Software Engineering Fellowship
The Product and Engineering team at the Guardian believe that we can make a difference: ensuring our journalism has a global reach and impact.
The Guardian's Software Engineering Fellowship is an opportunity for developers who are in the early stages of their careers to join the Product and Engineering department. If you love coding, digital media and mobile apps then you can apply to the Fellowship irrespective of your background or experience.
The Fellowship is a 12 month scheme that offers you an opportunity to ramp up to working as a fully fledged developer in a structured manner, alongside a cohort of Fellows. It is not a quick start programme or a training scheme. As a Fellow you'll be expected to jump in and work as part of a team while being provided with the support and learning to acquire the skills of a developer. Fellows join our Product and Engineering team which is responsible for creating, developing, managing and maintaining the Guardian's digital products. We work with editorial and commercial teams as well as external partners.
Commercial experience or a background or degree in computer science is not a requirement for this role: candidates are selected based on the ability and ideas they demonstrate during the recruitment process.
Assessment is around demonstrating your practical skills and sharing your experiences. We're looking for people who want to contribute to the Guardian's future.
We foster an environment in which you can learn and develop your career. As a Fellow, you will rotate between two teams throughout the year with a focus on learning and have an understanding of different parts of the Engineering department. You will spend 6 months on one team and then 6 months in another, giving you the opportunity to explore different technologies and the different ways teams work together to achieve a common goal. Rotations could include working on our mobile apps, publishing tools or commercial product teams, if you have a preference for a particular team you will have the opportunity to share this with us as part of the interview process.
Our engineers enjoy learning and sharing what they do and they work on some unique challenges. Every Thursday we have Tech Time where developers share technical learnings and we run internal coding classes such as a Scala school. We'll ensure over the 12 months you will have time to meet and spend time with different roles within the Product and Engineering department and learn how the work we do supports the Guardian mission.
If you love technology and coding and are excited at contributing to the Guardian's future then please do apply.
This is a full time position and typical working hours are 9.30am-5.30pm Monday to Friday.
Software Developers typically work in a hybrid environment with a minimum of 1 day per week at our King's Cross office.
We strive for transparency in remuneration. The salary for new associate developers at the Guardian is £44,000 per annum.
We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds, different lived experiences and different perspectives. A diverse team means we can better reflect and engage our global audience. We believe in hiring the best people from the widest pool, and also in including them, fostering a culture where people's voices can be heard and our employees look forward to coming to work. We actively encourage applications from candidates who are Black, Asian or minority-ethnic (BAME), or from other groups traditionally underrepresented in the UK media.
Application instructions
The application process requires a CV and answers to 5 questions which are centred around motivation and skills we look for in the Fellowship. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a call with the recruitment team to discuss their application and motivations for applying in more detail.
Our interview process involves two stages: a pairing test and a face to face interview.
The deadline for receipt of applications is 5pm on Thursday 26th February 2026.
Interviews will take place on Friday 20th and Monday 23rd March in person at our Kings Cross office. We aim to provide feedback to all candidates by the end of March 2026.
We value and respect all differences (seen and unseen) in all people. We aspire to have inclusive working experiences and an environment that reflects the audience we serve, where our people have equal access to career development opportunities, their voices are heard and can contribute to our future. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Many of our staff work flexibly and we will consider all requests for flexible working arrangements.
We appreciate the time taken to prepare each application we receive. We do not use AI-assisted technology to review applications; every application is reviewed by a member of our recruitment team.
All roles at the Guardian are open for everybody to apply. It is important to us that you feel supported and comfortable throughout your recruitment process, in order to perform your best. Please let us know if there are any changes we could make to help your application, this includes providing documents in accessible formats or personalising the process to better support your needs. Please contact Anna Vipers on anna.vipers@theguardian.com to discuss further so we can work with you to support you through your application.
Benefits at the Guardian
You'll have 30 days of annual leave per year (plus bank holidays). Our pension scheme is generous; if you contribute 5% then we will contribute 8-12% (depending on your age). We believe in giving back, which is why employees are given 2 volunteering days annually and the option of payroll giving. Season ticket loans are also available.
You are entitled to life cover, income protection, and eye tests. You can also opt in to dental insurance.
We have enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave policies in place. We also support our employees by offering an IVF, menopause, baby loss, and trans equality policy.
Culture and Wellbeing
We want everyone to feel like they belong at the Guardian and we champion diversity of thought. Our various employee forums provide a platform to use their voice to foster an inclusive workplace. We became the first major media organisation to achieve B Corp status.
We offer tools to help you prioritise your wellbeing including access to our employee benefits platform which provides tailored support for health and wellbeing. In addition, we also offer free yoga and pilates classes. These run alongside our corporate gym membership and cycle to work scheme.
Our canteen has views overlooking the Regents Canal and caters for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Learning and Development
We encourage personal and professional growth. Employees have access to a broad range of tools and solutions, and we are happy to support the pursuit of professional qualifications through vocational courses and apprenticeships.
We value honesty in your application.
AI generated content must not be presented as your own work. Please review our guidance on the use of AI in your application here.
Job Number
1023
Location
London, United Kingdom
Business Area
Product \& Engineering
Employment Type
Full time
Benefits
Holiday
30 days’ annual leave per annum with a holiday purchase scheme (for permanent or fixed-term contract employees based in the UK).
People policies
We have enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave policies in place. We also support our employees with IVF, menopause, baby loss and trans equality policies.
Learn hub
We invest in the growth and development of our colleagues. Our offering includes programmes, workshops, online resources and specialist training. There are dedicated areas for different departments giving you the resources you need, whatever your role.
Healthcare
We offer private healthcare for you and your family, as well as dental insurance.
Pension
Our pension scheme is generous; if you contribute 5%, we will contribute 8-12% (depending on your age). You are also entitled to life cover and income protection.