Associate Software Developer

Role/Team overview :

Group Network OSS & Automation develops and maintains software platforms, applications and automation solutions that underpin Sky's network operations and engineering capabilities. Through software engineering, network automation and modern platform capabilities, we deliver scalable, secure and reliable solutions that automate complex processes, improve operational efficiency and accelerate business value across the organisation.

We are seeking an Associate Software Engineer to build core software engineering capability while contributing to well-scoped development tasks, fixes, tests, documentation and integrations under guidance. The role provides structured ownership of smaller items across the software development lifecycle and supports the team in delivering maintainable, secure and supportable OSS software.

You will develop practical experience with Python, APIs, data, testing, CI/CD, containers and service operations while working closely with Software Engineers, Senior Software Engineers, Tech Leads, Architects, QA, DevOps, operations and delivery colleagues. You will be expected to ask thoughtful questions, respond positively to feedback and take increasing responsibility as your capability grows.

What you’ll do:

Technical Design and Delivery

• •Deliver well-defined development tasks, fixes and enhancements in line with agreed technical designs, engineering standards and team practices.
• •Understand requirements, acceptance criteria, dependencies and intended user or operational outcomes before commencing development.
• •Contribute to technical documentation, implementation notes and diagrams, proactively identifying and escalating requirements, assumptions, risks or blockers.
• •Develop an understanding of the end-to-end software delivery lifecycle, from requirements and design through to testing, deployment and production support.

Software Engineering and Integration

• •Develop solutions using Python and frameworks such as Django, Django REST Framework and FastAPI , including APIs, scripts, data changes, background tasks and system integrations.
• •Produce clear, modular and maintainable code, applying effective error handling, source control practices and testable design.
• •Build practical knowledge of databases, messaging and caching technologies, including PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, RabbitMQ and Celery , alongside APIs, command-line tools and inventory data sources.
• •Work effectively with existing codebases, shared libraries and services, reusing established patterns and identifying opportunities to reduce unnecessary complexity or duplication.
• •Use approved AI-assisted engineering tools responsibly to support development, troubleshooting, testing and documentation, ensuring outputs are appropriately validated.

Quality, Security and Engineering Standards

• •Develop and maintain unit tests, ensuring code is testable, maintainable and ready for peer review.
• •Apply team standards for secure coding, dependency management, source control, documentation and code review.
• •Work collaboratively with Engineering and QA colleagues to understand expected behaviours, test scenarios and the Definition of Done.
• •Act on code review and testing feedback, escalating implementation decisions that may introduce security, quality, supportability or maintainability risks.

DevOps, Reliability and Operational Support

• •Follow established version control, branching, build, testing, CI/CD, release and deployment processes.
• •Build experience using Docker and Kubernetes and develop an understanding of cloud-native deployment and operational practices.
• •Support the investigation and resolution of build, test and production issues using logs, metrics, alerts, dashboards and structured troubleshooting.
• •Consider reliability and supportability throughout the development lifecycle, contributing improvements to tooling, automation, templates and technical documentation.

Agile Delivery and Collaboration

• •Deliver assigned work in line with sprint commitments, maintaining clear visibility of progress, decisions, dependencies and blockers.
• •Participate actively in agile ceremonies, including planning, refinement, reviews and retrospectives.
• •Collaborate effectively across Engineering, Business Analysis, QA, DevOps, Operations and Architecture , contributing to code reviews, pairing, knowledge sharing and team discussions.
• •Communicate technical information, progress and next steps clearly and constructively, building effective relationships across the immediate and wider team.

Learning, Curiosity and Ownership

• •Take ownership of personal development, assigned deliverables and the quality of completed work, seeking guidance where appropriate.
• •Build knowledge across software engineering, cloud-native technologies, DevOps, open-source software, telecoms and network automation.
• •Explore new technologies and approaches through controlled experiments and technical spikes, documenting and sharing relevant learning.
• •Demonstrate curiosity, adaptability and a positive response to feedback, asking appropriate questions, learning from experience and escalating blockers with clear context and evidence.

What you’ll bring:

• •Programming fundamentals
• Foundational programming capability, preferably in Python , with understanding of core concepts such as functions, modules, data structures and debugging, gained through education, apprenticeship, placement, personal projects or practical work.
• •Software development fundamentals
• Basic understanding of APIs, source control/Git, testing and software development practices , including awareness of code review, automated testing and CI/CD.
• •Databases, platforms and modern engineering technologies
• Foundational knowledge or awareness of SQL/NoSQL databases, Linux, containers and cloud-native technologies , with the ability and motivation to learn frameworks and tools such as Django/FastAPI, Docker, Kubernetes and messaging technologies.
• •Quality, security and responsible engineering
• Understanding of the importance of secure coding, data handling, testing and validating changes before release , including responsible use of AI-assisted development tools and verification of generated outputs.
• •Problem solving and learning agility
• Structured and curious approach to solving technical problems, with the ability to investigate issues, explain technical work and assumptions clearly, learn from feedback and seek guidance or escalate blockers when appropriate.
• •Communication, collaboration and ownership
• Clear and respectful communication with technical and non-technical colleagues, demonstrating collaboration, attention to detail, documentation, accountability and reliable follow-through on assigned work.

Benefits and perks:

There's one thing people can't stop talking about when it comes to life at Sky: the perks. Here’s a taster:

• •Free Sky TV or NOW package, including Sky Sports and Sky Cinema
• •Pension package with up to 9% employer contribution
• •Private healthcare with mental health support
• •Aviva Digital GP and dental insurance
• •Discounts on Sky products, including Sky Mobile, Sky Broadband, Sky Glass and Sky Protect
• •Sharesave and Tech schemes
• •A range of Sky VIP rewards and experiences

How you’ll work:

We've adopted a hybrid working approach to give more flexibility on where and how we work. The hybrid working expectations for this role are 2 days in the office per week.

Your office base:

Brick Lane

Our Brick Lane office is based in the vibrant East End of London, an area known for its creativity and culture. The office is surrounded by a wide range of places to eat, meet and explore, making it a great spot to work and connect.

We’re well connected by public transport, with Aldgate East as the nearest tube station, and Liverpool Street Station a 10-minute walk away, offering Underground, National Rail and Elizabeth line services. If cycling is more your thing, bike parking, showers