Software Engineer

Company Overview

IRIS Software Group, one of the UKs leading privately held software companies, is transforming how businesses, schools, and organisations operate through our comprehensive suite of cloud-native solutions. With over 100,000 customers across 135 countries, we deliver mission-critical software spanning accountancy and finance, HR and payroll, education management, and business operations.

Our impact reaches deep into communities: over 4 million UK families connect with their childrens schools through our education apps, nearly 5 million employees globally are managed through our HR solutions, one in eight UK employees receive their pay through IRIS payroll systems, and we serve over 13,000 schools and academies nationwide. Were the largest third-party online tax filer with the UK Government and are trusted by 91 of the top 100 UK accountancy firms and 54 of the top 100 US CPA firms.

As we accelerate our transformation into an AI-first company, were pioneering the next generation of cloud-based solutions that dont just digitise processesthey intelligently automate them. Our modernisation journey focuses on cloud-native architecture, advanced analytics, and AI-powered insights that enable our customers to work smarter, stay compliant effortlessly, and focus on what matters most to their success.

We remain committed to being more than a software provider - were partners in our customers growth, ensuring they can embrace the future with confidence while we handle the complexity behind the scenes. Our continued recognition as a Great Place to Work and Best Workplace for Women reflects our belief that exceptional people create exceptional solutions that make a real difference in millions of lives every day.

Opportunity

This is an opportunity to join IRIS Software Group as we transform into an AI-first company delivering cloud-native solutions that impact millions of lives globally. IRIS produces an integrated suite of mission-critical software applications spanning accountancy, HR, payroll, education, and business operations. You will be working as part of an Agile team to deliver innovative solutions to user stories and requirements, contributing to our modernisation journey that serves over 100,000 customers across 135 countries.

The role is challenging and dynamic, with key deadlines to be met as we accelerate our cloud transformation and implement next-generation technologies. Youll need to embrace continuous learning and bring a focused attitude to tasks that directly enable businesses, schools, and organisations to work smarter and more efficiently.

You will be involved in a variety of cutting-edge technical solutions, ranging from the latest .NET technologies using C# to various Front End Web JS Frameworks, all while contributing to our AI-powered platform evolution. You will be supported in your career growth by a highly experienced team, comprehensive learning opportunities, and a vibrant technical community committed to creating exceptional solutions that make a real difference in how our customers operate and succeed.

Role Purpose

As a Software Engineer, you will be a key contributor to our cloud-native web applications and data platforms that serve millions of users, working independently on full-stack feature development while collaborating closely with cross-functional teams. You will build scalable, modern web-based solutions using the latest UI frameworks, .NET Core backends, and cloud-native technologies hosted on Azure or AWS with containerised deployments.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Delivery

Deliver features end-to-end with guidance on complex requirements, from analysis to production deployment

Own small to medium features (small: single component updates, bug fixes, simple API endpoints; medium: multi-component features, data migration tasks, integration with third-party services) throughout their complete lifecycle, ensuring quality and maintainability

Contribute to architectural decisions within assigned feature scope (component design, database schema changes, API contracts) with senior engineer approval for broader system impacts

Maintain clean, scalable codebases following SOLID principles and clean architecture guidelines

Deploy containerised applications to Azure (App Service, AKS) or AWS (ECS, EKS, Lambda) using Docker and Kubernetes

Work with databases including SQL Server and NoSQL solutions (CosmosDB, DynamoDB) for optimal data storage

Extend and modify team CI/CD pipelines implement automated quality gates, and troubleshoot deployment issues independently

Build and maintain microservices architecture with robust API design

Collaboration & Communication

Work closely with Product Owners to refine user stories, estimate work, and communicate status and trade-offs

Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (QA, Design) and contribute to technical decisions

Provide regular updates on feature progress, risks, and dependencies to stakeholders

Facilitate selected team Agile ceremonies contribute to accurate estimation, and mentor junior team members in Agile practices

