Software Developer Hiring Trends in Belfast, United Kingdom

This report was last updated on Jul 13, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The Software Engineer job market in United Kingdom Belfast has witnessed notable fluctuations, with a peak of 29 new positions opening in week 21, indicating a competitive recruitment environment.
Mid-Senior level positions constitute 55% of job openings, highlighting the significant demand for experienced professionals in Belfast's tech sector.
The top companies hiring Software Engineers in the United Kingdom include Canonical, TieTalent, and Bending Spoons, indicating a concentrated demand from key industry players.
The median time to hire for Software Engineers in the region is approximately 29 days, underscoring the necessity for hiring managers to implement efficient recruitment strategies.
Despite the competitive landscape, with 90% of positions being full-time, the tightening job-to-talent ratio suggests that CTOs and Engineering Managers must adapt their recruitment strategies to attract top talent.

Number of roles opened and closed for Software Engineers in Belfast in the last 3 months

In the last 12 weeks, the Software Engineer job market in United Kingdom Belfast has demonstrated notable fluctuations in job postings. Over this period, there was a peak of 29 new Software Developer positions opened in week 21, contrasting sharply with a low of just 1 job in week 16. However, the closure of jobs has seen a significant uptick as well, with job closures rising markedly in recent weeks, peaking at 17 in week 24. This trend indicates a competitive environment where job openings are being filled swiftly, likely reflecting a sector under pressure to meet the burgeoning demand for Software Engineers in the region. Hiring managers may find it valuable to assess recruitment strategies considering these dynamics to attract top talent amidst increasing competition.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in United Kingdom:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	74
TieTalent	Switzerland	Information Technology & Services	2017	56
Bending Spoons	Italy	Information Technology & Services	2013	40
targetjobs UK	null	null	null	29
Mindrift	United States	Information Technology & Services	null	27
Arm	United Kingdom	Semiconductors	1990	26
JPMorganChase	United States	Financial Services	null	23
Oliver Bernard	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2010	22
GRAYCE	United Kingdom	Management Consulting	2012	21
Amazon	United States	Information Technology & Services	1994	21

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in United Kingdom

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in United Kingdom

The software engineers job market trends in the United Kingdom, particularly in Belfast, reflect a competitive hiring environment. With a notable count of job openings and a relatively limited talent pool, the jobs-to-talent ratio suggests that securing top talent may pose a challenge for hiring managers. In comparison, countries like Germany, France, and Poland exhibit a broader talent pool relative to their job openings, which may ease recruitment efforts in those regions. As such, the future demand for software engineers in the United Kingdom, specifically in Belfast, indicates a tightening market that necessitates strategic recruitment approaches for CTOs in the local tech sector.

Seniority distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Belfast

Seniority Distribution of Software Engineering Jobs in Belfast

In the Software Engineering job market in United Kingdom Belfast, the distribution of roles reflects a significant demand for experienced professionals. Mid-Senior level positions account for 55% of the job openings, followed by Entry level roles at 26% and Associate positions at 9%. This distribution highlights the importance for hiring managers to strategize effectively in attracting and retaining talent, particularly at the mid-senior level as competition intensifies in the evolving tech landscape.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

The employment type distribution for engineering roles in the United Kingdom reveals that 90% of positions are classified as full-time, indicating a strong preference for permanent employment in the software sector. Contract roles account for 9% of the job market, while part-time positions, representing only 2% of opportunities, reflect a minor segment of the workforce. These trends highlight a definitive demand for Software Engineers in the United Kingdom, particularly in Belfast, where hiring strategies should prioritize securing full-time talent to meet ongoing project needs.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in United Kingdom

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for software jobs in the United Kingdom reveals a keenly competitive landscape, particularly for Software Engineers in Belfast. Notably, the majority of positions are filled within 30 to 50 days, with 1,960 roles filled at the 30-day mark and 368 at 50 days. This data emphasizes that hiring managers and CTOs should anticipate a streamlined recruitment process, especially for Software Developer opportunities. Furthermore, the distribution shows a significant decline in hires beyond 50 days, suggesting that swift recruitment strategies are crucial to securing top Senior Software Developers in the region.

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Most popular cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

In the United Kingdom, the distribution of Software Engineer job openings reveals a significant concentration in London, accounting for 92% of the total job counts within this dataset. Manchester follows with 9% of job openings, while other cities such as Leeds and Cambridge contribute minimally, underscoring London's dominance in the Software job market. This data is further supported by the accompanying chart, which illustrates the job opportunities across these key cities.

Most sought after technologies in Belfast for Software

Key technologies for Software Engineers

The software job market in the United Kingdom, particularly in Belfast, reflects a strong preference for specific technologies among employers. Notably, JavaScript emerges as the most sought-after technology, with a frequency of 7,682 mentions, followed closely by Python, at 8,771. Java and C# also hold significant positions, with frequencies of 9,703 and 5,465 respectively. Additionally, the popularity of frameworks such as React, alongside solid backend solutions like .NET and SQL, indicates a robust demand for full-stack proficiency. For a detailed visual representation, please refer to the accompanying chart.

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