Software Engineer (E1) - WCS & Conveyor

This posting is for hourly paid logistics employees to apply through.

About Us

We are Ocado Technology and we empower global grocery retailers with cutting-edge cloud, robotics, AI, and IoT. Our Ocado Smart Platform (OSP) powers highly automated Customer Fulfilment Centres (CFCs), enabling efficient, single-pick online grocery delivery

About the Role

Are you ready to work on cutting-edge technology that powers one of the world’s most advanced automated warehouse systems? Ocado Technology is looking for a Software Engineer to join our WCS & Conveyor Team - part of the brains behind the intelligent movement of containers in our warehouses.

As a key member of our team, you’ll contribute to the development, maintenance, and support of three core production applications that control conveyor systems and track containers as they move through our global warehouse network. Your work will play a crucial role in integrating new hardware and optimizing for different layouts across our estate.

You’ll be responsible for our flagship product, the Warehouse Control System (WCS) - a software layer that bridges low-level hardware controllers and business logic applications. Our mission is to build a scalable, configurable, and highly reliable system that drives warehouse automation while simplifying hardware communication and warehouse layout complexities.

Beyond WCS, you’ll also work on two key business logic applications:

• One that automates bagging operations, ensuring delivery totes are filled and routed correctly.
• Another that manages the automated washing and redistribution of storage totes.

All of our control systems are real-time, low-latency, and high-throughput applications built in Java (without Spring Boot) and running in OTP.

What You’ll be doing;

• Develop, enhance, and maintain real-time control systems.
• Work on primarily backend and occasionally frontend projects, contributing across multiple applications.
• Collaborate in team-wide design discussions, ensuring scalable and efficient solutions.
• Solve complex technical challenges in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Present ideas and share knowledge with stakeholders.

About you

The ideal candidate will:

• Actively embody Ocado Technology’s values.
• Be eager to learn from data, experience, and feedback.
• Contribute enthusiastically, always seeking ways to improve.
• Adapt quickly to new information
• Demonstrate a proactive, collaborative, and optimistic mindset.
• Approach challenges logically and with a structured problem-solving method.
• Share knowledge with colleagues, including presenting learnings and data to various stakeholders.
• Happily take an active role in supporting business needs (including an out-of-hours support rota)
• Solid Java skills (ideally Java 21+)
• Have a firm understanding of OOP and functional programming

We would also like you to have:

• Interest in real-time control systems
• Interest in maintaining and supporting systems deployed to many live production environments 
• Some experience with React 

What we offer

We believe in supporting our people with meaningful, flexible benefits that prioritise well-being and work-life balance. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect:

• Time to recharge:
  25 days annual leave (rising to 27 after 5 years), plus the option to buy more – and 30 days a year to work from anywhere in the world.
  
  
• Health & wellbeing:
  Private Medical Insurance from your first month, wellbeing support through specialist apps and EAP, plus Income Protection and Life Assurance.
  
  
• Family-first policies:
  22 weeks paid maternity/primary carer leave and 6 weeks paid paternity leave (after qualifying period).
  
  
• Financial support:
  Pension with employer matching up to 7%, share schemes (Sharesave & BAYE), and interest-free loans for train tickets.
  
  
• Commuter perks:
  Cycle to Work Scheme and free shuttle buses to/from Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City stations.
  
  
• Exclusive discounts:
  15% off at Ocado.com with free delivery (starting in your first month).

Ocado Group is an equal opportunities employer and as such makes every effort to ensure that all potential employees are treated fairly and equally, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, age, or disability or union membership status.