The DevLab Podcast

What does it take to build a tech career at M&S?

In this DevLab episode, Safira Adam, who leads Digital & Technology Service Management at M&S, shares what it’s really like to run technology at national scale. We talk about leadership under pressure, keeping things running for millions, and how culture and service management shape the work behind the scenes.

We also dig into M&S’s growing tech hub in Manchester, the opportunities it creates for engineers in the North West, and what it means to build inclusive, high-performing teams at scale.

Read more about M&S: https://hackajob.com/company/marks-and-spencer?hsLang=en

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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Ever wondered what it’s like to go from founding startups to leading engineering at one of the UK’s biggest retailers? 

In this new DevLab episode, Ben Phillips, Engineering Chapter Lead at M&S, joins Mark Chaffey, CEO at hackajob, to talk about building technology at a scale few engineers ever get to experience. It’s also a place where teams still find space to experiment, learn and grow. 

They dive into culture, curiosity and what it really takes to build products that millions of people use every day.

Read more about M&S: https://hackajob.com/company/marks-and-spencer?hsLang=en

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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Cybersecurity is as much about culture and communication as it is about code 🌍🔐

In this DevLab episode, BAE Systems’ Berenike explores the human side of cyber and why tech skills alone are not enough.

Here are 3 big themes we cover:
⚡ Beyond code: Relationships, trust and cultural intelligence are just as critical as technical tools
🛡️ Emerging threats: From operational technology in critical infrastructure to the basics we are still getting wrong
🤖 AI hype vs reality: The bigger risk is overestimating AI’s capabilities and underestimating security fundamentals

This episode takes you inside global cyber, showing how diplomacy, culture and collaboration shape stronger defences in cybersecurity. Read more about BAE Systems here: https://hackajob.com/company/bae

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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🌍 AI is reshaping everything, but how do you build tech that is not just powerful but also fair and inclusive?

In our latest DevLab episode, we sit down with Petra Abbam (Principal Responsible AI Manager) and Philip Robinson (Head of Performance & Co-Chair of Embrace) from the BBC.

Together, they share:

✨ How the BBC is embedding ethics into AI

✨ Why generalists thrive in fast-changing tech environments

✨ A fresh take on diversity: commonality as strength, diversity as resilience

✨ What culture experiments really look like inside a global organisation

🎧 Tune in for a conversation that blends AI, culture and inclusion, and why it matters for the future of tech.

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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🚀 No straight lines. No perfect plans. Just real women, building real careers in tech.

In our latest DevLab episode, we sat down with Kristy, Henrietta and Lila from Leonardo: three engineers working across aerospace, manufacturing and AI. Each of them took a completely different route into tech. Think psychology degrees, apprenticeships, career pivots and a whole lot of self-teaching.

We talked:
👀 Visibility and role models in STEM
🤖 Innovation in AI, aerospace and defence
💬 Imposter syndrome, soft skills and asking the "silly" questions
📈 How Leonardo supports career growth, inclusion and mobility

It’s honest, insightful, and packed with advice for anyone exploring (or rethinking) their place in tech. Read more about Leonardo: https://hackajob.com/company/leonardo?hsLang=en

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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💻 From historic cottages to high-tech code, Jen's journey into software engineering at BAE Systems is anything but typical.

In this new episode of DevLab, Jen shares:

⚙️ How she pivoted from history and heritage to tech
✅ What it’s really like to break into engineering through a bootcamp
👩‍💻 Her thoughts on AI, imposter syndrome and why we need more women in the room

A candid, motivating look at what it takes to carve out a new path in tech. Listen now.

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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In this episode of DevLab, Adam Davis, Senior Systems Development Manager at bet365, shares insights on:

🔧 Why bet365 embraced Go and how it’s transformed scalability and system reliability
 ⚡ The toughest challenges and biggest wins moving from .NET monoliths to microservices
 👥 How to build strong software teams and spot future leaders during big tech shifts

Plus, Adam opens up on nurturing culture, supporting career growth, and what’s next for tech at bet365.✨

Press play to hear the inside story on pushing tech boundaries while keeping teams motivated and evolving fast.

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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What does it take to go from writing code to leading customer conversations at scale?

Josh Hicks, Senior Technical Sales Engineer at Jumpmind, joins us to talk:

🚀 Scaling to 70K databases and 20M changes/hour
🌧️ When data goes sideways (and how to fix it)
🔁 How to keep engineers engaged as companies grow
💼 What technical sales *actually* looks like

From building SymmetricDS to supporting retailers like Petco and Build-A-Bear, Josh has done it all, and still finds time to write code.

If you’ve ever asked "What’s next after dev?",  this one’s for you.

🔥 Discover more about Jumpmind here: https://www.jumpmind.com/

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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Ever wondered how AI and tech innovation are transforming healthcare from the inside? Meet Charlotte Trott, Senior Program Manager, and Adrian Samuel, Senior AI & ML Platform Engineer, both driving real change at GSK’s Onyx team.
 In this episode, they share:

• Their unique career journeys and how they blend science, tech & talent to tackle global health challenges 
• The impact of generative AI in speeding up drug discovery 
• Honest advice on collaboration, career growth, and the exciting future of personalised medicine 

If you’re curious about AI’s real impact beyond the hype or how tech roles in biotech evolve, this episode’s packed with insights and honest stories.

If you are interested in finding out more about how GSK uses data, please visit https://privacy.gsk.com/en-gb/privacy-notice/privacy-principles/.

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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 How do you break into product if you didn’t start in tech?

In this episode of DevLab, we chat with Martin Sheeran (Director of Digital Product), Lauren Ronan (Digital Product Manager), and Stacey Hudson (Digital Talent Lead) from N Brown (read more about N Brown here: https://hackajob.com/company/n-brown-group).

We cover: 

• Non-linear career paths in tech 
• Why mentorship is more than a buzzword 
• The real skills that matter in digital product teams 
• What hiring managers actually look for in product candidates
• And yes, we talk AI. But in a refreshingly grounded way.

If you're navigating a career shift or thinking about your next move in tech, this one’s worth a listen.

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🔥Are you looking for a new tech role? Create your free hackajob profile and let employers such as N Brown send you interview requests for roles that match your skills and experience. Get started here: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=streaming-platforms&utm_campaign=devlab

 🔥Are you hiring? Discover how hackajob can connect you with top tech talent by booking a free, no-commitment personalized demo here: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=streaming-platforms&utm_campaign=devlab

What would you like us to talk about next?

🔥 Looking for a new role? Create your free hackajob profile and let Archer, your AI advocate in the job market, match you to roles that fit your goals. Apply knowing you're a good fit: https://hackajob.com/talent/sign-up

🔥 Hiring? Archer is hackajob's AI sourcing agent. It finds and qualifies the passive, in-demand talent your team can't reach and delivers them straight into your ATS, while your recruiters make every hiring decision. Book a free demo: https://hackajob.com/employer/book-a-demo

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