Senior Software Engineer - Food (Distributed Systems)

Team

Digital & Tech

Store

London Support Office

Location

London, Greater London

Contract type

Permanent

Position type

Full Time

Salary

Competitive + Benefits

Closing date: 7th July 2026

Intro

About the role

Meet the Team

People Stories

Make Your Mark

Colleague Networks

Benefits

How to Apply

How We Hire

Everyone is welcome at M&S. No exceptions. It’s your background, abilities and differences that make you, uniquely you. And when you’re part of M&S, that individuality has the potential to make waves.

About the role

This section tells you all you need to know about the position and its responsibilities, outlining everything we hope to see in a successful candidate.

All the details

As part of the M&S Software Engineering team, you'll be joining a well‑loved historic brand, working on solutions that serve millions of loyal customers and thousands of colleagues! With ethical values that run right through the company's core and technology leaders that truly understand software engineers and engineering, it's an exciting time as we're redefining ourselves into a digital‑first and engineering‑led organisation, with the quality of our engineering team being a key differentiator.

About the Role

The M&S Foods Product team is looking for a Senior Software Engineer to join our dynamic team. You will provide technical expertise, ship thoughtful solutions, and operate with excellence. Creative, curious and fearless, you will be an integral part of our empowered, self‑managing domain engineering team, pushing the boundaries of how we ingest, model and distribute food‑related data across M&S.

The team owns the platform that supports supplier systems, price and promotion information, product lifecycle and master data, and critical supply‑chain data flows. We sit at a unique intersection, providing high‑quality, timely data to our colleagues and partners while enabling internal teams to build on a robust food data platform.

In this role, you will play a key part in driving our ambition to create a best‑in‑class software engineering team, environment, and culture. Join our community of engineers to help build a modern digital ecosystem, work with cutting‑edge technologies, and do the best work of your career.

What you’ll do

Build and evolve reliable data services – design and develop scalable, high‑performance pipelines and APIs in Java and Micronaut, integrating with event‑streaming platforms such as Kafka. Your work will ensure accurate, timely information reaches downstream systems and business users.

Own features end‑to‑end – take responsibility for everything from design through development, testing, deployment and production monitoring. You will balance delivery speed with sustainability, ensuring the platform remains maintainable over time.

Shape the technical direction of our Food Platform – contribute to the platform architecture, promoting clean data contracts, well‑defined schemas and event models. Help craft solutions that balance data quality, integration reliability and developer usability, while considering cost‑versus‑performance trade‑offs at scale.

Champion engineering excellence – write clean, maintainable, well‑tested code and help establish best practices across multiple teams. You will encourage a continuous improvement culture through code reviews, pair programming, and high‑quality documentation.

Drive operational excellence and observability – share responsibility for the reliability of our data integrations. Use observability tools such as Dynatrace to design for monitoring and alerting and participate in our support rota to ensure supply‑chain and pricing data remains accurate and available.

Collaborate widely – work closely with Product Managers, cross functional engineering teams, Supply‑Chain and Commercial teams to solve real business problems in thoughtful and innovative ways. Cross‑functional decision‑making and breaking down information silos are essential to shortening time to value.

Mentor and support colleagues – provide coaching and feedback to more junior engineers. Help grow our community of practice by sharing knowledge and fostering an inclusive environment.

Who you are

Experienced in data‑intensive distributed systems – 5+ years building and scaling services that handle large datasets, ideally serving millions of records or transactions. You understand both batch and event‑driven processing and can design systems that remain resilient at scale.

Skilled in JVM languages – proficient in one or more JVM‑based languages such as Java, ideally working with Micronaut, and comfortable writing clean, maintainable code.

DevOps and CI/CD practitioner – experienced in designing and running CI/CD pipelines (for example, GitHub Actions) and driving improvements in developer productivity and release automation. Familiarity with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform) helps automate repeatable infrastructure changes.

