Systems Developer

Help shape the future of intellectual property

Marks & Clerk LLP is the leading and largest firm of Patent and Trade Mark attorneys in the UK with over 50 partners and 350 employees. Our attorneys are highly skilled in all technical fields. We have 8 offices in the UK: London, Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Role purpose

The Systems Developer is responsible for; developing, maintaining, supporting, and upgrading a variety of different business applications used across the firm. This includes determining and identifying high-level functional and technical requirements. Producing solution / technical design documents and from these developing software solutions. The role also involves interacting with members of the Finance, IT and Formalities teams to assist with the planning of project schedules and providing technical direction where appropriate.

Principal responsibilities

• Write well designed, testable, efficient code by using best software development practices.
• Create and maintain software documentation.
• Be responsible for maintaining, expanding and scaling existing applications where required.
• Stay plugged into emerging technologies and apply them in operations and activities where suitable.
• Update and debug existing programs to ensure a smooth user experience and a uniform look across a variety of platforms.
• Resolve technical support queries professionally and efficiently, whilst maintaining a high degree of customer service.
• Produce plans, schematics, wireframes and full documentation for all development work undertaken including new release notes for user population.
• Update and debug existing programs where required to ensure a smooth user experience and a uniform look across a variety of platforms.
• Ensure the efficient packaging and deployment of software updates, patches and fixes

Technical knowledge, professional qualifications and experience

The successful candidate will have at least 2 year’s software development experience, ideally gained in a legal or professional services partnership environment and will have:

• BSc/MSc in Computer Science or relevant equivalent field of study.
• Broad and extensive knowledge of the software development process and its technologies.
• Understanding web applications – how they work including; security, session management, utilizing web services and best development practises.
• Expertise in programming languages including but not limiting to: HTML/XHHTML, CSS, JavaScript, C#, ASP.NET, Java, Python, SQL, Postgres
• Desirable Skillsets include ASP.NET MVC, ASP.NET Core, EF Core, Blazor, and modern UI frameworks (React or Angular)
• Experience in integrating data from various back-end services, databases and third party API’s.
• Understanding server architecture.
• Experience of Web UI design.
• Successful track record of developing quality software applications and releasing production ready functionality.
• Ability to develop complex software to satisfy design objectives.
• Skilled at developing high-level system design diagrams for design, coding, testing, debugging and documentation.
• Solid record of building and maintaining high quality, comprehensive documentation.
• An understanding of working with business users and stakeholders.
• Solid experience of troubleshooting and problem solving.

In addition, the ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• A structured and creative approach to problem solving and generating ideas, bringing new perspective to solving problems.
• Self-direction, and autonomy and high levels of motivation.
• Excellent attention to detail and a methodical approach to working.
• A strong analytical mind-set, with proven ability to model and express complex business scenarios/situations logically.
• The ability to work effectively, both independently, and as part of a team.
• A flexible approach and the ability to grow and develop with the business as opportunities present themselves.
• Excellent organisational abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and within tight deadlines.
• A proactive, can do attitude to work and to change.

Remuneration and benefits

• Competitive salary dependent on qualification and experience
• 26 days’ annual holiday plus statutory holidays
• Hybrid working
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Private medical insurance (after 12 months)
• Permanent health insurance (after 12 months)
• Reimbursement of membership fees to professional bodies required for the role