Software Engineer Graduate Scheme (Chester)

Description

The Group Chief Operating Office brings together the technology, engineering and operations teams that keep the company running, and it is one of the largest parts of the group.

Software engineers sit in platform teams across the group, each aligned to a different business area such as commercial markets, pensions, retail banking, mortgages, HR, Finance or Risk. They build the services those teams need.

This is a two-year graduate scheme. You will work on the applications, platforms and digital services that millions of customers and colleagues use daily, including mobile banking, cloud infrastructure and AI-enabled solutions.

Applications close on Saturday 28 November 2026, but the schemes may close earlier if the number of applications is high, so apply as soon as you can. For details about the schemes and the recruitment process, visit the early careers website. Questions can go to the company's site.

Responsibilities

• Do the same work as a Junior Software Engineer throughout the two years, while building deep skills in one specific team from the start.
• Build software with experienced engineers, product teams, architects and tech specialists, so it makes a difference for customers and colleagues.
• Write code in Java, Python, TypeScript, Kotlin, Swift, Rust or Golang.
• Learn how modern engineering works in practice, including cloud development, automation and continuous testing.
• Improve the apps, digital journeys, APIs, AI-enabled tools and platforms that staff across the bank use every day.
• Apply technology to real problems, with the aim of better experiences and a more effective business.
• Learn how software is designed, built and delivered at large scale, and grow your confidence as an engineer.
• Move from learning to delivering work quickly, in real business settings.

Requirements

• Understand modern engineering practices such as cloud development, automation and continuous testing.
• Having a solid grounding in Java, Python, TypeScript, Kotlin, Swift, Rust or Golang is an advantage.
• This is primarily a software engineering programme. You may work with AI-enabled solutions, but if your main interest is artificial intelligence, machine learning or data science, the Data Science programme is probably a better fit.
• The company cannot sponsor visas.

Conditions

Salary is £48,500.

The programme runs in several UK regional offices: London, Halifax, Leeds, Bristol, Manchester, Chester and Edinburgh. You choose one and stay in that office for the whole programme.

Hybrid working applies, with at least two days a week in your assigned office.

Alternative application formats are available on request by emailing or calling 0345 330 4576. If you email, say how you would like to be contacted, and expect a reply within up to 5 working days at busy times, which does not affect your application.

The company values diversity and inclusion and wants everyone to feel they belong, regardless of background, identity or culture.

Benefits

• A learning programme built around you, delivered as short training modules.
• Room to deepen existing knowledge and to grow in areas that interest you.
• Direct learning from experienced software engineers and technical specialists.
• Optional industry-recognised cloud certifications, such as Google and Azure.