Junior Software Developer - IT Placement

Job summary

As aJunior Software Developer on placement at HM Land Registry, you’ll develop your technical skills by contributing to real software delivery within a supportive, multidisciplinary team. You will work under guidance from experienced colleagues, gaining hands‑on experience while building confidence and capability.

To be eligible, you must have completed the second year of a relevant IT‑related degree by the start date in September 2026, and be seeking a year‑long industry placement before completing your studies.

At HM Land Registry, you’ll join our Software Development Practice - a community of around 100 developers working across multiple teams, with a focus on continuous learning, collaboration and career advancement.

This is an exciting time to join us as we continue a major digital transformation programme. Our software systems are part of the critical national infrastructure, helping to safeguard land and property ownership valued at £7 trillion, and enabling over £1 trillion of lending across England and Wales.

On successful completion of the placement, there may be potential to be considered for a permanent role.

Job description

As a Junior Software Developer, you will learn on the job by contributing to the delivery of software components. In this role you will:

• Develop skills while working under supervision to deliver stories in a multidisciplinary team
• Understand and be proficient in different types of testing
• Be aware of but not responsible for security
• Coach and mentor more junior colleagues

Main Duties:

• Actively participate and contribute to the developer community
• Continuously improve the quality of the software and systems produced
• Develop own skills and knowledge through agreed personal development activities
• Develop software by following industry best practice, aligned to HMLR standards and approved technologies
• Identify and implement optimisations to the development process
• Learn and understand legacy technology and systems as required
• Learn the basics of Land Registry operations, including casework and register data

What will you get from us?

A year tailored to meet your learning and development needs, with opportunities to gain experience across a range of areas. We will work with you to make sure you get the most from your placement. We will support your development aspirations and offer flexibility in your working week to help you maintain a positive work life balance.

At HMLR, we take a blended approach to where we work. We require everyone to spend at least 60% of their working time in the office. During your training period, for the first 2 to 4 weeks, you will be expected to spend 100% of your time in the office.

Person specification

You will be assessed against the criteria in the person specification document in the candidate pack.

You must have completed the second year of a relevant (IT-related) degree programme, by the start date September 2026 and are looking for a placement year in industry, before finishing your degree.

Please note this post is not available for those that have or are studying for a Masters degree.

Qualifications

You have completed the second year of a relevant (IT-related) degree programme, by the start date September 2026 and are looking for a placement year in industry, before finishing your degree.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,800, HM Land Registry contributes £10,081 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

#WeAreHMLR

At HM Land Registry our vision is a world leading property market as part of a thriving economy and a sustainable future. We are unique in terms of the economic and social impacts of our work, our ability to make a positive difference to the lives of our customers, our sense of mission, and our great people. They are the foundation of all we have achieved and all we aspire to in the future. We want our people to feel proud to work for HM Land Registry and able to fulfil their full potential.

We have a strong and positive culture, a commitment to inclusivity, an emphasis on continuous learning and development, and flexible ways of working. We offer competitive pay and annual leave, attractive pension options and a wide range of other benefits.

• We have integrity – we value honesty, trust and doing the right thing in the right way.
• We drive innovation – we are forward-thinking, embrace change and are continually improving our processes.
• We are professional – we value and grow our knowledge and professional expertise.
• We give assurance – we guarantee our services and provide confidence to the property market.

The HMLR Way – Our Shared Commitment

What you can expect from HMLR

• Inclusive & Empowering: A positive, healthy environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute
• High Performance: Access to tools, resources, and development opportunities within a supportive culture
• Value & Recognition: We value team and individual improvement, learning from setbacks as much as celebrating success
• Clarity & Transparency: Clear communication of our vision and priorities, so our direction and decisions are evident

You can find more information on our rewards package on our website.

Working for HM Land Registry
Working for HM Land Registry - Blog/

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

Please copy and paste an anonymous CV into the online application form and include your qualifications and career history.

You will be asked to complete a personal statement (in no more than 1000 words). This will be used to provide real examples of how you meet the 'Essential Experience' criteria listed below:

• Information security - You can use information security practices and available security controls to contribute to protecting solutions and services
• Modern development standards - You can explain the most important principles of modern development standards and how they apply to your work. You can apply modern development standards principles under guidance.
• Programming and build - You can design, code, test, correct and document simple programs or scripts under the direction of others
• Prototyping - You can understand when to use a specific prototyping technique or method. You can show the value of prototyping to your team

In the event of high numbers of applications, the lead criteria for the sift will be:

• Programming and build - You can design, code, test, correct and document simple programs or scripts under the direction of others

Please review your application form before clicking ‘submit’ – once you have submitted, you will not be able to amend your application. Ensure your application form is completed by 23:55 on 23 February 2026.

The sift will take place once we have received your application and if successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend a blended interview, in our Plymouth office. Interviews will take place week commencing 2 March 2026.

The blended interview will assess a selection of the technical skills, the essential experience and strengths associated with the role. We want to hear your first, unrehearsed, natural response to the strength questions, and so we don’t advertise which strengths are being tested. The best way to prepare for strengths questions is to reflect on what you identify as your own personal strengths, and your preferred ways of working.

Candidates may refer to notes within their interview but they should be used as a prompt only.

HMLR is accredited to the Disability Confidence Scheme, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria at the shortlisting stage are guaranteed an invitation to interview.

If any candidate requires the panel to consider a reasonable adjustment or there is anything else they would like the panel to take into consideration they are asked to notify us of this at application stage where possible or during the process as soon as it becomes a requirement.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to share these values. Please ensure all examples provided throughout the recruitment process are representative of your own experience. Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating (including the improper use of artificial intelligence) will be investigated and, if proven, the application will be withdrawn.

Visa Sponsorship - Please note that we will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa where a role is in a certain business critical category.

This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a skilled worker visa. You must ensure you have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying.

You can find more information on how we use your personal data on our website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Simon Chapman
• Email : simon.chapman@landregistry.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrresourcingteam2@landregistry.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance to the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, please email hrresourcingteam2@landregistry.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from HM Land Registry then you may take your complaint to the Civil Service Commission: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/making-complaint/

Attachments

Junior Software Developer IT Placement Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 2876kB)