Cloud and data platform savvy – comfortable working in cloud environments (preferably Azure) and familiar with modern data processing and integration tools. Experience with Kafka for event streaming, SFTP for batch data ingestion, relational and NoSQL databases( MongoDB), and SaaS integrations for product lifecycle and pricing is highly valued. Exposure to containerization and orchestration technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes, and infrastructure automation with Terraform, is a plus.

Data modelling and integration expert – understand domain‑driven design, data contracts and schema evolution. You care about data quality and integrity and know how to integrate with third‑party systems without excessive customization.

Balance strategic thinking with pragmatic delivery – you can weigh long‑term architectural goals against immediate business needs, are sensitive to commercial impacts, and thrive in high‑autonomy teams.

Security and quality minded – experience using modern security and static‑analysis tools such as Snyk and Semgrep to identify vulnerabilities and enforce coding standards. A commitment to secure coding practices and compliance is essential.

Curious about AI‑assisted development – open to leveraging AI tools like GitHub Copilot, Claude to enhance productivity and accelerate learning while maintaining code quality.

Full‑stack awareness – while primarily a backend/data engineering role, understanding of front‑end technologies like React/Angular enables effective collaboration across the stack.

What’s in it for you

Being a part of M&S is exactly that – becoming a part and playing your part. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting and always evolving business built on core values.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special:

20% colleague discount on most things from furniture, fashion and food.

A first‑class welcome to M&S with a tailored induction and a wide range of training schemes to help with your learning and development.

Attractive annual bonus, based on company performance and personal objectives.

Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.

Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices website – including GymSave and the option to become an M&S Shareholder.

Charity Volunteer Day – a paid day away from work to support your chosen charity.

A very generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.

Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support – including our 24/7 Virtual GP and other wellbeing schemes.

#LI-Hybrid #LI-PJ1

Meet the Team

Being an in-person business

We're at our best when we're close to customers, and for many of us at M&S, that means working in store every day.

To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected. It also means we can solve problems as soon as they arise, learn and grow as a team, build trust, and get closer to our colleagues.

Halford

Janak

Deepak

Halford

Janak

Deepak

Halford

Janak

Deepak

Being in third-party brands, working on things M&S hasn’t done before… that plays to my sweet spot. I’ve worked in many organisations throughout my career, and it’s rare to see such cause and effect in your work. The way we’re structured means you’re encouraged to solve problems and you have the autonomy to make progress quickly.

Halford (He / Him) | Head of Technical Program Management Read full story

I think all engineers just love solving puzzles and problems. At M&S, we’re constantly learning new things, whether it’s mastering Swift UI or understanding how customers interact with technology. But this is also a business that listens to engineers and values what we bring to the table. That’s different, believe me.

Janak (He / Him) | Staff iOS Engineer Read full story

At M&S, we have Data Scientists, Analysts, and Technical Product Managers, who all share a genuine passion for harnessing data to improve people’s lives. And we’re in a unique position where we can actually help many different kinds of people, from our customers to our colleagues in store and in our support centre.

Deepak (He / Him) | Data Scientist Read full story

Being in third-party brands, working on things M&S hasn’t done before… that plays to my sweet spot. I’ve worked in many organisations throughout my career, and it’s rare to see such cause and effect in your work. The way we’re structured means you’re encouraged to solve problems and you have the autonomy to make progress quickly.

Halford (He / Him) | Head of Technical Program Management Read full story

I think all engineers just love solving puzzles and problems. At M&S, we’re constantly learning new things, whether it’s mastering Swift UI or understanding how customers interact with technology. But this is also a business that listens to engineers and values what we bring to the table. That’s different, believe me.

Janak (He / Him) | Staff iOS Engineer Read full story

At M&S, we have Data Scientists, Analysts, and Technical Product Managers, who all share a genuine passion for harnessing data to improve people’s lives. And we’re in a unique position where we can actually help many different kinds of people, from our customers to our colleagues in store and in our support centre.

