Job title:

Job Description:

Capita/Fera are currently on the look out for a Systems Support Engineer with PHP Laravel experience. The purpose of the job is to work within a team of software development engineers on upgrade and enhancement of existing systems and development of new systems, contributing to one or more key development projects at any time. Tasks related to ongoing support will also be required but will be a smaller part of the role. The main technologies utilised by the team for new development are Angular, Laravel/php,MySQL.

• Work on the development, enhancement and support of web applications, mainly using php/laravel.
• Work on one or more key development projects, using agile or waterfall methodology, whichever best suits the project
• Liaise closely with managers, project managers and clients where required, in order to successfully deliver new systems, ensuring that requirements are met and value for money is provided
• Maintain effective communication at all stages of the project life cycle
• Carry out all development within a version-controlled environment to defined coding standards.
• To liaise with senior developers in ensuring that the team reacts to emerging threats and opportunities in security and technology respectively
• Provide input as requested to help the team to respond to system support requests.
• Carry out robust and constructive review of code and system designs, and suggest improvements where appropriate

If recruited at senior level, then also;

• To take the lead developer role for some pojects
• To guide and mentor more junior developers in all aspects of their work as required
• Provide advice and support for science colleagues during project discovery and bid development if required

What we're looking for

• Excellent knowledge of php and the laravel framework
• An understanding of software design patterns (e.g., MVC etc.)
• Proficient in use of version control tools
• Some experience in developing applications on a LAMP stack
• Preferred but not essential is some experience in developing responsive web-applications, using one or more of the following: CSS3, HTML5, JavaScript, Javascript frameworks (preferably Angular), SASS/LESS, NPM, Puppet, Nginx, Webpack, Gulp, Grunt
• An excellent understanding of object-oriented programming
• Good knowledge of any modern relational database, preferably MySQL or SQL Server
• Effective communication skills with an ability to explain technically complex issues in a clear fashion to clients and to other developers
• Ability to translate a client’s ideas into a working IT solution

About Capita/FERA

At Fera, we’re making the world a better, healthier and safer place. We’re a joint venture partnership between Capita and Defra and we’re working proactively to protect the world we live in and the food we eat. Our teams are investigating plant and bee health, crop protection and sustainable agriculture. Join us and discover better as you deliver world-class science for the future.

What’s in it for you?

• A competitive basic salary in line with your experience level

• 23 days’ holiday (rising to 27) with the opportunity to buy extra leave

• The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice

• Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks…and plenty more 

• Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology

• Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform

You’ll get the chance to follow your chosen career path anywhere in Capita. You’ll be joining a network of 55,000 experienced, innovative and dedicated individuals across multiple disciplines and sectors. There are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career, and we’ll provide the support you need to do just that. Our purpose is to create a better outcome for you.