Network Development Specialist

Salary: £25,000 - 47,000 per year

Requirements:

• We are looking for someone with software design and engineering leadership experience, able to design software solutions, make sound architectural decisions, set coding standards, and translate business requirements into technical designs.
• We need hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, Git workflows, and containerisation/orchestration technologies such as Kubernetes and Docker.
• We are looking for experience working with complex, multi-component software platforms such as element management systems or operations support systems.
• We need someone who can evaluate vendor software products, integrate third-party software using APIs, and challenge vendor approaches with evidence-based technical arguments.
• We are looking for desirable experience in system security principles and ensuring platform designs meet security standards.
• We value the ability to explain complex software topics clearly to both technical and business audiences.
• We are looking for experience building proof-of-concept or prototype solutions, including using third-party APIs and implementing original solutions.
• Experience with Python, Java, and/or JavaScript is desirable.
• Experience with infrastructure-as-code or network automation tooling is desirable.
• Strategic thinking about technology adoption and growing engineering capability in a team is desirable.
• Knowledge of Network Element Management Platforms, particularly Nokia NSP, is desirable.

Responsibilities:

• We will ask you to own the software engineering approach for the team, including CI/CD, tooling choices, coding standards, and development practices.
• We will expect you to set direction for internally developed automation, tooling, and integration solutions.
• You will evaluate and recommend development frameworks and practices that improve team velocity and code quality.
• You will champion software engineering professionalism, including code review culture, testing practices, and documentation standards.
• You will critically evaluate new software products from our vendor EMS platform, assessing complexity, tooling requirements, developer experience, and operational supportability.
• You will hold our vendor to account on software quality, including API design, SDK usability, build and deployment tooling, documentation, and testability.
• You will advise on how vendor capabilities should be adopted, extended, or challenged based on engineering principles.
• You will own the technical conversation with Nokia on software and API matters.
• You will design solutions for how the EMS platform integrates with our wider IT systems and automation estate.
• You will collaborate with integration teams and system architects to ensure decisions are practical and well understood.
• You will advise on containerisation, orchestration, and deployment architecture for platform components.
• You will identify and address technical debt across the software estate.
• You will ensure security considerations are embedded in platform design, from OS hardening to application-level controls.
• You will ensure we and our vendors follow industry best practice for security, including vulnerability management and secure configuration.
• You will work with our security experts to ensure platform designs and software delivery meet our security standards and compliance requirements.
• You will define and oversee, or build, proof-of-concept implementations to validate vendor claims and architectural decisions.
• You will develop test frameworks and evaluation tools for new platform capabilities.
• You will contribute production code where appropriate, particularly for automation and integration tooling.
• You will lead by example in applying the engineering standards you set for the team.
• You will mentor team members in software engineering practices, design thinking, and technical decision-making.
• You will support more junior development staff and experienced staff without a software background in developing their software skills.
• You will work closely with network designers and the wider automation community to identify opportunities for improvement through better tooling and practices.

Technologies:

• AI
• API
• CI/CD
• Docker
• Embedded
• Git
• Support
• Java
• JavaScript
• Kubernetes
• MPLS
• Network
• Python
• Security
• Cloud
• LESS
• Mobile
• microservices

More:

We are BT Group, home to BT, EE, Openreach and Plusnet, and we are working to create the UKs best telco through major investment in fibre, 5G, AI and digital simplification. This role is based in Birmingham or Ipswich within our internal Networks unit, where we design, build and run the networks and technology platforms that our customers rely on. The team works on the UKs largest IP/MPLS core network and on software-defined platform automation, with opportunities for world-class training and development, a 10% on-target bonus, pension contributions, enhanced family leave, womens health support, 25 days annual leave, private virtual GP access, carers leave, and the option to join BT Shares Saving schemes. We also support flexible working and reasonable adjustments during the selection process.

last updated 37 week of 2026