Deepak (He / Him) | Data Scientist Read full story

Being in third-party brands, working on things M&S hasn’t done before… that plays to my sweet spot. I’ve worked in many organisations throughout my career, and it’s rare to see such cause and effect in your work. The way we’re structured means you’re encouraged to solve problems and you have the autonomy to make progress quickly.

Halford (He / Him) | Head of Technical Program Management Read full story

I think all engineers just love solving puzzles and problems. At M&S, we’re constantly learning new things, whether it’s mastering Swift UI or understanding how customers interact with technology. But this is also a business that listens to engineers and values what we bring to the table. That’s different, believe me.

Janak (He / Him) | Staff iOS Engineer Read full story

At M&S, we have Data Scientists, Analysts, and Technical Product Managers, who all share a genuine passion for harnessing data to improve people’s lives. And we’re in a unique position where we can actually help many different kinds of people, from our customers to our colleagues in store and in our support centre.

Deepak (He / Him) | Data Scientist Read full story

End of quote slider carousel

Make Your Mark

Upcoming projects

Take part in our M&S Digital & Tech team days. Grow your digital and data skills through our BEAM Academy. Or challenge yourself at one of our business-wide hackathons. We also partner with Women in Data, Databricks and Cajigo to increase opportunities for women in digital and data.

Opportunities to be heard

Your voice and your ideas matter here. Our 8 colleague networks are places to find support, listen to each other and encourage debate. You can pitch ideas ‘Straight to Stuart’, our CEO, or get involved in our BIG (Business involvement Group).

Colleague Networks

We want you to feel supported, no matter what.

Gender Equality Network

Addressing gender-related challenges, raising awareness, and driving action to ensure equal opportunities for all.

Family & Carers Network

A support network for parents and carers, offering a space for colleagues to share experiences, exchange ideas, and access useful resources.

Health and Wellbeing Network

Providing a safe space for colleagues with all types of health conditions or disabilities and supporting with business initiatives to ensure our stores are truly accessible for our customers.

Culture and Heritage Network

Raising awareness of various religions and cultures through events and comms, to educate others and better represent our M&S colleagues and customers.

LGBTQ+ Network

Proactively representing LGBTQ+ issues and opportunities to deliver a truly inclusive place to work and shop for our colleagues and customers.

Menopause Network

Initiating and encouraging open conversations about menopause by offering support and sharing experiences.

Forces Community Network

Supporting colleagues connected to the Armed Forces, aiding their transition to civilian life, and ensuring that they thrive in the workplace.

Cancer Network

Fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, addressing stigma, providing guidance and raising awareness to empower and assist colleagues affected by cancer.

Gender Equality Network

Addressing gender-related challenges, raising awareness, and driving action to ensure equal opportunities for all.

Family & Carers Network

A support network for parents and carers, offering a space for colleagues to share experiences, exchange ideas, and access useful resources.

Health and Wellbeing Network

Providing a safe space for colleagues with all types of health conditions or disabilities and supporting with business initiatives to ensure our stores are truly accessible for our customers.

Culture and Heritage Network

Raising awareness of various religions and cultures through events and comms, to educate others and better represent our M&S colleagues and customers.

LGBTQ+ Network

Proactively representing LGBTQ+ issues and opportunities to deliver a truly inclusive place to work and shop for our colleagues and customers.

Menopause Network

Initiating and encouraging open conversations about menopause by offering support and sharing experiences.

Forces Community Network

Supporting colleagues connected to the Armed Forces, aiding their transition to civilian life, and ensuring that they thrive in the workplace.

Cancer Network

Fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, addressing stigma, providing guidance and raising awareness to empower and assist colleagues affected by cancer.

Gender Equality Network

Addressing gender-related challenges, raising awareness, and driving action to ensure equal opportunities for all.

