and communication skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Effective communication and interpersonal relationships. The job holder is required to adapt communication to different audiences and foster trust, cooperation and positive working relationships.
Problem-solving skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Variable problems. The job involves dealing with different kinds of problems that require careful thinking, research into different options or adjusting existing ways of doing things. Guidance and resources may be limited.
Planning and organisational skillsLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate organisational skills required. The job requires the organising and prioritising of multiple tasks, with some level of adjustment to plans on the basis of changing circumstances or deadlines.
Physical skillsLevel 0 of 5
0 of 72 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any particular physical skills (although there is likely to be some physical activity).

Responsibility

35% · 87 points▾

PeopleLevel 1 of 5
29 of 144 points
Very limited. Not required to supervise or perform a caregiving role. The job may involve providing basic guidance to or orientation for others, such as helping new colleagues settle in.
Goods and equipmentLevel 0 of 5
0 of 84 points
Not applicable. The job does not involve any responsibility for goods or equipment.
InformationLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Moderate responsibility for information. The job involves managing information to ensure it is accurate, of high quality and secure. The job holder may make decisions about the handling of sensitive data.
Financial resourcesLevel 0 of 5
0 of 96 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any responsibility for financial resources.

Effort

15% · 50 points▾

Mental effortLevel 3 of 5
36 of 60 points
High level of mental effort. The job involves frequent concentration on complex tasks that require considerable mental effort, such as interpreting complex data.
Psychosocial and emotional effortLevel 1 of 5
14 of 72 points
Minimal psychosocial and emotional effort. There is little to no need to manage emotional responses. The job involves minimal exposure to emotionally demanding situations.
Physical effortLevel 0 of 5
0 of 48 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any physical effort.

Working Conditions

10% · 24 points▾

Environment (physical, psychological or emotional)Level 1 of 5
17 of 84 points
Minimal exposure to hazards or stress. The job involves little or no exposure to physical hazards (e.g. chemicals, moving equipment, noise) and minimal emotional or psychological risks (e.g. occasional routine tasks with no emotional burden). There is minor exposure to dust, dirt, fumes, noise, waste, poor lighting, etc.
Organisational environmentLevel 1 of 5
7 of 36 points
Minimal organisational demands. The job requires standard working hours with no night shifts or irregular schedules. There is little or no need for travel or digital connectivity beyond typical working hours.