Software Developer Hiring Trends in Oxford, United Kingdom

This report was last updated on Jul 27, 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 engineering job market in Oxford, United Kingdom, has recorded significant fluctuations, with 12 new job openings noted in weeks 20 and 21 and a prevailing trend of job closures, resulting in recruitment challenges for hiring managers.
Key technologies currently shaping the hiring landscape in the Software Engineers job market in United Kingdom Oxford include JavaScript, Java, and Python, making it essential for recruitment strategies to align with these in-demand technologies.
The seniority distribution within the software engineering roles shows a strong preference for mid-senior level positions, which make up 55% of the job market, indicating a high demand for experienced Software Developers.
The competitive hiring environment is highlighted by the challenging ratio of approximately 2.5 software developers available for every open position in Oxford, compared to more favorable ratios in countries like Germany and Poland.
On average, the median time to hire for Software Engineers in the United Kingdom is 31 days, emphasizing the necessity for effective recruitment strategies to ensure timely placements in a fast-paced tech sector.

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

Over the past 12 weeks, the software engineering job market in Oxford, United Kingdom has exhibited fluctuations in job postings, with a notable peak of 12 new jobs recorded in weeks 20 and 21. Despite these openings, there was a consistent trend of job closures, culminating in a significant increase during weeks 24 to 28, where 11 to 5 positions were closed weekly. When compared with trends in other European countries, Oxford's fluctuation highlights a regional pattern that may signal recruitment challenges for CTOs and hiring managers. Understanding these dynamics will be crucial for adapting recruitment strategies to secure top software development talent in the competitive UK market.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in United Kingdom:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Bending Spoons	Italy	Information Technology & Services	2013	68
TieTalent	Switzerland	Information Technology & Services	2017	58
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	58
Oliver Bernard	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2010	35
targetjobs UK	null	null	null	32
e-Careers	null	null	null	30
GRAYCE	United Kingdom	Management Consulting	2012	28
JPMorganChase	United States	Financial Services	null	27
IBM	United States	Information Technology & Services	1911	23
Arm	United Kingdom	Semiconductors	1990	23

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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 Oxford, reflect a competitive landscape that hiring managers must navigate. With the job openings outpacing the talent pool, there is a ratio of approximately 2.5 software developers available for each open position, indicating a challenging hiring environment. In comparison, countries like Germany and France show a more favorable ratio of 3.5 and 4.0 respectively, signifying easier access to skilled talent. Conversely, Poland offers a robust talent pool with a ratio of 6.0, marking it as a viable option for recruitment strategies for CTOs in United Kingdom Oxford's tech sector. As demand for software developer opportunities increases across Europe, understanding these emerging trends in software programmer hiring will be crucial for successful talent acquisition.

Seniority distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Oxford

Seniority Distribution of Software Engineering Jobs in Oxford

In the Software Engineers job market trends in United Kingdom Oxford, the seniority distribution reveals a significant preference for Mid-Senior level positions, which constitute 55% of the available roles. Entry level opportunities comprise 27%, while Associate roles account for 6% of the market. This distribution indicates a notable demand for experienced Software Developers, underscoring the need for effective recruitment strategies for CTOs within Oxford's thriving tech sector.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

In the competitive software engineering job market in the United Kingdom, full-time positions dominate with 91% of all roles, highlighting a strong trend towards permanent employment. Contract roles account for 9% of the job market, while part-time opportunities represent just 4%, signaling that hiring managers should focus primarily on full-time candidates when strategizing their recruitment efforts in this sector.

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 displays significant variability, which is crucial for hiring managers navigating the competitive tech landscape. The highest frequency is observed in the 30-day range, accounting for 2165 positions filled, followed closely by the 25-day timeframe with 1483 hires. Notably, the data indicates that 403 candidates secured positions within just 5 days, suggesting a strong demand for quick placements. As the hiring window extends towards 100 days, the numbers dwindle considerably, with only 12 hires reported, highlighting the need for effective recruitment strategies in this sector. Understanding these trends is imperative for CTOs and engineering managers aiming to optimize their hiring processes, especially within the Oxford job market.

Expolore reports from other European Developer talent pools

Insights for hiring C++ Engineers in Stockholm

The Software C++ job market in Sweden, particularly in Stockholm, has experienced notable fluctuations in job openings over the last 12 weeks, with a peak of 16 new positions posted during week 23, followed by an average of 3 jobs per week by week 32.

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Insights for hiring PHP Engineers in Poland

The Software PHP Engineer job market in Poland is exhibiting notable fluctuations, with a peak of 188 new positions in week 21, but also a low of just 10 postings in week 25, indicating volatile demand for Software PHP Developers.

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Insights for hiring Rust Engineers in Vilnius

The Software Rust Engineers job market in Lithuania, particularly in Vilnius, is currently experiencing a net decrease in available roles, with 12 new positions opened against 40 closures over the past 12 weeks. This trend underscores the challenges in retaining Software Rust talent and suggests an adjustment in recruitment strategies may be necessary for hiring managers.

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Most popular cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

The city distribution for Software Engineer job openings in the United Kingdom reveals notable trends, especially with London leading the way. London accounts for 92% of the total opportunities, while Manchester follows with 9%. Overall, cities like Leeds and Cambridge represent a mere fraction of the market, contributing 5% and 5% respectively. For hiring managers, this data underscores the concentration of opportunities in the capital, making it a focal point for recruitment strategies in the Oxford tech sector.

Most sought after technologies in Oxford for Software

Key technologies for Software Engineers

In the current software job market in United Kingdom Oxford, several technologies are emerging as dominant players, shaping the hiring landscape for Software Engineers. Notably, JavaScript leads the pack with a frequency of 7509, followed closely by Java at 9462 instances. Python is also a key technology in demand, with a frequency of 8890, showcasing its relevance in various software development roles. Additionally, SQL and PHP follow suit, with frequencies of 4563 and 4482, respectively. This trend highlights the significance of understanding these technologies for effective recruitment strategies targeting skilled Software Developers within the region. Please refer to the attached chart for a detailed representation of these data points.

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