Intermediate Software Engineer – Java, DevOps & AI

About the role

We are looking for an Intermediate Java Developer to join our engineering team. This role is suited to a proficient engineer who can deliver high-quality software, take ownership of features, and contribute to continuous improvement within their squad. You will work across Java development, DevOps practices, and emerging AI-driven approaches to support CDL’s products and platforms. About CDL CDL is one of the UK’s leading software development houses, employing over 600 people at its campus in Stockport. It has a consistent history in the high-volume retail insurance sector. CDL has spearheaded developments in the aggregator, web and telematics space, including connected home, enrichment and self-service solutions. As a result, the company’s robust and innovative technologies have enabled its customers to thrive in the highly competitive UK insurance marketplace. We have built a collaborative and creative culture, leveraging AI-driven solutions to enhance our products, processes and decision-making. We pride ourselves on cultivating an inspiring working environment with our employees at the heart of our company. In a nutshell we are the market leading software house in our industry, creating the software, websites & apps for the Insurance & Finance sector across the UK. If you were to go on a price comparison website, approximately 65% of the companies on there are our clients! Why Join CDL
Opportunity to work on enterprise-scale, cloud-native platforms
Strong focus on engineering quality, automation, and modern practices
Growing adoption of AI-supported development approaches
Clear and transparent career progression framework
Collaborative environment across squads and technology communities

Design, build, and maintain Java-based applications and services
Deliver well-tested, secure and scalable solutions aligned to CDL standards
Take ownership of features or components end-to-end
Contribute to solution design and technical decisions
Support and improve CI/CD pipelines and deployment processes
Collaborate with Product and Platform teams
Participate in team ceremonies and squad delivery
Contribute to continuous improvement and adoption of AI tools

Essential:
Strong Java enterprise development experience
Experience with APIs and microservices
Understanding of software engineering principles and best practices
Exposure to DevOps / CI-CD pipelines
Experience working in an AI development environment
Desirable:
Experience with AWS (compute, networking, or serverless services)
Cloud-native development and distributed systems
Docker / Kubernetes
Infrastructure as Code
Experience with AI-assisted development tools
Awareness of secure coding practices, application security, and cloud security principles
What We’re Looking For
Ability to deliver independently and take ownership
A collaborative team player who contributes positively to squad outcomes
Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
Commitment to quality, continuous improvement, and learning
Interest in modern engineering practices (DevOps & AI)
Level Expectations (Engineer 3)
Delivers independently with minimal supervision
Owns features or components within the squad
Contributes to technical improvements and best practices
Supports and collaborates with other engineers