Provide peer mentoring to junior engineers through code reviews, pair programming, and knowledge sharing

Utilise AI tools effectively for development and mentor juniors in responsible AI practices

Quality & Standards

Drive testing excellence through TDD/BDD practices, comprehensive test coverage, and automated testing strategies

Provide constructive code review feedback for assigned features and mentor junior team members through review processes

Implement security and compliance requirements independently identifying potential issues during development and code reviews

Implement and maintain automated quality checks in CI/CD pipelines with shift-left testing practices

Produce comprehensive feature documentation and contribute to team knowledge sharing initiatives

Growth & Development

Develop technical leadership skills through mentoring, knowledge sharing, and contributing to architectural decisions

Stay current with technology trends and drive adoption of best practices within the team

Required Experience & Skills

Technical Skills

Frontend Development: Proficient with modern UI frameworks (Angular, React, Vue.js) using TypeScript and state management OR working knowledge with focus on backend specialisation

Backend Development: Proficient with .NET Core, C#, ASP.NET Core Web APIs, REST, async/await patterns, and dependency injection

Database Management: Experience with SQL Server including data modelling and query optimisation

AI-Assisted Software Engineering: Experience using AI tools (Cursor, Copilot, Devin, Claude Code, etc.) to accelerate design, development, testing and debugging. Using them critically and responsibly to improve quality, productivity and decision-making.

Observability: Experience using DataDog, Application Insights or Amazon CloudWatch for performance monitoring and troubleshooting

CI/CD Pipelines: Azure DevOps Pipelines or GitHub Actions, continuous integration and automated testing strategies

Infrastructure as Code: Working knowledge of Infrastructure as Code with either Terraform, Bicep, ARM Templates or AWS CloudFormation/CDK

Cloud Architecture: Proficient using Azure (Functions, Queue, Blob Storage, VMs, etc) or AWS (Lambda, SQS/SNS, EC2, etc.) services for application deployment

Containerisation: Docker containerisation or Kubernetes deployments (AKS/EKS) with container orchestration

Architecture Expertise: Experience with clean architecture principles, SOLID design patterns, and domain-driven design

Quality & Testing: Comfortable with TDD/BDD testing strategies and implementing automated testing.

Scalable Solutions: Experience with scalable solutions and internet-facing traffic levels

Performance & Scalability: Profiling and benchmarking code.

Application Security: vulnerability management, thread modelling and tracking

Production Support: Knowledge of observability and production support practices. Assisting in debugging complex issues, performance optimisation, and production troubleshooting

Experience Requirements

2-4 years of professional software development experience

Track record of successful software delivery using Agile methodologies

Experience with scalable web applications and cloud deployments

Understanding of software delivery lifecycle and DevOps principles

Proven ability to work with guidance on complex features and independently on routine tasks

Experience providing peer mentoring or technical guidance to junior colleagues

Soft Skills

Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities

Excellent communication and collaboration skills

Ability to work independently while contributing to team goals

Adaptability and continuous learning mindset

Mentoring and knowledge sharing capabilities

Desirable Skills

Experience working with regulated or complex domains (finance, health, govtech)

Experience integrating AI tools into development workflows with understanding of ethical usage

Experience with monitoring and APM strategies using DataDog

Experience with modern UI architecture patterns (micro-frontends, SSR/SSG)

Understanding of security best practices in cloud environments (Azure Key Vault, AWS Secrets Manager)

Experience with event-driven architectures

Familiarity with GraphQL APIs and real-time communication (SignalR, WebSockets)

NoSQL database experience (DynamoDB, CosmosDB) including data modelling and query optimisation

Cloud deployment experience with serverless computing concepts

Key Relationships

Internal: Engineering Teams, Product Owners/Managers, QA Teams, DevOps Teams, Data Teams

External: Professional Services, Customer Support (for technical escalations)

Leadership: Engineering Lead, Engineering Manager, Product Leadership