We are proud to announce the opening of the application process for our Software Engineering Fellowship.
The Guardian Software Engineering Fellowship is an opportunity for developers who are at the beginning of their careers to join our Product and Engineering department. The scheme is aimed at individuals looking for their first professional developer role. A grasp of programming is a prerequisite to be successful in your application, however we don’t pass judgement on how these skills were learnt. If you love coding and digital media then you can apply to the Fellowship irrespective of your background.
Our 12-month scheme provides a platform for developing your skills as an engineer, gaining experience working on multiple teams and developing media applications. It provides a structured path to becoming a software engineer, with support from experienced engineers and other fellows.
As a fellow you will find yourself building software hands-on as part of a team. We expect fellows to learn and grow throughout the scheme, and provide the space for them to do so. With the support of other developers, you will gain skills to become a fully fledged software engineer.
In the Fellowship you could be working on anything from shipping code changes to the website or apps, adding functionality to the publishing tools used by our journalists, or analysing big data. Fellows rotate around different teams, giving them experience of different technologies and working environments.
In the Product & Engineering department, we work on a variety of projects with the common goal of supporting the mission of the Guardian. We are very open about our engineering culture and recruitment process. You can learn more about the Guardian’s Product & Engineering department and the work it does on our developers’ site and engineering blog.
To give you insight into the scheme from a fellow’s perspective, one of our current fellows, Amina, has written two Medium articles describing her first week on the Fellowship and her overall experience to date this year. Want more? Visit our blog for posts from previous fellows on their first impressions after joining the scheme, their experiences of the scheme and how their careers progressed at the Guardian after promotion to a software engineering role.
We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. To find out more please read our Diversity Statement.
To get started with your application, follow this link. Closing date for applications: Thursday December 31 2020. Good luck!
FAQ
Do you teach programming?
We don’t teach our fellows how to code from scratch. You must have a grasp of programming to be successful in your application. There are many tutorials and self-learning resources available online. We advise you to attempt some programming challenges before submitting your application.
Do you need commercial programming experience?
No, in fact if you have commercial experience our other roles at Associate or Developer level would be more appropriate. If you apply with significant commercial experience you will be referred to those positions, if they are open.
If I am successful in my application, when will I start work?
We anticipate the start date to be Thursday 1 April 2021.
How long does the scheme last and what happens when it ends?
Fellows spend a year on the scheme. On completion, they work with their manager to identify which team to join permanently.
Is the Fellowship a permanent contract?
Yes, fellows are permanent employees at Guardian News and Media.
What steps are involved in the application process?
Due to current coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions we are running our recruitment process remotely. The first step in this process is to submit a CV and written answers to our questions within the application. If your application is successful you will be invited to a telephone interview, consisting of questions to assess your technical knowledge and motivation for applying to the Guardian.
Lastly, we invite candidates who successfully progress through the telephone interview to a remote assessment half-day, during which they will undertake a pairing test with one of our engineers followed by a face-to-face video interview.
To find out more about how we interview and conduct pairing tests please visit our Engineering blog.
What are the relevant key dates?
Application closing date: Thursday 31 December 2020
Telephone interviews: mid-January 2021
Remote assessment day: Wednesday 10 February 2021
Start date: Thursday 1 April 2021
Where are the roles based?
The roles will be based in the UK at our Kings Cross office.
I’m not based in the UK, can I still apply?
Yes, provided you already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application.
Do you support 100% remote working?
No, we currently don’t. With the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic situation almost everyone is currently working from home but this is a temporary situation: in the medium term, we are not anticipating 100% remote working, once we are able to commute and work safely from the office.
However, we do offer flexible working to better balance the needs of the company and employees as their circumstances change over time, and in order to attract and retain a diverse team. No two situations are identical and can be discussed at an offer stage.
How often will I be expected to be in the office, once it reopens?
If you are a full time employee and wish to work at home, expect to be required to work in the office while you get up to speed, and then at least 60% time in the office after that in order to maintain a relationship with the wider team.
What benefits do we offer?
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Flexible working
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Generous pension scheme; if you contribute 5% then the Guardian will contribute 8-12% (depending on your age)
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Mental and Physical Health insurance and dental scheme
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26 days annual leave and the option to purchase an extra 5 days
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Up to 18 weeks of parental leave at full pay
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Multi-faith prayer room
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Cycle to work scheme and subsidised gym membership
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Paid volunteering days
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Annual season ticket loan