Backend Developer

The Backend Developer is a new and integral role within the Business Intelligence team of Air Navigation Solutions (ANSL) and presents an exciting opportunity to design and develop new solutions and inform the ANSL data and technology strategy.

This is a broad role with opportunities to get involved in wide ranging projects, for internal and external customers, working both independently and as part of a team. You will work closely with the Business Insights Lead, the Business Insights Analyst, and the wider organisation at all levels, including Engineers, Operations Specialists and comparative functions within our parent company, DFS. You will develop and own the data feeds, APIs, and other data integration pipelines, from conception to operation and help shape the architecture vision of ANSL and our customers, translating this vision into a reality. You will strive for a high degree of automation, clean architectures, optimised code, and overall high quality, with a customer-centric and continuous improvement mindset. Using the right tools for the job, you will solve business and technical problems in an efficient way, developing resilient and high-performing infrastructures, ensuring data integrity is maintained at all times. The ANSL environment is hosted in Microsoft Azure and this individual will understand the Azure toolbox, leveraging Azure services as part of the development of ANSL’s infrastructure.

This role is for a 12 month fixed term period and offers a competitive salary and benefits. It is based at ANSL's Head Office in Gatwick, with the option of hybrid working.

Primary Responsibilities

• Be the business expert for end-to-end data transfer solutions, including APIs, from concept through design, build, test, deploy and release for both ANSL systems, third party systems and external customer projects.
• Support the development of existing APIs.
• Design, build and maintain new APIs.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external customers on a project and/or continuous improvement basis.
• Plan and conduct tests for databases, applications, and other developed components to address bugs and quality issues.
• Maintain a focus on data integrity, data management, code optimisation and performance tuning.
• Architecture design and improvement. 
• Support ANSL’s data warehouse development. 
• Innovative approach to the use of a range of tools, constantly exploring ways to improve and find the right solution to a problem.
• Support on projects from a data perspective; understanding the project objectives, the outputs needed to meet the objectives, and the raw data required to enable this. 
• Interact with the wider ANSL & DFS business, where required.
• The post-holder must co-operate with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment.  Co-workers, customers, and visitors must be treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc. 
• Actively promote ANSL to internal and external customers, carrying out all duties in an efficient, professional, and courteous manner; clearly & effectively communicate with customers & staff. 
• ​Demonstrate the values within the business always. 
• Any other reasonable duties as requested by your Manager.

Qualifications & Experience

• Educated to degree level, ideally in a quantitative discipline or equivalent relevant experience (desired).
• Previous experience within a similar role.
• Good knowledge and commercial application of various data feeds, web services and API protocols, and the ability to recommend the optimal solution for each situation (including experience of HTTP, REST and SOAP APIs).
• Competent in SQL, JSON, XML.
• ​Good knowledge of physical and cyber security, and associated security standards.
• Innovative approach to complex data extraction and transfer, processing, transformation, and persistence.
• Knowledge and experience of testing.
• Experience of database development desired.
• Experience of cloud computing with use of the Microsoft Azure toolbox desired.

 Competencies and Attitude

• Excellent problem-solving skills
• A desire to innovate
• Highly competent communicator including written communications
• Ability to work collaboratively and as part of a team
• Pro-active approach and able to identify areas of need and to manage outputs
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• A passion for providing a service to customers
• Self-motivated with the ability to take ownership and to work autonomously
• Ability to use own initiative and produce results
• Personal integrity and professionalism
• Understanding of commercial principles

Internal Relationships

• ANSL
• DFS Group
• Operational/technical experts, project teams 

External Relationships

• Customers.
• Suppliers.
• Regulatory Authorities, CAA.
• Other Third Parties. 

This job description reflects the main functions of the role but from time to time the company may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to meet the needs of the business.