UK software engineer postings cool off after a September peak
Weekly hiring has eased 19% from its mid-September high, even as the 30-day count holds roughly steady.
of open roles are at employers on the UK Home Office sponsor register. Deliveroo, Capgemini, LSEG and Amazon are on the list.
UK sponsor register, matched by employeris what the typical role asks for. 8% ask for 10 years or more.
29% of open roles state years566 new roles in the last 30 days, against 580 the 30 days before, at the same companies.
Companies read for 60 days or moreThis week's read
The pace of new UK software engineer postings has slowed since its peak. The week of 14 September saw 160 new roles; by 26 October that had fallen to 129, a drop of 19% from the high point. Zoom out to the last 30 days and the picture looks calmer: 566 new roles, only 2% fewer than the 30 days before.
Right now there are 1,638 open software engineer roles across 721 companies in the UK. The typical role stays open 43 days, so this is not a market where jobs vanish overnight. JPMorganChase is the single biggest poster with 86 open roles, well ahead of the next tier.
If you need visa sponsorship, check the employer first. Across all open roles, 48% sit at companies with recent filings on the UK Home Office sponsor register. Deliveroo, Capgemini and Amazon all appear on that register, so they are worth a look if sponsorship matters to you.
Experience bars are moderate but not low. The median posting asks for 5 years, and only 8% want 10 years or more, though just 29% of postings state a years requirement at all, so many employers leave it open. Python is the most requested skill by far, named in 40% of postings, ahead of AWS and Java.
Remote work is scarce here: only 7% of open roles are remote, so most of this market expects you on site or hybrid. Pay is rarely disclosed too, with just 12% of postings stating a figure, too few to say what the market typically pays.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Expect a slower week-to-week flow
New postings are down 19% from the September peak, even though the monthly count is nearly flat. Do not read a quiet week as the whole market cooling.
- Check sponsor status before applying
48% of open roles sit at employers with recent Home Office sponsor filings. Deliveroo, Capgemini and Amazon are on that register if sponsorship is a factor for you.
- Years requirement is often unstated
Only 29% of postings give a specific years requirement, and the median among those is 5 years. Do not rule yourself out of unlisted roles just by assumption.
Momentum
New Engineering roles each week
Last 30 days: 566 new roles, against 580 the 30 days before (-2%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 146 |
| 14 Sep | 160 |
| 21 Sep | 118 |
| 28 Sep | 131 |
| 5 Oct | 150 |
| 12 Oct | 145 |
| 19 Oct | 148 |
| 26 Oct | 129 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Engineering roles
721 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 13% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles | Sponsor register |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPMorganChase | 86 | ||
| Deliveroo | 27 | On the list | |
| Capgemini | 22 | On the list | |
| LSEG | 19 | On the list | |
| Wayve | 19 | ||
| Amazon | 17 | On the list | |
| MS Career - Contingent Worker | 16 | ||
| Apple | 15 | On the list |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology Engineering roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 1,573 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Financial services 6%, Payments 4%, Fintech 4%. Certifications named: Salesforce Certified Platform Developer 1%. 7% of open roles say they are remote.
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