Family & Carers Network

A support network for parents and carers, offering a space for colleagues to share experiences, exchange ideas, and access useful resources.

Health and Wellbeing Network

Providing a safe space for colleagues with all types of health conditions or disabilities and supporting with business initiatives to ensure our stores are truly accessible for our customers.

Culture and Heritage Network

Raising awareness of various religions and cultures through events and comms, to educate others and better represent our M&S colleagues and customers.

LGBTQ+ Network

Proactively representing LGBTQ+ issues and opportunities to deliver a truly inclusive place to work and shop for our colleagues and customers.

Menopause Network

Initiating and encouraging open conversations about menopause by offering support and sharing experiences.

Forces Community Network

Supporting colleagues connected to the Armed Forces, aiding their transition to civilian life, and ensuring that they thrive in the workplace.

Cancer Network

Fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, addressing stigma, providing guidance and raising awareness to empower and assist colleagues affected by cancer.

End of slider Colleague Networks carousel

Benefits

Wellbeing hub

Get access to resources to support your wellbeing, including a free virtual GP service.

Giving back

Support your favourite charities by donating through your pay or even volunteering for them.

Pay

Earn a competitive salary.

Colleague discount

After completing your probation period, you'll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.

Please note only contracts of more than 12 weeks are eligible for this benefit.

Time off

Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.

Bonus

We have discretionary bonus schemes depending on your role and our business performance.

Life assurance

Get cover for twice your salary up to age 70 (double with our Pension Plan).

Workplace savings

We’ll help you save through our Pension Savings Plan, Share Buy and Sharesave schemes.

My Choices

Save on everyday costs through discounts and offers and get access to great health benefits.

Cycle to work

Bike/accessory hire with Cycle to Work and save on tax and national insurance.

Smart tech

Buy the latest technology with interest-free financing directly from your salary.

Family friendly policy

Industry-leading maternity, paternity, adoption and neo-natal policies, providing support and flexibility for you and your family.

Wellbeing hub

Wellbeing hub

Get access to resources to support your wellbeing, including a free virtual GP service.

Giving back

Giving back

Support your favourite charities by donating through your pay or even volunteering for them.

Pay

Pay

Earn a competitive salary.

Colleague discount

Colleague discount

After completing your probation period, you'll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.

Please note only contracts of more than 12 weeks are eligible for this benefit.

Time off

Time off

Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.

Bonus

Bonus

We have discretionary bonus schemes depending on your role and our business performance.

Life assurance

Life assurance

Get cover for twice your salary up to age 70 (double with our Pension Plan).

Workplace savings

Workplace savings

We’ll help you save through our Pension Savings Plan, Share Buy and Sharesave schemes.

My Choices

My Choices

Save on everyday costs through discounts and offers and get access to great health benefits.

Cycle to work

Cycle to work

Bike/accessory hire with Cycle to Work and save on tax and national insurance.

Smart tech

Smart tech

Buy the latest technology with interest-free financing directly from your salary.

Family friendly policy

Family friendly policy

Industry-leading maternity, paternity, adoption and neo-natal policies, providing support and flexibility for you and your family.

Wellbeing hub

Giving back

Pay

Colleague discount

Time off

Bonus

Life assurance

Workplace savings

My Choices

Cycle to work

Smart tech

Family friendly policy

How to Apply

Here’s what to expect at each stage of the application process. This can change depending on the role you’ve applied to. If you need any reasonable adjustments made at any stage, let us know and we can help.

Send us your application

Fill in our short application form and hit submit.

Online assessment

Depending on the role you are applying for, you may be invited to do an assessment. Your Talent Acquisition Partner will guide and inform you along the way.

Interview

We'll invite you to join us for an interview. This could be remote or in person. Here, we'll ask you some role based technical questions and examine the behaviours we're looking for.

Decision

After we’ve made our decision, we’ll be in touch. If you’ve been successful, we’ll officially invite you to join the team and let you know the next steps.